Looking at clothing can be deceiving. In a higher end brand garment, it is not uncommon to see a t-shirt for $75 or more. A men’s shirt can be $300 or $1000. Much of that is the retailer’s mark up. A good portion is the designer’s name being on the label. More and more, the consumer is seeing garments made of materials that are unfamiliar or made with some new finishing process that takes that garment to the next level.
Sports wear is an area this is really on the forefront of this fabric technology. One only has to think Olympics/Michael Phelps and images of the Speedo LZR Racer come to mind.
The swimwear was so technologically advanced “40 world records now have been made by swimmers that make use of the Speedo LZR Racer as its debut in February.” It was so advanced, the Olympics team’s advisory board has banned it as it seems to offer the strategic advantage equivalent to steroids.
The Speedo firm states that the water-revolting material and laser bonding cut the drag time and develops oxygen in take upwards to 5%. While the average swimmer may not know what this does (or means), they do feel and see the results/differences. This is an example of fabric revolutionizing the world we live in.
The current trend in sports fabric technology is to provide comfort, manage moisture, and be lightweight and flexible. Antimicrobial technology is becoming the standard as perspiration is a bi-product of sports activity. UV protection in shear fabrics is a new trend as fabrics become lighter and more transparent. Environmental sensitivity is looked upon has helping the consumer with satisfaction factor of their purchase. Add to this, natural fibers/fiber-blends (including bamboo, soy-based fibers, etc) and the purchase seems almost make the purchase enviro-friendly. Here are some new technology trends that are leading in the sports fabric development:
- Fabrics that thermoregulate or control the atmosphere next to the skin. This includes controlling the temperature for comfort. These include Akwatek™/Akwadyne™ and Outlast™;
- Compression fabrics (fabrics with 360° stretch These fabrics help with the Recovery Speed and the “Fast flushing of blood lactates.” These also:
- improve circulation for oxygen and reduce fatigue caused by reduced muscle vibration/friction
- reduce muscle damage
- heightened agility and speed.
Holofiber™ is an example of this fabric
Workgear.
On the non-sports side of fabric development, work wear is an area of intense development and scientific research. Extending the life of fabrics is of vital concern when it comes to work wear. Leather is an excellent example. Leather has been around for years and was the first fabric. It is incredibly comfortable because it breathes, but leather (like all skin) will wear and show abrasion. Scientists are continually looking for ways to enhance it’s fiber characteristics by coupling it with that of another. Most often this occurs in a finishing process. Here are two finishes that I found while searching.
ARMOR-TAN™
Any leather structure is made of microscopic fibrils which are randomly intertwined together to form fibre bundles. ARMOR-TAN™ is a new generation of leather using chemistry which focuses on these fibril bundles within the leather structure. The fibril bundles are encased by microscopic ceramic "armour plates" which are more resistant to abrasion, thus increasing the durability of the leather by preventing wear on contact surfaces and materials. ARMOR-TAN™ treated leathers are 25% more resistant to abrasion than untreated leathers. It also:
- enhances grip in gloves and soles with textured pattern produces superior grip characteristics for the wearer in all conditions of play.
- resists moisture generated by rain, humidity or working conditions.
- prevents the absorption of moisture, including sweat, into the glove and thereby protecting the fiber structure from the detrimental effect of perspiration.
KERATAN™
The hard surface treatment in KERATAN™ is presented in the form of an etched diamond pattern bonded to the leather’s fiber structure. The unique pattern structure provides several properties, which makes KERATAN™ an ideal leather application for gloves.
- Improved Abrasion Resistance
- Allows the leather to retain flexibility
- Allows for breath-ability
- Water Resistant
Simple story:
So wear are we going with fabrics? What will be important in the future?
From my vantage point, it will depend on the wearer. We will hopefully always have silk and wool… I hope. While the US still imposes a ban on the domestic production of hemp, cotton will be king in the US even though it requires lots of pesticides and water for irragation. But in the lab, the scientist is leading the way with the development of fabrics that will revolutionize what we wear. Last year, I went to a presentation by Adept in NY. These designers, working with a lab of scientists, came up with fabrics that changed color with body heat, sun light exposure and UV rays. They produced a line of eyeglasses that went from light to dark with a gentle tap on the eyeglass frame. These clothes, as pretty as they were, were also the kind of thing that people will pay big money for. They seem to be more on that crest of the wave of the future in designer clothing. A garment doesn’t have to just look good, it has to function for whatever purpose it was designed. Think of it like a date that you meet in a bar. It is just not enough to look pretty, there has to be brains behind the beauty.
Mejo John, Mejo is a Copywriter of Ed Hardy swimwear. http://www.articlesbase.com/fashion-articles/speedo-mens-swimsuit-gains-popularity-at-olympic-554578.html
Compression Clothing, Total Fitness Nottingham, www.tfn.uk.com
Fabriclink’s The Technical Center - The Industry Resource for Specialty Textiles and Product Information, www.TheTechnicalCenter.com
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