Top outdoor lifestyle brand in China chooses Merino

Founded in 1853 in France, Aigle has grown into a global clothing and accessories brand present in more than 20 countries across Europe, Asia and America. Aigle is part of MF Brands Group which also owns brands such as Lacoste and Gant.

In 2005, Aigle and Chinese sports company Li Ning formed a joint venture to establish Aigle in China. Today, Aigle has more than 200 physical stores across the country and an e-commerce presence that together achieved sales worth A$277 million for the brand in the past year.

Aigle’s first-ever wool base-layers

Reinforcing the brand’s dedication to producing premium products that combine style, performance, and sustainability, Aigle in China recently launched a collection of long-sleeve base-layers for men and women, all crafted from 100% superfine Merino wool of 16 to 17.6 microns.

This new collection is Aigle’s first foray into incorporating Merino wool into its autumn/winter base-layer apparel.

The Merino wool apparel was available to purchase in Aigle’s Chinese stores and on Aigle’s website in China.

All the garments in the collection are Woolmark certified. Aigle in China last year joined the Woolmark Certification Program as a demonstration of its strong commitment to quality and excellence.

Staying true to Aigle’s signature minimalist design ethos, the collection showcases timeless styles that are versatile enough for everyday wear, travel, or relaxing at home. With the added convenience of being machine-washable, the products combine fashion and functionality.

Promoting Merino in a growing market

Outdoor lifestyle brand Aigle has launched Woolmark-certified Merino wool base-layers in China for the very first time.

Through a strategic marketing collaboration with Woolmark, Aigle launched the collection at the beginning of December. The Woolmark Merino Perform logo was prominently displayed in all the marketing.

The campaign included a digital and social media strategy that pointed consumers to the Aigle website that contains special imagery and information about the garments to encourage purchases.

The brand’s physical stores featured eye-catching wool displays that highlighted the superior quality of the fibre and the wool garments, thereby enriching the overall consumer experience.

“By harnessing the reputation and strong presence of the Aigle brand in the outdoor and sports sector, the marketing collaboration elevated consumer awareness of Merino wool’s performance benefits, and also bolstered recognition and purchases of Aigle’s Woolmark-certified products,” said AWI Country Manager China, Jeff Ma.

“It was important to ensure Aigle’s first steps with Merino wool in the market were successful. We hope that the brand will explore further market opportunities with the fibre and expand its Merino wool product range in future seasons.

“In the past decade, China's outdoor and sports apparel market has increased massively, a growth that seems set to continue. Last year’s Paris Olympics saw a surge of enthusiasm among Chinese consumers for performance apparel. Our aim is to make sure that Merino wool is well represented in this market.”

More information: www.aigle.com.cn

This article appeared in the Autumn 2025 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine that was published in March 2025. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.