Sourcing starts early for the sports and activewear market, purely due to the performance and innovation required in development from fiber to finished fabric.
Performance is at its peak at ISPO Textrends (Munich: Feb 3-6, 2019) with materials delivering a wide range of functions including: thermal regulation, moisture management, anti-odor, power stretch, anti-rip, anti-bacterial, FIR and quick dry. In addition, this season saw an increased level of creativity in terms of construction through to optical aspects, teamed with a new sensual touch, normally associated with intimate apparel and ready-to-wear.
For Fall/Winter 20/21 sustainability featured throughout the forum, from water and energy saving, recycled ingredients, recyclable products, eco-friendly chemicals through to natural fibers.
As they say, “it takes a village” at that defines the community spirit and collaborative approach of sports and outdoors sector’s supply chain. And it’s on a global level.
An international jury selects all products in the ISPO Textrend forum. Here’s what won their Best Products awards for Fall/Winter 20/21:
Base layer
Tintex Textiles (Portugal)
Materials: 74% lyocell 19% Seacell (seaweed) 7% Roica Spandex Clean Fit
What It Does: An innovative base layer with multiple benefits featured from Tintex Textiles, including emotional well-being, obtained by the Seacell fiber by Smartfiber AG, physical, through a soft touch, finished with Naturally Clean, an eco-friendly finishing, with the inclusion of Roica Clean Fit odor control/anti-odor elastane providing the technical element.
Second layer
Cordura Fabric (UK)
Materials: 48% Polyamide 6.6 37% polyester 15% spandex
What It Does: A lightweight, high-stretch soft shell fleece with durable outer face and soft inner. Long lasting durable performance. The Cordura 4Ever Knit technology attracted the jury’s attention, with a soft haptic and lightweight. Breathable,
abrasion-resistant, tear-proof and bi-stretch functionality, leading to longer life garments that meet the demands of the consumer.
Outer layer
Flying Textile Co. Ltd. (China)
Materials: 36% wool 62% polyester 2% spandex Back: 100% polyester
What It Does: Natural fibers continue to feature in the performance sector, with wool increasingly returning as a viable player in a predominantly synthetic sector. Inherently anti-door and emerging in a new level of added function. Flying Textile’s wool outer layer provided a warm and comfortable touch, that is breathable, waterproof and windproof.
Membranes & Coatings
Redaelli Velluti (Italy)
Materials: 100% polyester
What It Does: Combining the glamor and style of velvet with the performance of traditional outdoor products, the new Redaelli velvet series adds a whole new dimension to functional clothing. Different bondings to 2 or 3 layer compositions make it possible to work with waterproof seams, processing with or without lining and the possibility of additional filling with down or synthetic fibers.
Street Sports
Wisher Industrial (Taiwan)
Materials: Face: 100% polyamide; Back: 100% polyester
What It Does: A growth sector, Street Sports is appealing to cross boundaries as consumers look to efficient apparel for multiple end uses. Smart fabric for urban outdoor, Wisher’s fashionable and stylish fabric fits a variety of situations and allow you to easily switch between different occasions, keeping you comfortable in high temperatures and changing weather situations.
Accelerated Eco
Jinjiang Chuangying Import and Export Trading Co. Ltd. (China)
Materials: 100% recycled polyester
What It Does: This recycled fabric uses the color master batch method for the coloring process before spinning, eliminating the need for dyeing, saving water. After cire finishing, it is light-resistant, wash-resistant, wear-resistant, and high temperature-resistant. It is a low-carbon, environmentally friendly fabric, saving water and achieving a regular and even color throughout the fabric, eliminating waste at QC.
Insulations
Thermore (Far East) Ltd. (Hong Kong)
Materials: 100% recycled polyester
What It Does: Insulation, the invisible ingredient essential to the sports and outdoors markets continues to innovate. Designed to provide superior loft, warmth and recovery thanks to the unique multi-shape structure, Ecodown Fibers are animal free and also feature 100% recycled fibers but have the feel of a down insulation due to the free fiber format.
Soft Equipment
Honmyue Enterprise (China)
Materials: 100% polyamide
What It Does: Thinking outside of the box, Honmyue Enterprise has long since turned to unconventional material for inspiration, this season landing in paper touch and surface. Surpassing the limit of direct digital printing technology on polyamide fabric, the result is both visually and physically appealing, offering more possibilities for design using this abrasion-resistant and water-repellent fabric for backpacks.
Trims
Bemis Associates Inc. (USA)
Materials: 100% elastomeric polyurethane
What It Does: Bemis’ new Tint functional film delivers a unique aesthetic option that hits the transparent trend in apparel and footwear. Use on logos, edge finishes, designs and functional panels to add tone on colors or as a “watermark”, allowing the pattern or texture of the fabric to come through. Tint has a low activation adhesion that allows application to heat sensitive fabrics. The barrier layer is soft, UV resistant, hydrolytically stable and receptive to screen printing inks for further design flexibility and reflectivity.
Accessories
SAB (China)
What It Does: Unlike traditional zippers, the Dynamic Zipper isn’t fixed. With SAB’s new design, the zipper chain works in a gliding motion. When you turn your head, the zipper slides accordingly to avoid the hood blocking your vision, offering higher visibility in hooded garments - perfect for winter sports apparel.