Woolmark and Ipsos surveyed consumers in the US, France Germany and Italy. They found that 82% of consumers would choose natural fibres over synthetic alternatives when price, style and fit were equal.

In all markets surveyed, Merino wool was preferred to polyester which, Woolmark says, points to a wider shift in fashion. The term "Merino wool" has seen its appearance in Google searches more than double in the past five years.

“Fibre is no longer simply a technical or sourcing decision. It is becoming part of how consumers understand quality, performance and value.

“Consumers want to know what a garment is made from, what that means in everyday use and whether the claims can be trusted,” commented Woolmark's managing director Bryan Fry.

“That puts fibre, and the evidence behind it, back at the centre of the conversation.”

The study also revealed that consumers are also willing to pay for the difference:  67% say they would pay more for clothing made mainly from natural fibres.

But few are willing to take claims at face value. Across the five markets surveyed in the latest Ipsos research, 71% of consumers consider independent certification or verification of fibre content and quality important.

The findings underpin the launch of Woolmark’s Return to Real global campaign.

Launching across key global markets through out-of-home, creators and digital media, the campaign introduces lines including “Not all intelligence is artificial” and “The original wearable tech”. Together, the work asks people to look more closely at what they wear, and choose materials grounded in nature, backed by evidence and proven to perform.

“Technology moves quickly, but innovation does not always mean starting from scratch,” Fry added. “Sometimes it means looking again at what nature has already worked out. Return to Real invites people to look more closely at the fibre in their clothes and the intelligence that has been there all along.”