SmartWool is a company founed by ski instructors Peter and Patty Duke in New England in 1994 and acquired by the Timberland Company in 2005. The company makes eponymous products primarily from treated merino wool. SmartWool claims that this proprietary treatment makes its products itch-free and resistant to shrinking. SmartWool is also claimed to have moisture-wicking performance and odor-reducing anti-microbial properties; it is thus marketed primarily as performance apparel. Reviews for SmartWool products are typically found in the context of equipment for hiking and other outdoor activities.