The Merino Company

What The Merino Company does

The Merino Company Limited (TMC Ltd) is a New Zealand-based private textile technology company founded by CEO Andy Wynne that develops and licenses Nuyarn®, a proprietary twist-free spinning technology for merino wool. Unlike traditional ring spinning or core spinning, Nuyarn drafts wool fibres along a high-performance filament without introducing tension, producing two-ply yarns with 35% more volume and aeration. Independent testing by Intertek Vietnam and AgResearch NZ validates performance claims including 5x faster drying, 85% more elasticity, 35% greater thermal retention, 53% more air resistance, 50% greater burst strength, 120% stronger seams, and 8.8x greater durability (123,333 Martindale rubs vs. 14,000–18,000 for traditional merino). The technology also spins 16.7x faster and uses 30% less raw material than conventional methods, and benefits are mechanical (not chemical), meaning they persist for the garment's lifetime.

TMC Ltd operates a B2B licensing/royalty model, selling access to Nuyarn technology to apparel brands who then manufacture and sell finished garments under their own labels. The company does not sell directly to consumers. It serves a global base of 30+ brand partners across the outdoor, performance, cycling, and sustainable apparel verticals — including Kuiu, The North Face (NZ), Allbirds, Odlo, Ortovox, Black Diamond, Castelli, Salewa, Falke, Kathmandu, and Mont Bell — with geographic reach spanning New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Europe (Germany, Denmark, Austria, Italy), and Asia (Japan, China). Distribution occurs entirely through partner brands' retail and e-commerce channels, with TMC reaching customers via a website inquiry form, industry trade shows (notably ISPO), organic social media (Instagram, Facebook), and earned media coverage.

The company has obtained RWS, Bluesign, OEKO-TEX Standard 100, and GOTS certifications for all wool, yarn, and fabric it produces, positioning Nuyarn as an ESG-credible natural-fibre alternative to petroleum-based synthetics. TMC has received multiple industry awards between 2022 and 2024, including Fast Company's 6th Most Innovative Manufacturing Company 2022, multiple ISPO Awards, Backcountry Magazine Editor's Choice 2023, and Outside Magazine Editors' Choice 2024. The company operates with 1–10 employees, has no disclosed external funding rounds, and maintains a sub-brand, Herculan, alongside Nuyarn within its registered trademark portfolio.

Name

The Merino Company

Legal name

TMC Ltd.

Website

https://merinocompany.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Merino Company (TMC Ltd) is a New Zealand-based private textile technology firm that licenses Nuyarn, a proprietary twist-free spinning technology for merino wool, to 30+ global outdoor and performance apparel brand partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Textile Technology Licensing

NAICS

Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills (31311), Textile Mills (313)

SIC

Textile Mill Products (2200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Fabric Mills (Performance/Protective/Medical Substrates) (IMAOABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spun Yarn Manufacturing (Ring/Open-End/Compact) (IMAOAAAD), Sustainable & Certified Materials (Organic, Recycled, Traceable) (CRAAAMAK)

Keywords

• Wool spinning technology
• Performance merino yarn
• Twist-free spinning
• Textile technology licensing
• Merino wool manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

New Zealand

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Technology Licensing: TMC Ltd licenses its Nuyarn twist-free spinning technology to apparel brands. Brands pay for access to the proprietary technology to produce performance wool products under their own brand names. The company provides the spinning technology and certification while partner brands manufacture and sell finished garments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Merino Company (TMC Ltd.) develops and licenses Nuyarn®, a proprietary twist-free spinning technology that drafts merino wool fibres along a high-performance filament without twisting, producing two-ply yarns with 35% more volume and aeration than traditional ring-spun or core-spun methods. TMC licenses this spinning technology to outdoor and performance apparel brands who incorporate Nuyarn-powered yarns into finished garments sold under their own brand names. The company also produces wool, yarn, and fabric certified to RWS, Bluesign, OEKO-TEX Standard 100, and GOTS standards.

Product overview

The Merino Company (TMC Ltd.) offers Nuyarn® Technology, a proprietary twist-free spinning technology for wool that represents the world's first performance wool. Unlike traditional ring spinning that twists and compresses wool fibres, Nuyarn® drafts wool fibres along a high-performance filament, creating two-ply yarns with significantly greater volume and aeration. The technology produces wool products with 5x faster drying, 85% more elasticity, improved thermal retention, 50% greater burst strength, and 8.8x more durability compared to conventionally spun merino. TMC licenses Nuyarn® technology to brand partners who incorporate it into their apparel products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Herculan: Registered trademark of TMC Ltd. alongside Nuyarn®.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5x faster drying compared to conventional ring spun 100% merino (tested by Intertek Vietnam and AgResearch NZ)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KuiucoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerKuiu is an outdoor performance apparel brand that licenses Nuyarn twist-free spinning technology for use in their products. Kuiu offers both regular and basecamp product lines using Nuyarn technology.
• TrewcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerTrew is an outdoor apparel brand that incorporates Nuyarn technology into their performance clothing products.
• KathmanducoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerNew Zealand-based outdoor retailer Kathmandu uses Nuyarn technology in their performance apparel products.
• The North Face (NZ)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerThe North Face New Zealand incorporates Nuyarn technology in their outdoor apparel offerings.
• Artilect StudiocoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerArtilect Studio is an outdoor apparel brand that won Backcountry Magazine 2023 Editor's Choice for their Flatiron 185 Base Layer made with Nuyarn technology.
• OdlocoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerEuropean sports apparel brand Odlo uses Nuyarn technology and has won multiple ISPO Awards for Nuyarn-powered products including the X-Alp PW 115 Trail Running T-Shirt and Revelstoke PW 150 Base Layer.
• Le BentcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAustralian apparel brand Le Bent won ISPO Award 2022 for their Feathertop Ultralight Hooded Long Sleeve Tee made with Nuyarn technology.
• Allbirds (NZ)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAllbirds New Zealand incorporates Nuyarn technology in their sustainable footwear and apparel products.
• OrtovoxcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerEuropean outdoor apparel brand Ortovox uses Nuyarn technology in their mountain sports apparel.
• Walter SkycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerWalter Sky won Outside Magazine Editors' Choice 2024 for their Nuyarn-powered Merino Tee, recognized as one of the best running shirts for men.
• Black DiamondcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOutdoor equipment and apparel brand Black Diamond uses Nuyarn technology in their clothing line.
• FalkecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerEuropean apparel brand Falke incorporates Nuyarn technology in their sock and apparel products.
• YeticoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerYeti Cycles incorporates Nuyarn technology in their apparel offerings for cycling.
• CastellicoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerItalian cycling apparel brand Castelli uses Nuyarn technology in their performance cycling clothing.
• BackcountrycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOutdoor apparel retailer/brand Backcountry offers Nuyarn-powered products through their e-commerce platform.
• IbexcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOutdoor apparel brand Ibex uses Nuyarn technology in their merino wool clothing products.
• Mont BellcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerJapanese outdoor apparel brand Mont Bell incorporates Nuyarn technology in their products.
• SalewacoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerEuropean outdoor apparel brand Salewa uses Nuyarn technology in their mountain sports clothing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• INVISTA: INVISTA is a large integrated performance-materials conglomerate owning Cordura, Coolmax, and other fibre technology brands licensed to apparel, operating at much greater scale than Nuyarn in the broader performance-textile licensing arena.
• The Woolmark Company: The Woolmark Company is the industry body promoting Australian merino wool globally and providing quality/traceability certification, a broader incumbent in the merino wool value chain that Nuyarn operates within.
• Toray Industries: Toray Industries is a large Japanese fibre and textile manufacturer with proprietary performance material technologies (e.g., Dermizax) licensed globally, a much larger incumbent in performance-textile technology with comparable B2B brand licensing.

Direct peers

• Polartec: Polartec (now part of Milliken) develops and licenses proprietary performance fabric technologies (e.g., Power Wool, Alpha) to outdoor and apparel brands, structurally analogous to Nuyarn's textile-technology licensing model.
• Schoeller Textil: Schoeller Textil is a Swiss performance fabric/yarn technology developer that licenses proprietary textile technologies (e.g., 3XDRY, Eco-Hybrid) to apparel brands, directly comparable to Nuyarn's twist-free wool spinning licensing approach.
• Lanificio Reda: Lanificio Reda is an Italian premium wool yarn manufacturer with proprietary spinning technology supplying performance suiting and apparel brands, comparable to Nuyarn in technology-driven wool yarn manufacturing for branded apparel.
• Cordura (INVISTA): Cordura is INVISTA's durable-fabric technology brand licensed to apparel and gear manufacturers, comparable to Nuyarn in deploying a proprietary material technology through a B2B licensing model targeting performance and outdoor brands.
• W. L. Gore & Associates: W.L. Gore licenses its Gore-Tex membrane technology to apparel brands through a B2B partnership model, representing the most established parallel to Nuyarn's proprietary-performance-textile licensing business in outdoor apparel.
• Südwolle Group: Südwolle Group is a leading global wool yarn spinner producing technical and performance wool yarns for apparel brands, the most direct vertical peer to Nuyarn in the wool yarn manufacturing technology space.
• PrimaLoft: PrimaLoft is a technology licensor that develops and licenses proprietary synthetic insulation and performance material technologies to apparel brands globally, mirroring Nuyarn's B2B licensing model in the outdoor/performance category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nuyarntechnology
• Instagraminstagram.com/nuyarn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-merino-company

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Merino Company