The Woolmark Company has partnered with Australian NBA All-Star Ben Simmons to develop a limited-edition, high-performance Merino Wool t-shirt.
The exclusive 100% Merino-wool tee has been designed by Simmons, who was inspired by the Ben Simmons Family Foundation's (BSFF) value of 'Do it With Heart' and the mantra #equalise.
The BSFF supports community organisations working to break down barriers to opportunity and 100% of the proceeds from the sales of the tee will go to the organisation.
"Our goal with this merchandise is to centre equality of opportunity, something we all need to commit to - to actively equalise," Simmons said of the t-shirt.
"We wanted to bring awareness to the impact of racism in denying opportunities to people everywhere, and drive support for people and resources that are committed to challenging existing issues," he said.
On choosing Merino Wool as the fabric for the t-shirt, Simmons added that the performance and construction benefits of the wool made it an obvious choice for the piece.
"We chose to work with Australian Merino wool because it’s a sustainable, ethically produced fibre that’s also incredibly high quality - it’s soft, odour-resistant and temperature regulating, and it has an amazing drape.
"For me, you shouldn’t have to compromise between luxury and performance, and I’m proud that it’s produced in Australia, so Merino wool was a natural choice for the fabric," he said.
The 100% Merino shirt is naturally thermoregulating and 100% renewable and biodegradable.
It is available exclusively on the HBX website and retails for $100 USD.