Dachstein gloves have been around for ever. Made from 100% wool, they look a bit old fashioned yet work brilliantly in the mountains.

They stay warm, keep the wind and snow at bay and are as good ten years on as day one. We wondered if we could make a wool shirt that could pull off the same trick. It turns out we could.

Have you ever thought that it looks strange when hundreds of people spill out of lift stations onto pristine snowy mountains dressed in very expensive bright plastic clothes? From a distance a little bit like a tube of Smarties spilt across a white tablecloth. We wondered if there was another way. A way to fit-in with the mountains rather than stand-out; with performance gear made from natural fibres.

We don’t have anything in particular against nylon and plastic clothing, it’s just that the drive for ‘technical’ and waterproof performance has come at a very high price. The trade-offs are breathability, comfort and feel, and clothing that once discarded lives almost forever in landfills.

The McNair Mountain Shirt is made from merino wool, carefully processed to improve thermal efficiency and weather resistance. Teamed with a merino base layer it replaces an outer shell on most days – until you try it as a jacket, you won’t believe how effective it is. And on the fiercest days just add a thin shell over the top.

It is different from anything else out there, it’s also kind of an obvious, natural solution. It is made properly in Huddersfield which is world renowned for its woollen industry, and all the work to the fabric; the weaving, milling, raising and steaming is done within 10 miles of where we make the shirt.

A traditional and principled approach to manufacturing in Britain and one simple aim. Make the best mountain shirt in the world.