Outerknown introduces its Fall 2026 Woolaroo Recycled Wool Fleece Collection, expanding one of the brand’s most distinctive material innovations with a new lineup of warm, breathable layers made from 100% recycled wool.
Developed in partnership with Manteco, a leading Italian textile company known for its innovation in recycled wool and circular textiles, Woolaroo is made with MWool®, Manteco’s premium recycled wool fiber. The partnership reflects a shared approach to circularity that doesn’t compromise quality, performance or creativity, transforming wool from secondhand garments, factory scraps and other pre- and post-consumer sources into a high-quality material designed for a new life.
Woolaroo rethinks a cold-weather staple traditionally made from plastic-based synthetic fibers. Instead, Outerknown uses a 100% Recycled Wool, to create a plush natural fleece that delivers warmth, breathability, odor resistance, thermoregulation and quick-drying performance without relying on synthetic fleece. The collection reflects the unexpected nature of the material itself: real wool transformed into a soft, versatile fleece designed to move easily between the outdoors, travel and everyday life.
For Fall 2026, the collection includes the Woolaroo Jacket, Vest, Hoodie and Shirt Jacket, along with the new women’s Woolaroo Cocoon Jacket. New seasonal designs include a camouflage pattern for the men’s Woolaroo Jacket and a green plaid Woolaroo Shirt Jacket. Each is made from 100% recycled wool, with the colors and patterns created by combining reclaimed fibers rather than using new dyes.
“With Woolaroo, we set out to make a higher-quality, better-performing fleece layer using natural materials, and the best part is that it’s made from 100% recycled wool,” said John Moore, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Outerknown. “Most fleece is just plastic in disguise. By partnering with Manteco, we’re taking wool that comes largely from secondhand garments and factory scraps and transforming it into something unbelievably soft, warm and breathable, without relying on plastic-based fibers. We don’t even use new dyes – the earthy colors and patterns come directly from the recycled fibers themselves. It’s a return to natural fibers that just feels better.”
This new collection is created in Italy, through a process that carefully sorts, recycles, spins, and weaves existing wool into new high-quality material. The process keeps valuable fibers in circulation while reducing the need for virgin material. Different shades of reclaimed wool are combined to achieve the collection’s colors and patterns without additional dyes or the water associated with a conventional dyeing process.
Unlike plastic-based synthetic fibers, Woolaroo uses a natural wool fiber that biodegrades over time. A peer-reviewed study examining MWool® in marine conditions found that the fibers undergo biodegradation in seawater and, under the conditions studied, found no significant ecotoxicological effects on the marine species tested.
The partnership builds on Outerknown’s long-running exploration of wool as a performance material. The Woolaroo story originally began with an unexpected application boardshorts – as the brand explored wool’s natural performance properties as an alternative to commonly used synthetic materials. What began as an experiment has since evolved into one of Outerknown’s signature cold-weather collections.
The Fall 2026 collection brings Woolaroo across a range of silhouettes designed for everyday warmth and layering. The new women’s Woolaroo Cocoon Jacket introduces a softer, more elevated expression of the material, with feminine lines, a relaxed cocoon silhouette and blouson sleeves. Details include natural corozo nut buttons, hidden on-seam zip pockets, braided trim and a 100% organic cotton lining.
Across the Woolaroo collection, Outerknown and Manteco bring circularity, quality, and creativity together – taking an existing natural fiber and transforming it into a premium material designed to be worn for years to come.
The Fall 2026 Woolaroo Recycled Wool Fleece Collection is available now at Outerknown.com.
About Outerknown
In 2015, 11x World Champion surfer Kelly Slater and creative director John Moore launched Outerknown with a mission to lead a revolution in sustainable apparel. Guided by the principle of always making the most responsible choice, even when it is the most challenging path forward, Outerknown has inspired change in the industry through transparency in its processes and an unwavering commitment to responsible sourcing practices and the welfare of everyone they work with, from the farmer to the customer. Outerknown creates elevated, lasting wardrobe staples using the highest quality and most sustainable materials, resulting in 99% of the line being made with organic, Regenerative Organic Certified®, recycled or regenerated fibers. Today, Outerknown operates six retail stores across the US, an online shop, and Outerworn, their resale platform that keeps clothes in circularity rather than in the landfill.
About Manteco
Manteco is an Italian company founded in 1943, a leader in high-quality textiles and the circular economy of wool. The company produces 100% in Tuscany through MSystem, a certified and fully traceable zero-kilometre supply chain, combining sustainability, innovation, and creativity. It has developed pioneering circular economy projects and owns its own regenerated wool and cashmere brands, MWool®, ReviWool® and MCashmere ®. Thanks to its commitment, Manteco has received numerous international awards and is a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. At the same time, it promotes the culture of sustainable fashion through Manteco Academy, collaborating with leading fashion schools worldwide.
