Fabric FabricTrendsTrends - Amazon Web Servicesstatic-snews.s3.amazonaws.com/snews/gt_upload/FabricTrends04.pdfLycra, Wilson added. “CoolMax is used extensively in CW-X tights. CoolMax

FabricTrendsFabricTrendsV I S I T U S O N L I N E A T W W W . G E A R T R E N D S . C O M

i n s i d e4

CATCH ME IF YOU CANThe blending of advancements in fabric and fiber technology into garment design is giving athletesthe “bionic” edge.

6NOW YOU SEAM THEM,NOW YOU DON'T

The seamless sensation is spreadingthroughout the industry like wildfire and is revolutionizing the fit and feel of apparel.

10TELLING THE STORY

The industry says it places a high priority on fabric education for storestaff and consumers, but is the system working?

12FORMING A NEW BOND

Gear and apparel manufacturers are bonding with adhesive film and welded seam technology.

16CARE & FEEDING OF SYNTHETIC INSULATIONS

A practical reference guide with tips on how to care for syntheticgarments and gear.

18ON THE HORIZON

Our look at trends in textiles that youmay see down the pike.

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A G E A R T R E N D S ® S U P P L E M E N T

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f a b r i c t r e n d s

welcomehe GearTrends® team trusts you will enjoy FabricTrends, our first supplement designedto serve the information and communication needs of fabric, insulation and notions

suppliers. FabricTrends was produced in partnership with FabricLink.com, an online educa-tional resource and communication link developed for the textile/apparel/retail industry andits consumers.

In addition to co-branding, information support and the co-development of special fabric in-formation and trends pages in GearTrends® magazines, the partnership between GearTrends®

and FabricLink.com establishes programs to provide benefits for suppliers who participate asmembers and advertisers in both GearTrends.com and FabricLink.com.

To that end, it’s ideal: SNEWS® and GearTrends® are considered the best sources of tradenews and information for the outdoor and fitness industries, and FabricLink.com has estab-lished itself as the leading source of information specific to fabrics, mills, manufacturers andfiber producers—a key resource for both industries.

Through our partnership, all manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and consumers of theoutdoor, adventure and fitness industries now have unique access to the most current prod-uct knowledge and trends information available.

Thank you for reading, for your feedback, and for your support of our efforts to serve theindustry.

Michael Hodgson Kathlyn SwantkoCo-Publisher, GearTrends® and SNEWS® President, FabricLink.com

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F A B R I C T R E N D SS U M M E R 2 0 0 4Editor/Publisher: Michael [email protected], 530-268-7736

Editor/Publisher: Therese [email protected], 530-268-8294

Managing Editor: Wendy [email protected], 714-508-5757

Contributor: Kathlyn Swantko | [email protected]

Art Director: John T. Davidson | [email protected]

Editorial materials & correspondence to:101 W. McKnight Way, Ste. B-305, Grass Valley, CA 95949530-268-8295

MEMBERSHIP/SUBSCRIPTION SALESSales Director: Gene Treacygene@geartrends,com, 865-675-2052

Eastern Account Manager: Daisy [email protected], 865-977-7897

Western Account Manager: Elizabeth [email protected], 303-753-8726

GearTrends® membership/subscription rate inquires to:329 Treyburn Dr., Knoxville, TN 37922865-675-2052 | Fax 865-675-2053

Copyright ©2004 by SNEWS LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproducedwithout written consent of the publisher. All rights reserved.

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Fabrics 04 FINAL2 7/12/04 12:27 AM Page 2


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pressure exerted by garments on the body. A combination of the bodysensor system, advanced 3-D body scanning technology and new seam-less garment engineering is enabling fabric engineers to work on garmentconcepts that are much more complex than the first generation of per-formance-enhancing apparel that appeared in the mid-90s.

Hologenix is manufacturing and marketing Holofiber, a proprietarytextile that is said to respond to energy generated by the body and uti-lize ambient environmental energy to allow the body to tap into nor-mally unused resources to activate and improve vital physiologicalprocesses. We know, a mouthful. Simply put, it reacts to energy to giveyou energy and improve how your body works. Clinical studies havemeasured increased oxygen levels in the body and blood by those wear-ing Holofiber.

A study conducted by Lawrence Lavery, an associate professor of or-thopedic surgery and rehabilitation at Loyola University Medical Cen-ter and Hines Veteran Administration Hospital in Chicago, had patientswith a history of diabetes and vascular impairment wear Holofiber.

“The findings of this study were compelling and significant,” Laverysaid. “Statistically significant change in transcutaneous oxygen—or theoxygen delivery to the skin—in hands and feet was recorded on patientswearing Holofiber gloves and socks, compared to those wearing com-parable non-Holofiber gloves and socks.”

SWIM WITH THE SHARKSProbably the most advanced study pertaining to fabrics and the way inwhich they can enhance performance has been going on since the mid-90s and involves competitive swimwear companies, like Speedo andTyr. These companies are dedicated to improving the performance ofOlympic athletes and are leaders in creating competitive swimwearworldwide.

Both Speedo and Tyr have spent millions of dollars in research to cre-ate swimwear that will help Olympic swimmers improve performancetimes. But each has taken a different approach to the fabric technolo-gy used in their swimsuits. Speedo has been working with Oliver Crim-

oday, the development of techni-cal fabrics can bring together spe-

cialized minds from such diverse fieldsas aeronautical engineering, automobileengineering, physiology, biomechanicalengineering, rocket science (no jokes,please) and even dentistry! Far-fetched? Maybe. Reality? Yes. Just askany elite athlete involved in Olympicswimming, cycling or running events.

Competitive athletes are always look-ing for ways to improve performance andtake a millisecond or two off their timesor other measures of success. Accom-plishing this by studying fabric types, howgarments are constructed, and the effectthat can have on an athlete has been goingstrong for the last decade—and a growingnumber of elite and Olympic athletes canconfirm the efforts have been successful.

THE PRIMARY RESEARCHOften, technologies relating to perform-ance fabrics begin with the fiber produc-er. Invista and Hologenix (a partnershipof Wellman and Holofiber Enterprises)are two companies that are actively in-volved in developing fabrics that consid-er apparel ergonomics—the critical in-teraction between the human body andwhat we wear.

According to Keith Milne, Invista’s ac-tive sportswear, outdoor and swimwearmarketing manager, significant advancesare being made in high performance gar-ment engineering. The success of Invista’s“Science Behind Sport” program, featur-ing bodysuit concepts for surfing, skiingand mountain biking using Lycra-blendedfabrics, was first presented at the Janu-ary 2003 Lycra Rendez-Vous, a large Eu-ropean trade show for swimwear andsportswear fabrics. These so-called “mus-cle fabrics” closely interact with bodymovements at key points (such as knees,elbows, waist, armpits, back and shoul-ders), professing to enable athletes to per-form physically demanding sports betterand with more comfort.

The research and development teamsat Invista have also developed instru-mentation systems so sensitive that theycan measure the tiniest variation in surface

By Kathlyn Swantko of FabricLink.com

Scientific advancements in PERFORMANCE FABRICATIONSare allowing athletes to achieve better results in sports.

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men, a leading fish expert from the Nat-ural History Museum in London, England,to closely analyze a shark’s skin. Speedodiscovered that shark skin is actually madeup of tiny teeth called dermal denticles.

The scale-like denticles are slanted to-ward the tail of the shark. However, theshape and texture of the denticles actual-ly vary along the body and act to reducefriction and assist with the water flowacross different areas of the shark’s skin.

Speedo’s Fastskin and FSII swimsuitsare full-body suits, which utilize a varietyof specially textured fabrics to emulate thedenticles on the shark’s skin and assist withthe rapid flow of water over particularareas of the body. The Speedo researchalso shows that different swimsuit con-structions are necessary to maximize per-formance for different swimming events.

Tyr works with the Center of Researchand Education in Special Environmentsin Buffalo, N.Y. Tyr’s Aqua Shift suits fea-ture what the company has dubbed Trip-wire technology, which focuses on reduc-ing the wave drag resistance created bywater turbulence the moment a swimmer’sbody hits the water.

Working in a donut-shaped pool in thelaboratory, researchers for Tyr identifiedthree types of drag: one, friction drag, orthe force of the water as it passes over thebody; two, pressure drag, which resultsas the body moves forward in the water;and, three, wave drag, which is associat-ed with the turbulence created by waterflowing over an object in the water.

It was observed that as the wave drag in-creased, the greater the loss of energy fromthe body, regardless of how efficient thestroke or style of swimming. In its AquaShift suit, Tyr is pioneering the dynamicsof how to reduce drag, as well as how tominimize water turbulence. This is beingdone by using its fabric-covered Tripwiretechnology, which involves a latitudinalbanding on the bodysuits at three keytouch points to re-direct the water flowaround the body.

Tyr’s Aqua Shift bodysuits are sleeve-less, because of complaints that a fullsleeve restricted arm movements. To ad-dress the need for muscle compression inthe arm area, Tyr developed its Aqua Band,which has a separate tight-fitting forearmsleeve.

CONDITIONING APPARELWacoal Sports Science recently launched aPerformance Conditioning Wear line, andintroduced its CW-X sports and outdoorapparel to the U.S. market. The CW-X gar-ments incorporate a patented constructionit calls a “conditioning web” that is said to

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provide increased support for targetedmajor muscle groups in the legs and knees.Developed with the help of kinesiologists,the company says the Conditioning Wearprovides extra support for runners, hikers,bikers or skiers.

“The primary purpose of CW-X Condi-tioning Wear is to improve the perform-ance of the wearer,” said John Wilson, ex-ecutive vice president for Wacoal SportsScience. “CW-X is the only product on themarket to utilize targeted support tech-nology and the Conditioning Web. We have16 U.S. patents.”

The comfort of the CW-X garments isenhanced by a blend of CoolMax andLycra, Wilson added.

“CoolMax is used extensively in CW-Xtights. CoolMax is a two-layer fabric witha hydrophobic next-to-skin layer, and ahydrophilic outer layer to pull moistureaway from the skin and rapidly evaporate.This helps to maintain a comfortable bodytemperature, so less of the body’s resourcesgo toward cooling, and more energy is leftfor muscular exertion.”

The effectiveness of CW-X Condition-ing Wear also comes from the way it isconstructed, Wilson said. The base mate-rial is a four-way stretch CoolMax/Lycra,and the conditioning web is a two-waystretch nylon/Lycra blend, which providesthe compression.

Testing by the company has shown theCW-X Conditioning Web improves econ-omy, reducing oxygen requirements whenexercising.

Asics has also developed a line of per-formance-enhancing garments. MichelleMatranga, manager of retail apparel forAsics, told us, “Throughout our line, theprimary focus of design, construction andmaterial is to enhance the comfort andfunction of the garment, as well as the ul-timate performance of the wearer.

“Our overall design philosophy featuresanatomical three-dimensional fit that en-sures the garment works with the bodywhile in motion,” she added. “This phi-losophy is expanded further in our exclu-sive Biomorphic fit. This specialized tech-nique of contouring garments concentrateson key output areas of the body, while pro-viding moisture transfer, stretch, ventilationand protection from the elements, or anycombination of these factors, with appro-priate technical fabrics.”

VIRTUES OF LEATHER Performance enhancement can also in-volve leather. The hands and feet can be es-pecially critical to a given sport, becausethey are the most immediate points of con-tact. Protecting the extremities is a key to

comfort and performance. In gloves, theemphasis is on grip across a range of con-ditions. In footwear, it is important to keepthe foot dry and minimize water absorp-tion into the shoe.

“Performance improvement is engineeredinto the fiber structure of all Pittards leather,through an understanding of the variouschemistries involved,” Mike Dodd, market-ing director for Pittards, said. In the caseof grip, texture can be etched into the sur-face of the leather, or grip-enhancing ma-terials can be applied to the surface. In thecase of water resistance, every microscop-ic fiber is treated to ensure a total structurethat resists water uptake, keeping thefootwear light and comfortable.

“Virtually every aspect of our leather islaboratory-measured—such as water re-sistance, percentage of water uptake, grip,abrasion and tear strength. In-house, wehave our own simulated breathing handand foot on which our leathers can be test-ed in finished glove and shoe construc-tions,” Dodd said.

THE FUTURE: FIT, VERSATILITY, FASHIONWilson of CW-X said he believes that fitwill continue to be the key in the future de-velopment of performance apparel. “Fitis a very important piece in building per-formance clothing. For many years man-ufacturers were using performance fab-rics, but making the cut of the clothingtoo big. For a performance fabric to work,it has to fit well—close to the body. It hasto be in contact with the body to work.”

Matranga of Asics believes that versa-tility will remain important. “The per-formance apparel arena is a very fast mov-ing, competitive one,” she said. “With somany performance fabrics and products inthe market, the consumer continues tolook for products that will function in avariety of situations.”

Leather will see development trends, aswell. “Watch for camouflage leathers, fur-ther improvements in abrasion resistance,‘cool’ leather and grip improvements inthe foreseeable future,” Dodd said.

The crossover of technology into sportsgarments for professionals and for con-sumers has just begun. As more sports-minded consumers look for—and are will-ing to pay for—performance and comfortbenefits that go well beyond basic mois-ture management, the interest in thesespecialized scientific products will nodoubt increase. In the future, garmentswill be developed that look and feel excit-ing, as well as perform way beyond ourwildest expectations—likely beyond any-thing commercially available today.

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magine a garment that fits well, is comfortable…and has no seams.

Although seamless knitting has beenwidely used for intimate apparel since1997, the technology is beginning togarner more widespread attention inother types of apparel for the outdoorand fitness markets.

HOW IT WORKSSeamless knitting is done on cutting-edgeSantoni or Sangiacomo (OK, OK, soundslike mob names plucked from the “The So-pranos”) circular knitting machines. Thesemachines can essentially produce completegarments with minimal finishing steps.

“Seamless knitting is a weft knitting tech-nology, which produces finished or semi-fin-ished garments on body-sized circular knit-ting machines, with the same features aspantyhose and sock machines,” said PaulYang, co-owner of PJY Inc./Intimo Indus-tries, a Vernon, Calif.-based, seamless knit-ter. “They create horizontal finished edgeswith no side seams.”

Initially, most seamless knits were pro-duced in the eastern United States, Israeland the Far East. However, Los Angeles isfast becoming the center for seamless man-ufacturing in the United States. Just fouryears ago, there were no seamless knittingmachines in Los Angeles. Today, some esti-mate there are as many as 200 machines.

Seamless knitting machines can virtuallytransform yarn into complete garments, andminimize the traditional labor-intensive stepsof cutting and sewing. Colored patterns andlogos can also be knitted right into the gar-ment. The fabric structure, pattern construc-tions, measurements, fiber specifications andbrand name logos can be pre-programmedinto the machines.

Garments of any size can also be knittedwith elastic waistbands or lace effects, and canbe mass-produced into a one-piece garment,with minimal sewing to finish the garment.

THE BENEFITS There are some obvious, and not so obvious, ad-vantages of seamless garments over traditionallyknit ones.

“The obvious advantage is that the lack of seamsprovides for improved comfort as the body moves,”said Brian Enge, vice president and general managerfor Hind (a division of Saucony). “The second ad-vantage is the ability to combine textures and lev-els of compression in ways that haven’t been donein the past. To me, the best advantage is that de-signs aren’t limited by seams.”

John Neman, president of Selectra Industries, another Vernon, Calif.-based,knitter of seamless apparel, said, “The comfort and softness of seamless knitwear,combined with the use of antimicrobial and hydrophilic yarns, create the bestfeatures for an activewear garment. Based on the structure of the knit, thepatterns and construction of the garment cannot be matched with any othernon-seamless garments. The uniqueness of these garments is obviously a ben-efit to the retail store.”

Manufacturers are banking on a consumer being hooked once he or shetries on a seamless garment.

“Wearers love seamless garments because they are comfortable, forgiv-ing, not binding, not restrictive, and they show fewer lines under clothes” saidYang. “In addition, seamless apparel will have no waistband failures, no sideseam failures, and they are more durable, mainly because they are mademostly from manufactured fibers, such as nylon, using atmospheric gar-ment dyeing. Once consumers wear it, it offers a high-repeat purchase ratio.”

EVERYBODY ON DECK“The world leader in seamless activewear worldwide has been Nike, which hasproduced numerous items such as pants, capris, tank tops, T-back bras, T-shirtsand skirts,” said Neman. “However, more and more activewear companiesare getting into seamless everyday.” He predicted that even smaller compa-nies would soon be carrying seamless products.

Moving Comfort, Lowe Alpine, Craft, Hind and Patagonia are all relativenewcomers—within the last two years—to an ever-expanding field of players.

Seamless knitting machines provide tremendous versatility, because they

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can create a variety of different stitcheswithin a single garment. For example, ajersey knit can be placed side-by-side witha mesh knit, a rib knit, a jacquard knit,etc. This is virtually impossible to achievewith any other type of knitting processavailable in the market today and makesthe design possibilities endless.

Since activewear garments often involvecomplex constructions and use specialtyyarns, the price of the finished product ishigher than other apparel. In spite of this,there doesn’t appear to be resistance.

Elizabeth Goeke, executive vice presi-dent of Moving Comfort, agreed, pointingto lots of steps in the process that can driveup the price. “The cost of the garment isdictated by the type of stitches used, howmany different types of stitches are usedto knit the garment, and the type of yarnused. Then, if spandex or Lycra is required,both the yarn type and percentage usedcan also drive the price up. However, asbest we can see, when the product isplaced in the appropriate distributionchannels, price is not a barrier.”

TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES“Since seamless is a fairly new technolo-gy, the research and development of newfibers and knitting adaptation is a chal-lenge worldwide,” said Neman.

“(One challenge is) the cause and effectof different stitches and yarns used in theknitting,” Goeke added. “There is also alot of trial and error, because of the highlearning curve in the development cyclein the beginning, as a company begins touse the technology.”

The size of the tubes and cylinders usedwith the seamless knitting machines mustalso be considered.

“Restrictions with body sizes or tubesused by the knitters can limit the seam-less knitting production from a specificsupplier,” Goeke said. She explained thatthe designer or product developer needs toselect a seamless knitting supplier basedon matching the capabilities of the knittingmill with the sizes and types of garmentsthe manufacturer or retailer wants to pro-duce. For example, women’s or men’spieces, or even plus sizes.

No matter what technological chal-lenges companies master in the pursuitof new seamless designs and construction,the greatest challenge is communicatingthe benefits to retailers and consumers.

“The truth is that most retail environ-ments don’t allow enough space to proper-ly merchandise or provide POP displays topromote the product,” Enge said. “Further-more, these are expensive ventures for a cat-egory that is still in its infancy. As with any

new technology, communicating the bene-fits to the consumer is an ongoing challenge.”

Being able to communicate the benefitsof a product is critical, and that communi-cation at retail begins with good merchan-dising—another challenge for retailers.

“One of the drawbacks of seamless knit-ting is that counter appeal is inferior tocut-and-sew,” Yang said. “Therefore, re-tailers need mannequin displays, or pho-tos on packages with samples to touch,along with an explanation of the benefits.”

WHAT’S AHEADThe future looks bright for the outdoor andfitness markets, as the knitting equipmenthas a broad range of capabilities and thosedelving into seamless technology have justscratched the surface of what is possible.

“After only a few years of being in themarket with lighter-weight garments, de-signers and knitting mills have begun to findsuccess in heavier-weight products, such aslightweight jackets and pants,” Goeke said.

New advancements coming from fiberproducers and yarn spinners will continueto provide innovation from the supplierside. Product choices will make seamlessgarments even more unique, functionaland popular than they are today. Dreambig enough and who knows where seam-less technology might lead.


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to get to the retailer. The retailer needs toopen its doors much wider to educationrather than, frankly, concerning themselvesat times more with profit margin.”

Retailers say that manufacturers and suppliers have movedmore toward building market share with vendors, and to-ward promoting through advertising in both consumer andtrade publications. In contrast, retailers believe that if theyare given the appropriate information and were able to tellthe consumer what the product would do for them, theywould have the ability to create sales that no amount of ad-vertising could develop.

Technical information needs to be simplified and focusedfor retailers. Cathy Oyama, former head buyer for Adventure16, said one way to improve the communication gap and torelay the right information to the consumer is to create sim-ple, easy-to-understand sales tools for the retail sales associatesto show the benefits of the products.

“Manufacturers and suppliers need to begin the sales train-ing process by offering palpable technology kits. Intera is agood example—a simple fabric swatch with a water dropperbottle from Intera Technologies was a great teaching tool,”Oyama said. “The Gore-Tex plastic baggie taught us all aboutventilation compared to breathability. Direct-to-consumereducation puts retailers in the role of being prepared. Re-tailers specialize in sales, (while) manufacturers and suppli-ers specialize in technology. If retailers could be given moretools that demonstrate and educate on why their productsare special, the intrinsic strength of the retailer to sell theproduct will be supported.”

John Sulcs, retail project manager for REI, agreed. “Manufacturers need to provide retailers access to support

materials for training, as well as trainers, if they feel there isa training need,” he said. “The benefit for the retailers must

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t e x t i l e t r a i n i n g

ust the thought of learning all thescientific and technical information

that goes along with selling performancefabrics can really seem overwhelming.On the flip side, though, if your staffdoesn’t have a basic understanding ofthe technology and jargon, potentialsales could be walking out the door. Tech-nical data can be confusing to sales as-sociates and consumers. How effective-ly is this information being conveyedthrough the pipeline? Everyone seemsto say they place a priority on fabric ed-ucation, but is the system working?

Jeff Smith, executive vice president andCOO for Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, be-lieves good training teaches staff how tocommunicate the value and benefits, andnot just the bells and whistles.

“Sometimes when we see new things,there’s a tremendous amount of buzz aroundwhat this new product is. But the real ques-tion is: Does it have anything to do with whatthe consumer’s end-use will be?” Smith said.“So, on our side, we sometimes struggle withtrying to be certain that we can make astatement of value to the consumer. Andvalue is not about price, value is about hav-ing enough features and benefits that you’rewilling to pay the asking price.”

COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNAccording to David Parkes, president of Con-cept III International (the marketing armfor Glenoit Mills, Kingwhale Ind., Rentexand Travis Textiles), there is a high level ofcommunication between the fiber produc-er, the textile producer and the brands. Thecommunication breakdown seems to arise atthe retail level.

“We, as yarn and textile suppliers, haveopen doors. And, if we want to work with theperformance catalogs, they want as much in-formation as we can give them, so they canpass this information on to the consumer,”Parkes told us. “The big boys like L.L. Beanand REI can get to the consumer throughthat medium. But, we have to find a way asa group—the yarn, textile and brand group—


Above: Unique

collateral pieces

like Intera’s fabric

test kit for moisture

can help your staff

get tangible educa-

tion on how fabrics

perform. Facingpage: Optimer

Performance Fabrics

has released a

handy promo piece

that functions as

an educational

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Good staff

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be a correlation to sales from a moreknowledgeable sales force. The benefit tomanufacturers would be a greater demandfor products, driven by a more knowl-edgeable consumer base.”

Karen Deniz, business development

manager for Optimer Performance Fab-rics’ Dri-Release, is another fan of sup-port materials.

“Suppliers and manufacturers shouldtake the lead in fabric education, becausethey are the most knowledgeable about thetechnical features and benefits of theirproducts. They need to provide tools—suchas website info, training materials, hangtagprograms and other P.O.P. materials—thatsimplify the technical information into aneasily understandable piece, useable byboth the retail staff and the consumer.Rather than multiple selling points,” Denizsaid, “a maximum of three, convincing andeasy-to-grasp points is plenty.”

HANGTAGS HANGING IN THERE While most of those interviewed agreedthat informational hangtags are useful ona technical garment, care must be taken tokeep them simple.

“Hangtags are effective and useful—ifthey are well crafted,” said Oyama. “Ifthere is enough brand awareness, say forexample like CoolMax, a simple logo hang-tag works, but for most it is not enough.The hangtag should have a ‘benefit’ lineto the customer that is bold, and the firstthing a customer reads after they read theproduct trademark name.”

Hangtags, though, don’t tell the whole story. “Hangtags provide the consumer with

the most up-to-date information on a spe-cific product,” Sulcs said. “However, (ahangtag) does not compare informationon similar products that might better meetthe consumers’ needs. It will also not pro-vide information on new technologies.”

As desirable and valuable as supplier-

provided technical handouts are, there arestill some limitations.

“It is hard to make sure that they will beacceptable to all retailers,” Oyama said.“Technical handouts for sales staffs arehelpful, but only if they can be modified

toward the individual retailer’s needs.” Sulcs agreed that the education of sales

associates should be the target of techni-cal handouts, explaining, “Technical hand-outs are great for providing product com-parisons, but consumers do not use them.The handouts should be structured moreas a sales tool for the employees.”

TEAM EFFORTEveryone along the supply chain needs toput more thought and effort into educa-tion, and needs to tailor the message andthe amount of technical details, depend-ing on whom they are trying to educate.

But improved communication and ed-ucation is needed along a broad front, upand down the supplier, manufacturer andretailer chain. The ultimate goal is to beable to convey value to the industry cus-tomer and to the consumer. Educationmust flow in both directions, especiallyconsumer feedback.

FabricLink.com (a GearTrends® Networkpartner) has been promoting the “team effort”concept by uniting the industry at its semi-annual industry panel event at the OutdoorRetailer trade shows. Made up of industryexperts, a main focus of the panel is to dis-cuss solutions on how to educate retailersand consumers. The next panel discussionwill be at Summer Market in August 2004.

It appears getting the industry talking isworking.

“As a follow-up to FabricLink.com’s in-dustry panel event at the January ORshow, there was a large amount of dis-cussion by the panel on the importanceof the comfort/value concept,” said SteveLucier, president of Deer Creek Fabrics.

“I think this is important to understand. “Our take on this is that the customer

wants a less technical package with a focuson simple, direct benefits. However, I be-lieve the retailer still wants somewhat de-tailed technical information to make in-

formed buying decisions (for themselves),”said Lucier. “So we need to unbundle theproduct itself from the technical informa-tion or to create some type of modular sys-tem that the retailer can tailor to their dif-ferent customers.”

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hough the traditional thought hasit that a “stitch in time saves

nine,” what if there weren’t a stitch tobegin with? It might be time to changethe saying to something like “a touchof glue saves two” or “a welded seamis keen.” Just the thought of less bulkyand lighter-weight gear and garments,all with more pleasing aesthetic lines(dare we say, fashionable?) is enoughto get many designers “permanentlybonded” to this new technology!

ADHESIVE FILMSBemis is the maker of Sewfree, one of theleading adhesive films being used to replacestitches for seams. Seamless technology, orproducts using Sewfree in construction,range from intimate apparel, lifestyle gar-ments, technical outerwear, accessory itemsand even footwear, according to Chris Par-lee, marketing manager for Bemis.

Sewfree adhesive film is being used tobond fabrics and components—includingeverything from lace and meshes to ripstopnylons, all in one step—by such manu-facturers in the outdoor industry as Arc’Teryx, Mountain Hardwear and Marmot.

“I would say that Mountain Hardwearand Arc’Teryx are leading the pack here,”said Paul Kramer, vice president of designand sourcing at Mountain Hardwear.“There are some surfing companies thatare big into the glue, but they are fairlybasic in their approach. A lot of them don’tseem to be very technical. Arc’Teryx andMountain Hardwear seem to be intro-ducing the products and inventing newtechniques and ideas for glued and weld-ed construction.”

Parlee said that Sewfree is being used tocomplement the stretch and recovery inwhat could be called “strategic” locationsof activewear and fitness shorts.

In apparel, welding and bonding havebeen used for the past several years toapply pockets and zippers, make darts andpleats, hang pocket bags, hem garments,make stiffer plackets or panels, and applywaistcords. The primary advantage is thatcomponents, like pockets and zippers, canbe placed without having to cut and sewthe garment. Hems and plackets are alsobeing glued to offer a clean look, elimi-nate seam tape, and prevent water leak-age in the hem, flap or cuff.

“Many times these types of applicationsare done for aesthetic reasons,” Kramer said.“But, it is also important for technical rea-sons—in order to save weight, improve wa-terproofness or to increase breathability byeliminating layers of fabric. The goal is toweld or glue a waterproof/breathable gar-ment together so that seam tape can be elim-inated, making the garment significantlylighter, softer and more breathable.”

WELDED SEAMS Welded (seamless) construction is beingused in sleeping bags, tents and packs. Insleeping bags, baffles are bonded to theshell fabric to prevent the shell from beingpunctured; however, this is only now beingdone on fabrics that have a laminate orcoating, so that the waterproof integrity ofthe outer fabric is maintained.

Similar methods for garment con-struction are used, but with some slightmodification. Mountain Hardwear con-siders the details of its constructionmethod to be proprietary.

“In tents, Mountain Hardwear is usingseamless construction to attach a coatedfloor to a fly. This eliminates the need totape, saves weight and also makes new con-struction techniques possible,” said Kramer.“Currently, welding or gluing critical seams

for tents is not possible due to the extremestresses involved.”

METHODS TO THE MADNESS There are two basic methods for applyingbonded and welded seams.

The first method uses an adhesive film(thermoplastic film) for bonding two fabrics(substrates) together. In this technique, theadhesive film is slit into tapes and appliedin strategic locations, or the adhesive filmcan be laminated to wide-width fabrics,Bemis’ Parlee explained. “During theprocess, the adhesive is tacked or laminat-ed to one of the substrates, and the secondsubstrate can be laid on top,” he said. “Then,heat and pressure activate the adhesive. Thefilm melts and penetrates into the fabricsand creates a bond between the two.”

The second method involves welding twofabrics with radio frequency/ultrasound.Ultrasonic technology involves the creationand channeling of high frequency vibrato-ry waves that cause a rapid buildup of heatin synthetic fabrics. The heat can be usedto weld, bond, cut or slit the materials, asdesired. The ultrasonic bonding process isfast, accurate and efficient.

Janet Devine, president of Sonobond Ul-trasonics, a supplier of ultrasonic equip-ment for bonding textiles, said, “With ul-trasonics, the need for consumables suchas adhesives is eliminated. In addition, theproduction runs efficiently because there isno need to allow time for glues or othersolvents to dry.”

There are many advantages of bondingor welding, according to Parlee.

“Bonded garment technology allows fora seamless look and feel,” he said. “A slim-mer profile and less abrasion to the end-user are achieved with bonded seaming. Abonded seam can also initiate the stretchand recovery of the fabric, more so thanstitching. A bonded seam can be water-proof, and a bonded garment typicallyweighs less than a sewn garment.”

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Welded and glued seams are eliminating bulk and mak-ing garments and gear more functional and fashionable.

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©3M 2002 “Thinsulate” is a trademark of 3M.

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Bonding also reduces or eliminates theamount of thread used so there are nothreads to wear out in a seam, Kramersaid. “Then, you can also put other thingsinto the seams, like elastic. The seam canstretch, whereas most seams that are sewnand taped do not stretch.”

Additionally, bonding allows increasedbreathability by eliminating the need tosew and tape multiple layers of water-proof/breathable fabric together to createpockets. It also saves weight, and allowsfor less bulk and a better drape by elimi-nating seam tape or double overlap seams.

Bonded and welded applications forcomponents and zippers have proved tobe very durable in outerwear and otherapparel. Kramer noted, though, that com-panies are still testing improved sewingtechniques for mass production.

“These improvements will need to betested for durability to washing and long-term wear for technical garments,”Kramer said. “This is in process now, andthe consumer will not be the final testingground for true long-term durability. Thatis what innovation is all about.”

RATHER COSTLY—FOR NOWIt appears that the major concern rightnow is cost.

“Currently, bonding and welding is moreexpensive than traditional construction,but that probably won’t last much longer,”said Kramer. “Better machinery is becom-ing available, and the prices will go down.

“There are also some things that can’t bedone with sewing that can be done withfusing, which will create a cost benefit forthe consumer. And, with this, price willbecome less of an issue,” he added. “How-ever, in spite (of better machinery andlower costs), the process is slower thantraditional sewing, and the skill involvedis very high, making labor much morecostly. The equipment is also costly to pur-chase, so the number of factories with ca-pabilities is limited.”

Although bonding and welding havemade solid inroads into some segments ofthe outdoor and activewear markets, theiracceptance and widespread use will de-pend on getting costs down.

“Currently, the applications that get thestrongest consumer appeal are for tech-nical and functional reasons, so this nat-urally limits the field,” Kramer said.“However, in the future, I do see that theprocess will gain momentum, and caneventually go more mainstream. I seebroad applications for this technology ifthe costs get in line.”


Deer Creek Fabrics has been supplying technical performanceknitted fabrics for over 25 years. From the original warm and dry polypropylene constructions in the late ’70s, to the latest

energy enhancement Holofiber collection, innovation has been both customer and technology driven.

Deer Creek has provided solutions for leading outdoor adventurers, top professional and Olympic athletes, and the

brave men and women of our police and military.

See what Deer Creek can do for your products.Technologies include energy enhancement and recovery,

odor control, sun protection, thermal regulation,flame protection, stretch and moisture management.

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c a r e g u i d e

leave any residue behind that could compromise performance. Powdered de-tergents, such as Tide, will work adequately, but to be extra sure theGearTrends® team recommends relying on products specifically manufacturedfor washing insulations and technical fabrics. McNett cleaners, Nikwax TechWash Cleaner, Sierra Down Fabric Wash, Revivex brand cleaners and Granger’sbrand cleaners all work well. NEVER use bleach. Never use liquid deter-gents. And never use fabric softeners.

DON’T STORE IT STUFFEDWhile stuffing garments into small sacks and spaces during a trip isfine, be sure that when storing an item for the long term, you only

hang it, lay it flat or stuff it very loosely in a large pillowcase or cottonstorage sack. Insulation has a memory that remembers mistreatment—meaning it won’t fluff back up if you’ve left it compressed for an obscenelylong time. In addition, store your insulated garments in a cool location.Hot attics or garage storage closets are not a good choice since heat dam-ages many types of synthetic insulation.

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILSSpecific care instructions for the most popular types of synthetic

insulation, assuming you know what is in the garment, can be foundat the following locations:

» Invista-made Polarguard Classic, Polarguard HV, Polarguard 3D and Polarguard Delta: Care details at www.polarguard.com.

» 3M-made Thinsulate Type C, Thinsulate Ultra, Thinsulate Supreme, ThinsulateType G, Thinsulate Lite Loft, Thinsulate Flex: Care details at www.thinsulate.com.

» Albany International-made Primaloft One and Primaloft Sport: Care details at www.albint.com/primaloft/.

Here’s a handy reference guide for the care of synthetic insulated garments and gear.

care and feeding of synthetic insulations

fter a season of use, and certainly more frequently if dictatedby dirt and stains, synthetic insulated items such as jackets,

gloves and vests do require washing. While it is always recommend-ed to follow the manufacturer’s specific guidelines (chiefly becausethose instructions are tailored for the most delicate ingredient in thegarment—either the shell, lining or insulation), the followingGearTrends® Care & Feeding Guide for insulated garments will pro-vide a few more tips, suggestions and recommendations to ensure agarment is actually being cleaned, not destroyed.

OUT DAMN SPOT!Shakespeare had it right in Macbeth—washing to get rid of a spotis a good idea, but wash only the spot and not the entire gar-

ment. Hold the shell or inner lining away from the insulation, and thensponge clean and rinse the fabric using any of the detergents listed belowin “Suds for Duds” and cold water. Hang dry.

THE RIGHT MACHINE FOR THE JOBIf washing the entire garment is called for, using a washing ma-chine is best. Always use a front-loading washer. A top-loading

washer uses an agitator which can lead to the baffles or stitching in aninsulated garment tearing. Also, in a top loader, insulated items will floatat the surface of the water, and not get cleaned properly.

NEVER DRY CLEANWhile there are some insulations, such as various types of Thinsulate

that are not affected by dry cleaning solvents, most insulations can be irreparably damaged by solvents. So, as a rule, NEVER dry clean your insulated garments.

IT’S A COLD WORLDFor either hand washing or machine washing, use cold

water. Yes, some insulations can take warm water, but others don’t fare sowell, and with today’s detergents (see our list below) cold water works aswell if not better than warm.

DRY METumble drying at a low heat is a very important part of the

care and feeding process for insulation. Why? The tumbling action com-bined with the warm air flow refluffs the garment and restores the loft theinsulation needs to, well, insulate. NEVER dry at medium or high heat asthe garment materials, including the insulation, could melt. We recom-mend placing two to three clean tennis balls in the dryer toward the endof the drying process to further “massage” and “fluff” the insulation. Whilehang-drying is not recommended for very wet garments, partially to most-ly dry garments can be hung for the final stage of drying.

SUDS FOR DUDSThe critical thing with any detergent is that it must be gentle on

the fabric and insulation AND it must rinse completely from same and not Phot

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ON THEON THE


hose who work in the outdoor and fitness markets toss around theterm “performance” fabric like others who rattle off “grand-eh no-

foam skinny vanilla extra-hot latte” without putting down their cellphones. But, what the heck is a “performance” fabric anyway?

AMY, Nylstar’s Meryl Skinlife, Kosa’s Imbueand the new Hydrotech) are the leading fiber-based antimicrobials,” Lucier said. “AegisMicrob Shield brings a unique new tech-nology to the antimicrobial arena in fabricfinishes, because unlike traditional antimi-crobial finishes, it permanently bonds withthe base fabric and eliminates the environ-ment that causes adaptive microorganisms.”

New develop-ments in fabric con-structions includespacer fabrics, whichare two separate fab-rics knitted inde-pendently, then con-nected by a separatethread or yarn. Spac-

er fabrics are gaining interest in the apparelmarket for insulation and padding, and ascomponents in footwear, because of theirtechnical properties. Spacer fabrics are beingrefined with pattern and stretch in softer,lighter-weight fabrications, and double-knitmeshes are able to provide more radical knitstructures for thermal, moisture manage-ment and UPF sun protection.

There is also a trend toward mills andconverters going vertical and developingpackages. Concept III/Kingwhale Indus-tries and Castle Rock/Shamrod, with itsnew Casual Performance apparel line andXpert T-shirt line, are two innovative com-panies going vertical and having success.

Finally, according to Lucier, one of thebasic trends still important for perform-ance fabrics that crosses all fabric classi-fications is the demand for what he dubs“bird fabric.” (Cheap-cheap....Get it?) Sincethe cost of raw materials such as fiber andyarn continues to escalate, keepingyardage costs down remains a constantpressure for fabric mills and converters.Retailers, not to mention consumers, willprobably like the “cheap-cheap” of thechirping birdie.

with a fashion as-pect are also im-portant. KevinWilliams of Covilleexplained, “Con-sumers want atechnical piece, butdon’t want it to

look technical. One example is the distressedlook, which continues in sportswear, but itis now finding its way into performancefabrics as well.”

“Another thing,” added Karen Deniz ofOptimer, “is that people don’t want to haveto change their clothes for every activity.There is a tremendous amount of cross-marketing today—designer clothing pairedwith Gap T-shirts or yoga-inspired cloth-ing used for leisurewear. Flexibility it seemsis key. No one wants to purchase a garmentwith only one end-use any longer. That’swhy New Balance went to Dri-Release—women wanted comfort, but they alsowanted looks and the ability to go fromwork to their workout in the same T-shirt.”

An overall trend involves bundling mul-tiple performance features to make“smart” fabrics. In this area, Milliken isintroducing its new Stainsmart ComfortZone that allows fabrics to repel and re-lease stains, while also providing mois-ture management.

WHAT’S NEW?New fabric developments mentioned in-clude yarns made with Comfortrel XP, Dri-Release and Holofiber. Unifi’s Sorbtechfor moisture management and Mynx forUPF protection are also important.Polypropylene, the original synthetic per-formance fiber, is being re-engineered withnew, softer and more durable yarns, andis being combined with polyester.

Antimicrobials for freshness are com-ing on very strong too.

“X-Static and the Alph San family (Unifi’s


FA B R I C T R E N D S O F TO DAY. . . A N D TO M O R R OW.

h o r i z o n

At first, the general consensus of thosewe talked to was that a performance fab-ric fully performs an intended functionand provides a measurable benefit to thewearer of the garment—well, duh! Talkabout stating the obvious. So we presseda little harder.

Brenda Burris-Drake of Milliken toldus that the benefits provided by a per-formance fabric generally fall into one ormore of the following categories:

• environmental protection (such asprotection against wind, sun, rain,cold or microorganisms)

• comfort (such as moisture manage-ment, compression support, softnessor temperature regulation)

• easy care (wrinkle resistance, stain re-lease/repellency or color fastness)

An answer we can sink our teeth into—thank you, Brenda!

WHAT ARE THE TRENDS?Which of the three benefits that Burris-Drake highlighted garners the most at-tention when it comes to trends in per-formance fabrics?

David Parkes, president of Concept III,said, “Comfort is still the biggest word inperformance.” He also mentioned the im-portance of stretch, moisture control,lighter weights, soft shell fabrics and thenew technical laminates.

“For comfort, more stretch is being usedin compression fabrics. There is also a newgeneration of soft shells—constructions withtwo or more fibers combined with stretch,”said Steve Lucier, president of Deer CreekFabrics. “We have addressed the com-fort/value concept with several new com-binations of light-weight warp knits forsoftness, durability,wrinkle resistanceand, of course, per-formance at an af-fordable price.”

Functional fabrics

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Fabric FabricTrendsTrends - Amazon Web Servicesstatic-snews.s3.amazonaws.com/snews/gt_upload/FabricTrends04.pdfLycra, Wilson added. “CoolMax is used extensively in CW-X tights. CoolMax