FabricIQ
Reading the label…
B
84/100
01Verdict
Well-made, but plastic on skin.
Best for Outerwear or layers — not for direct skin contact.
Material B · 84Health C · 68Eco · 72Label · high255 gsm
Why this material grade?
This product scored 84/100 on the material-quality rubric (durability, comfort, breathability, warmth, moisture-wicking, care-ease), based on its composition of 95% Merino Wool, 5% Elastane. Sustainability is scored separately as the Eco Rating. Blended from 95% Merino Wool, 5% Spandex — the score is a weighted average based on each material's proportion.
B (70-84): Good material composition — above average across most axes.
Good quality, eco-friendly
Solid fabric with strong environmental credentials. Merino Wool (95%) is doing the heavy lifting. This is a smart buy.
Premium fabric, premium price
$158Better-than-typical fabric, but priced above the category median.
$1.88 per quality pointCategory median: $88 · grade C
Fabric value only — compares material quality to price vs other shorts. Construction, fit, and brand aren't measured.
02Breakdown
Composition
95% Merino Wool, 5% Elastane
Mostly natural with stretch
Fabric details
eVent™✓ OEKO-TEX®✓ RWS
Twill construction · 255 g/m²
Likely chemical finishes
⚠ Easy-care resin · formaldehyde⚠ Antimicrobial biocide · biocide
Stated on the product page — not lab-tested. Not medical advice.
Care (from the label)
Machine wash cold
Sustainability is scored separately — see the Eco Rating below.
🌍
This fabric will take 200+ years to decompose. That means a shirt you buy today will still exist in the year 2226.
🧺
Dryer heat destroys spandex/elastane over time. Your leggings and stretchy clothes will last 2x longer if you skip the dryer.
⚖️
Merino Wool (score 86) is carrying this blend. Spandex (score 55) is pulling it down.
03Network
Performance
spec sheet- Fabric weight
- 255 g/m²
- Construction
- Twill
Heavyweight
Diagonal weave — durable, drapey
Cost per wear
estimated$1.10/wear · 144 expected wears
Reasonable cost-per-wear
How we got there
Base for Shorts: 120 expected wears.
× 1.20 for 255 g/m² (heavyweight).
× 1.00 for Merino Wool (mid-durability fiber, durability 71).
= 144 expected wears. $158 ÷ 144 ≈ $1.10/wear.
Real life is messier than a formula: how often you wash, how you wash, whether you wear it inside-out, dry on low — all of it shifts the number. This is the ceiling under reasonable care.
Care Guide
Decode symbolsWash
cold (30°C)
Bleach
Do not bleach
Dry
flat dry
Iron
Best For
🏃Athletic Wear
ExcellentExcellent breathability (82) and moisture wicking (88) for active sports
🧥Winter Outerwear
ExcellentExcellent warmth (87) and durability (71) for cold weather
👔Formal/Office
ExcellentExcellent durability (71) and comfort (87) for office wear
😴Sleepwear
ExcellentExcellent comfort (87) and breathability (82) for sleeping
👕Everyday Casual
GoodGood comfort (87) and care ease (51) for casual wear
🩲Underwear
GoodGood breathability (82) and comfort (87) for undergarments
Better Alternatives
Higher-rated shorts products — each card shows how much better this alt scores vs your current product.
04Tradeoffs
Health Impact
Microplastic shedding · skin-contact synthetic load · likely chemical treatments
C68/100
Moderate health impact — some synthetic content or possible chemical treatments. Rotate with natural-fiber alternatives where you can.
MicroplasticsLOW
Very low
Skin contactLOW
5% synthetic
ChemicalsHIGH
Formaldehyde, Biocide
- Formaldehyde (likely): "Easy-care resin" stated on the product page — observed, not inferred.
- Biocide (likely): "Antimicrobial biocide" stated on the product page — observed, not inferred.
Biodegradability
Not BiodegradableMaterials will persist in the environment for decades.
What this score doesn't measure
- ×Fiber grade. Staple length, micronaire, strength. "100% cotton" could be short-staple upland or long-staple Pima — same label, very different fabric.
- ×Yarn processing. Singles count, ply (single vs two-ply), spinning method (open-end vs ring-spun vs compact), mercerization. Invisible from any label.
- ×Knit / weave structure. Single jersey vs interlock, knit tightness. A loose knit pills; a tight knit lasts.
- ×Fabric weight (GSM). One construction signal among several — and high GSM can come from loose cheap yarn just as easily as from fine tight yarn. We have it for blank manufacturers, rarely for retail.
- ×Pre-shrink processing. Sanforized cotton shrinks ~1%; non-sanforized can shrink up to 10%. Not visible from the composition tag.
- ×Construction quality. Stitch density (SPI), seam types, collar geometry, manufacturing tolerances (AQL). These often matter more than the fiber itself.
- ×Specific chemical loads. Health Impact flags "likely PFAS / possible formaldehyde" from composition × category — we don't lab-test individual SKUs.
We rate the fabric, not the garment. Composition is the floor of what you're guaranteed to be getting — most shoppers don't have that.
05Action
