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TRENDS IN APPAREL + FOOTWEAR DESIGN AND INNOVATION • MARCH/APRIL 2020 • A FORMULA4 MEDIA PUBLICATION

ROADWAYS TO PROFITABILITY

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT CREATING NEW USA-MADE

BUSINESS MODELS

NATURE-INSPIRED TECHROBOTIC TEXTILE RESEARCHSUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

Interested in insights, fiber and fabric technologies, and processes for enhanced sustainability? Discover more

about The LYCRA Company’s Planet Agenda and how we can create value working together at LYCRA.com.

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In the Market / 6 Euro trade show takeaways, company news on support for climate action, new business operations and compliance updates. The latest looks in women’s-specific product.

Education / 13Collaborative research at University of Minnesota seeks solutions to problems in the creation of robotic textiles for on-body applications. Kathy Swantko reports.

Footwear / 14 At Clover & Cobbler, Jaclyn Jones is determined to make American manufacturing simpler, more sustainable and more accessible to designers and retailers.

Cover Story / 16Investment in machinery and innovative programs, along with diversified portfolios and grassroots efforts, is working to expand and elevate domestic manufacturing.

Technology / 20Contributor Debra Cobb investigates the development of performance fabrics that replace traditional chemistry with bio-based or bio-mimetic technologies.

Strategies / 22 As consumers and companies give more thought to how they package and send items, the market for sustainable materials for product transport opens up.

Innovation / 24 In 2020 the hunt for winter-worthy performance comes in the form

of intriguing tech and testing. We highlight three ways brands are bringing the heat.

TrendSetter / 26 Martina Brimmer reflects on her personal and professional passion for adventure cycling in conversation with Suzanne Blecher about Swift Industries’ USA-made cycle bags.

Survey / 28This installment of Trend Insight Consumer delivers research on purchasing decisions by active outdoorists with feedback conducted on MESH01’s Insight Platform.

Out of Context / 30Kurt Gray predicts the State of Colorado will be overwhelmed by bored, post-lockdown vacationers this summer, and ponders what that means for the textile market.

Production of cycle bags at Swift Industries factory in Seattle. See page 26 for details.

Editor/Associate Publisher Emily Walzer [email protected]

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Contributing Editors Suzanne Blecher Kurt Gray Jennifer Ernst Beaudry Kathlyn Swantko

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TEXTILE INSIGHT®

M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 2 0

Interested in insights, fiber and fabric technologies, and processes for enhanced sustainability? Discover more

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TEXTILE TALK | EMILY WALZER

’ve been doing a lot of baking lately. Peanut butter cookies, Irish soda bread, and sour cream coffee cake emerged from my oven in recent weeks. I love the routine of gathering ingredients and preparing pans, and the rhythm of sifting flour, kneading dough, and measuring a precise teaspoon of vanilla. I know the butter, sugar, egg mixture will welcome the mound of dry ingredients at the ready, and with steady stirring and an extra pinch of salt, all will be well. Set the timer, get out the cooling racks, step away from the counter for a sip of coffee and sure enough, baked goods grace the kitchen.

There’s comfort in the expected, whether that’s in baking or in business. We count on order for security; follow the plan, proceed with confidence and positive results are predictable, be it a family-favorite recipe or fundamental corporate strategy.

Now uncertainty is the order of the day as the coronavirus runs its course globally.

The textile industry is no stranger to crisis; in fact, disruption has been a defining aspect of domestic production for several decades. In the late ’90s when business fled offshore I wrote so many stories about mill closures I became fluent in bankruptcy law. Then again in 2008, just as textile suppliers were finding their collective

footing, the recession hit. And now we are dealt COVID-19, with the severity of its impact both personally and professionally a big unknown.

But textile folk are nothing if not resilient. I have witnessed the fortitude of American textile companies time and time again reporting on the industry. Stories of inspiration, innovation and community effort appear throughout this issue of the magazine. You want to feel good about the future? Turn to page 16 and read profiles of businesses and organizations making strides in domestic production and new programs to create a workforce skilled both in traditional sewing as well as the latest equipment and automation. That’s just for starters. Learn about amazing material research happening at University of Minnesota on page 13 and there’s info on cool new performance technology on page 20. You’ll enjoy reading about Swift Industries on page 26; a can-do story of a passionate maker. And there’s upbeat news on the sustainability front and an increasing number of collaborative planet-positive campaigns.

Even in this time of uncertainty, one thing I do know is our industry’s ability to survive and move forward.

The other day I found myself thinking of a John Lennon tune, with a particularly catchy refrain: “Nobody told me there’d be days like these. Nobody told me there’d be days like this. Strange days indeed.”

Be well everyone,

Emily

Nobody Told Me There’d Be Days Like This

There’s comfort in the expected, whether that’s in baking or in business.

I

4 • Textile Insight ~ March/April 2020textileinsight.com

T e x t i l e - B a s e d P r o d u c t S o l u t i o n sRESPONDING TO THE NEED FORRESPONSIBLE TEXTILESFor five decades, Concept III has collaborated with the world’s most revered mills, responsibly sourcing and developing what’s needed most—innovative eco-friendly textiles. Today, with our partners by our side, we’re supplying global brands with sustainable resources that result in better gear and a healthier planet.

conceptiii.com

proud partner of

New Developments Contribute to a Cleaner & More Efficient Industry. By Louisa Smith

rom the denim and fashion textile shows through to intimates and the outdoor and sports sectors, there wasn’t one industry fair on the European event circuit in the first quarter of 2020 that didn’t have a space dedicated specifically to sustainability.

As the industry evolves, sustainability shouldn’t be contained within a special area. Instead sustainability should be mainstream at all levels in the textile indus-try. Textile manufacturers and brands are realizing this new reality. Additionally, it is also clear that a higher level of creativity is now coming through, especially in textiles, which is refreshing to see following a mindset centered on sustainable ingredients in previous seasons.

New developments are emerging that go beyond using recycling ingredients. Brands are now creating garments that feed into the circular economy with recycling a critical way of disposing apparel at end of

life. A good example is the Futurecraft.loop anorak by Adidas Terrex that won Gold for the Outdoor sector at the ISPO Awards at the January fair in Munich.

A technical and modern designed jacket, the insulated Futurecraft.loop anorak is made with a continuous cir-cular process in mind. Using 100 percent polyester, no trims and only non-dyed colors, the outdoor garment has a strong oriental style, with high-level performance. The innovative Adidas Terrex piece features Parley Ocean Plastic and a collaboration between Parley and Primaloft for insulation. At the end of life, the jacket can be ground down and returned to the textile chain.

Production & Product AdvancementsMachinery developments — much like the trend in

textile ingredients — are going forward in new ways. Karl Mayer, for example, introduced a more efficient approach to manufacturing that runs the gamut of innovation from directly printed fabrics to creating 3D uppers for sneakers to contemporary style body mapping and new spacer fabrics. It is this technical arena, made up of the spinning, knitting and weaving machines and an essential part of the supply chain that is often overlooked. But no longer: this development in warp knits not only delivers modern production but also saves on waste and energy. Proving once again that the whole supply chain is involved in a cleaner

and efficient future.On the recycled side, there is a

push to seek alternative sources that widen the search beyond recycled plastic sourced from land and sea. Leading the way on “closing the loop” in the textile chain is Imbotex, offering luxury cashmere insulation. Cameluxe insulation is created from collecting the clippings from the manufacturing of cashmere coats in Italy, shredding the cashmere and blending to create a new luxury product.

It was also good to see the Japanese back in force on the trade show cir-cuit with the introduction of exciting offerings especially on the fiber front. Sony’s Triporous is a sustainable material produced from rice husk, a biomass that is available in abun-dance. The process carbonizes the rice husk to create a powder that is combined with a bio-degradeable rayon fiber. The benefits exceed the bio-based ingredient to also feature inherent performance achieved, including deodorization.

FIN THE MARKET | EURO REPORT

Takeaways from the Trade Show Trail


IST Corporation launched Imidetex, a technical fiber for the sports market.

Areas to Watch One sector of the outdoor and sports markets that

continues to grow is durability, especially in terms of safety. Japanese materials company, IST Corporation, following their motto “inventing technologies no-one can copy,” launched Imidetex, a technical fiber for the sports market. With high tenacity and high temperature resistance, the new fiber can withstand temperatures as low as - 121°C and as high as 121°C with unforgiving UV rays from the sun.

Polyimide is the synthetic as it is a material that can withstand these temperatures. The yarn delivers high resistance that is perfect for air sports and sails as well as paracords and lifelines for climbing. The biggest chal-lenge, according to the company, was forming polyimide resin into a string shape before putting it in the oven. Polyimide resin is a honey-like resin which needs to be heated to 400°C in order to shape it. It took IST almost five years to perfect the process from composing the polymer to making the fiber.

The urban sports category is one to watch in 2020 with creativity and innovation thankfully coming back to the scene, especially with companies investing so heavily in solely sustainable developments. For outdoor brands, reminiscent of the athleisure market, this urban-centric approach offers the potential for performance fabrics and technical garments to take on a funkier edge as consum-ers, in particular, Millennials, look to garment versatility.

As electric scooters and bikes feature in major cities, changing the traditional mode of transport, urban sportswear responds to the demand by consumers for performance apparel that looks good outdoors as well as in a metro environment, bringing key functionality with membrane technology and DWR finishes.

All major outdoor brands are pursuing this and offer-ing drop collections alongside traditional collections or collaborating with designers. The MM6 x The North Face line shown at the latest London Fashion Week serves as a good example. MM6 is the contemporary line from Martin Margiella, and the collaboration is a new direction for estab-lished outdoors brands to expand into the fashion market.

The collection featured existing best-selling styles from The North Face including the Himalayan Coat with all styles given a contemporary twist with MM6s contem-porary look and input. This collaboration validates the fact that the potential for urban street sports isn’t just for the outdoors sector, but also for the fashion sector, eager to source innovative fabrics. This is great news for performance providers on the textile and trim scene, as long as they too pursue a strong creative element.

Embracing Digitalization And finally, disruption continues in the supply chain,

but also at retail. Gymshark, a leading British e-tailer, is one of the fastest growing fitness brands, due to the

fact that it tapped into social media and now counts over five million followers with customers in 131 countries. Established in 2012 by teen-ager Ben Francis and a group of school friends in a garage, Gymshark is now the brand fitness fanatics regard as a “must have.”

The range is understated, made with high quality fab-rics, yet has an attractive price point and is designed to make you look good, especially if you are already honed and toned.

In March the brand opened a pop-up store in London’s Covent Garden to entice new customers with a typical bricks-and-mortar experi-ence rather than rely on clicks. Disrupting traditional channels by bringing its URL to IRL (in real life) Gymshark customers are able to experi-ence a more intimate offering and see what all the fuss is about with this brand. And, importantly buoy this effort by using social media to shout out about it.

Its effective use of digi-tal know-how created Gymshark’s presence in the sports sector. The com-pany’s Instagram and twitter accounts highlight sports influencers to engage users. The collection itself is good; it is subtle in style but delivers on performance levels with functional fabrications. But what makes this this brand stand out is that it is probably one of the first in the sports market where the foundation lies solely in its savvy use of digitalization.

Embracing digitalization is key for the future as sustain-ability within the outdoors and sports industry, from B2C but also from B2B and C2B. These business models now go hand in hand, with digitalization not only providing a more efficient platform but also a waste-saving one through block chain systems and production, with the future focused on a digital level as well as an ecological one.

By the middle of this new decade, sustainability, the most repetitive word used on the show circuit, will be obsolete, as its characteristics embed in the textile chain for a cleaner future as we work in a smarter and more efficient way. l

textileinsight.com March/April 2020 ~ Textile Insight • 7

Urban Lab at ISPO

The urban sports category is one to watch in 2020 with creativity and innovation thankfully coming back to the scene, especially with companies investing so heavily in solely sustainable developments.

USTRIVE Manufacturing First in U.S. to Obtain Organic Certifications.

IN THE MARKET | ECO UPDATE


USTRIVE Manufacturing, a Los Angeles-based garment maker spe-cializing in knitwear, has become the first and only ver-tical clothing manufacturer in North America to be certified to both the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Textile Exchange’s Organic Content Standard. As such, USTRIVE enables brands to meet both Made in America and organic criteria throughout their entire supply chain from cut and sew to dyeing, finishing, screen printing, embroidering, pack-aging and storage.

USTRIVE is four compa-nies vertically integrated into one: Tour Image, Jin Clothing, Care-Tex Industries and S&B Printing and Embroidery, all with deep roots in the local apparel industry and all located within 12 miles.

Tour Image is a 30-year old sales and design/development company while Jin Clothing is a family owned private-label apparel manufacturer that has

been in business in Los Angeles for more than 28 years. Care-Tex Industries is a full-service dye and finishing facility that uses water-based low impact GOTS certified organic dyes, and S&B Printing specializes in nontoxic, water-based printing and embroidery using organic thread. USTRIVE partners with nearby Laguna Fabrics – the first U.S. knitter to gain GOTS certification – for its organic fabrics.

“The GOTS certification pro-cess took over eight months to complete and included a complete retooling of our dyeing, printing and packaging methods in order to meet the standard’s stringent non-toxic chemical requirements,” said Scott Wilson, USTRIVE founder and partner. “At the same time, we chose to have OCS certifica-tion because it allows us to offer a broader range of organic fiber-based fabrics for our customers to choose from,” he continued.

GOTS includes both environ-mental and social provisions

for post-harvest to retail shelf management, addressing all the processing stages (ginning, spin-ning, knitting, weaving, dyeing and manufacturing) of 70-100 percent organic fiber-contain-ing products and prohibiting the use of toxic inputs. The Organic Content Standard veri-fies that five to 100 percent of the raw fiber in the product was grown to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program organic crop or live-stock standards (in the U.S.) no matter where in the world it was grown or raised, and allows blending of conventional and organic cotton as well as syn-thetic fibers.

USTRIVE also pays its work-ers hourly instead of by piece, ensuring that work is carried out at a pace that ensures qual-ity. This means it guarantees a consistent wage (versus a variable wage) translating to approximately 25 percent higher wages per month than other similar knitwear contrac-tors in Los Angeles. l

Y KK Corporation, manufacturer of zippers and other fastening products with a long history of environmental stewardship, dating back decades with the introduction of Natulon, the first zipper made from recycled PET bottles and polyester remnants, has become a signatory to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, an initiative that calls on the fashion industry to acknowledge the industry’s contri-bution to climate change and accept responsibility to strive towards climate neutrality.

YKK joins more than 100 signatories to the Charter, which supports the goals of the Paris Agreement in limiting global temperature rise to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and sets specific goals for the entire fashion industry to imple-ment. These goals focus on a 30 percent aggregate reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action was launched under the auspices of United Nations Climate Change at COP24 (24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in December 2018.

In addition, YKK will continue its efforts to identify and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its business activities, including raw material procurement, production processes, logistics, and the supply chain. Within the next two years it will set science-based targets consistent with what the latest climate science says is necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement – to limit global warming to well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. YKK aims to obtain Science Based Targets initiative certification. l

More information on science-based targets is available at sciencebasedtargets.org

YKK Supports Charter for Climate Action

Going Green

USTRIVE sewing facility.

W ith figures from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showing that 15 million tons of textile waste is generated annually in the United States alone, a new industry group looks to replace a conventional linear “make, take, waste” approach with supply chains designed for circularity that will keep massive amounts of textile waste out of landfills. Companies are stepping up to the plate to support Textile Exchange’s new Accelerating Circularity Project with funding and participation include The Walmart Foundation, Gap, Inc., Target and VF Corporation.

The project is initially focused on researching, mapping and identifying opportunities to pilot circular supply chains which will be driven by the

mechanical and chemical recycling of cotton, viscose and polyester textile waste. These three fibers cover over 80 percent of all textile fiber production, and are therefore an important focus.

Future phases will use phase 1 data and information to execute pilots and establish new research in other geographies.

Additional founding project part-ners include Giotex, Gr3n, Lenzing, Unifi, Revolve Waste and Fabrikology International, Inc., along with col-laboration from organizations such as the American Apparel & Footwear Association, Apparel Impact Institute, Circle Economy, Outdoor Industry Association, Textile Exchange, The Renewal Workshop and United States Fashion Industry Association. l

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has released the 21st edition of the Restricted Substance List (RSL), the industry’s chemical management resource listing banned or restricted chemicals and

substances for finished apparel, footwear, and home textile products around the world. The RSL identifies the most restric-tive regulations worldwide. The latest edition reflects recent changes in the global regulatory environment. The RSL is an open-industry resource available to both AAFA members and the global industry.

“AAFA’s RSL task force is focused on maintaining a resource that not only ensures safe chemical management, but ultimately protects our consumers. Chemical management is an important part of a responsible and compliant supply chain,” states AAFA president and CEO, Steve Lamar.

The 21st edition of the RSL covers 12 categories with more than 250 chemicals and is updated to reflect additions or changes to regulations and laws that restrict or ban certain chemicals in finished apparel, footwear, and home textile products. The RSL is produced by AAFA’s RSL Task Force, which reviews and updates the list regularly to reflect the latest global regulatory changes.

To access the RSL visit www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List.aspx

Industry Group Advances Circularity in Effort to Combat Textile Waste

AAFA Issues Latest Edition of Restricted Substance List (RSL)



A Round Up of the Industry & Brand Developments.

IN THE MARKET | COMPANY NEWS

ISKO Shares Eco Practices

ISKO showcased its latest responsible achievement, the R-TWO program, at Drapers Sustainable Fashion Forum held in London earlier this month. ISKO also hosted a special panel to discuss pioneering advances in technology.

R-TWO represents how reducing, reusing, and recycling strategies can be implemented in a textile business to improve its environmental performance. R-TWO reduces the amount of raw material sourced by using a blend of reused cotton and recycled polyester – both certified –, improving sourcing efficiency throughout the entire field-to-fabric production and effectively tackling over-sourcing, a leading issue when it comes to waste hierarchy. Reused cotton is certified with the Content Claim Standard – or CCS – from the Textile Exchange. As for recycled polyester, it can be either Recycled Claim

Standard (RCS) or Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified, depending on the content percentages.

Together with the R-TWO program, ISKO uses automated laser technology that was developed in partnership with Jeanologia.

A special panel hosted by ISKO discussed a range of topics from automated laser technology to integrated waste management processes and field-to-garment tracking systems and how these achievements are reshaping the fashion industry. Panelist Keith O’Brien, ISKO marketing & business development manager, stated, “Stepping up together is essential, when it comes to the development of better practices. This is not something we can deal with alone, we need to rise up as one and be consistent in our quest for new, responsible solutions.”

PrimaLoft Establishes New Licensing BusinessWith an eye on broadening company advance-ments in performance and sustainability beyond its proven categories of apparel, footwear and home furnishing, PrimaLoft has established a new licensing business unit.

Jochem Lagemann is president of PrimaLoft Licensing, retaining his duties as PrimaLoft’s man-aging director, Europe and remaining based in the European office in Munich. Lagemann will continue as a member of the operating board.

Bob Sameski has been hired as VP, PrimaLoft Licensing reporting to Lagemann. Sameski previ-ously worked with Symphony Investment Partners as an advisor to licensing partnerships, mergers and acquisitions.

“We are excited for the opportunity to expand access to our advanced material technology, as

well as our brand, to industries and applications outside of our core market,” said PrimaLoft presi-dent and CEO, Mike Joyce. l

Karl Mayer Group Buys StollAs part of its growth strategy, the Karl Mayer Group will acquire the Stoll Group effective July 1, 2020. The purchase opens the door for additional growth in technology and innovative solutions in the flat knitting sector.

Karl Mayer is recognized as a market leader in warp knitting and warp preparation for weaving and technical textiles, with over 2300 employees worldwide.

“Stoll is an internationally recognized brand in the textile industry and has comprehensive technological expertise and an experienced team in the knitting sector,” explains Arno Gärtner, CEO of the Karl Mayer Group.

“This alliance brings together two very strong brands in textile machinery building whose solu-tions portfolios and regional presence complement each other brilliantly. This will enable us to expand and accelerate our innovation strategy in the areas of digitalization and technology, and strengthen our global presence. Our customers will be able to benefit directly from this and increase their competitiveness in the dynamically changing textile industry,” says Andreas Schellhammer, CEO, Stoll.

Both Karl Mayer Group and Stoll are both family-owned enterprises based in Germany with long-time established success. The comple-mentary product portfolios and an even greater regional presence in all relevant markets will create new, high-level expertise in the interna-tional textile market, according to a corporate statement from the Karl Mayer Group. l

ISKO showcased its latest responsible achievement, the R-TWO program, at Drapers Sustainable Fashion Forum.

Dry-Tex, a leading textile mill for knit, woven, and laminated fabrics has launched a new dyeing facility. Located

nearly 120 miles south of Shanghai, the facility is running at full capacity, dyeing nearly 70,000 meters of fabric a day. All machinery in the dye facility is completely controlled by comput-ers, connected to a central command system. The computer systems allow for greater color accuracy and provide a means of catching any issues before they arise. The dye mill has an eco-friendly element, with a new membrane

filtration system that allows the facility to re-use up to 70 percent of the water consumed from the dyeing process.

With the introduction of its dyeing capabilities, Dry-Tex is now a verti-cally integrated textile mill, with a portfolio of products and ser-vices that includes research and development, fabric testing, yarn manufacturing, weaving, and lamina-tion. “I’m excited we can now provide all necessary textile services under one roof because that gives us a com-petitive advantage in this industry,” said Andy Dong, president of Dry-Tex. “And since we’re not wasting water,

which has always been a huge con-cern for other dye facilities, we’re not just able to make high-quality fabrics, we can make high-quality fabrics responsibly.”

Dry-Tex is dedicated to self-imposed sustainability initiatives. In 2019, in concert with the development of its dye mill, Dry-Tex installed an array of solar panels on its roof. Converting

sunlight into clean energy, the solar panels have a peak power of 1,819 KW, estimated as being enough energy to support 100 families for one year. Additionally, Dry-Tex works primarily with others who prioritize sustain-ability, including Concept III. “Because we like to emphasize conservation and environmental protection, we’ve always been proud to work alongside Dry-Tex,” said Chris Parkes, President of Concept III. “Now, with their dyeing capabilities and their unique ability to radically lower water consumption, we couldn’t be prouder to collaborate with them.” l

Dry-Tex Introduces New Dye Mill Operations

“Because we like to emphasize conservation and environmental protection, we’ve always been proud to work alongside Dry-Tex.”

CHRIS PARKES, PRESIDENT OF CONCEPT III.


U.S. Postal Service Implements New Made in USA Policy for Uniforms.

IN THE MARKET | MADE IN AMERICA


A U.S. Postal Service uniform bulletin issued a while ago mandates that product be domestically sourced and assembled in the USA. According to the official statement, manu-facturers must be in compliance with this policy no later than September 30, 2020. Considering there are 500,000 postal workers nationwide, this policy decision that uniforms and footwear be 100 percent American-made is a bright spot for domestic textile and apparel production, industries that are under pressure to maintain manufacturing capabilities. Implementation of the new policy requires that all materials in addition to insignia and applicable findings such as buttons, zippers and thread be included in this mandate.

U.S. Postal Service Uniform Bulletin 310 was issued by the Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility (NCTRF) in October 2018 with the subject line “Made in USA” Policy. The NCTRF, located at the Natick Soldier Systems Center in Natick, MA, provides the oversight, design and development of the uniforms and footwear that are approved

for use by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The bulletin was released to inform manufacturers of the USPS Uniform Program Management Office’s implementation of the new policy requirements, and “governed by USPS Operating Procedures

and Policies for the Quality Control of Postal Uniforms and Footwear dated 31AUG 2000, must be domestically sourced and assembled in USA.”

Manufacturers will be required to provide the Postal Service with a Certificate of Compliance, confirming that 100 percent sourcing of American materials and garment assembly for these uni-form items.

This policy change has been championed by the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition, (www.warriorprotection.net) who have made this a central issue in their congressional advocacy. U.S. manufacturers of uniforms and domestic textiles and findings are encouraged to contact the NCTRF for more information.

Additionally, all apparel items purchased with Postal Service funds for the purpose of promoting a product (e.g., Express Mail) or a program (e.g., safety) must be American made. l

More relevant information is here: https://about.usps.com/manuals/elm/html/elmc9_009.htm

Compliance Update

• Re-thinking Business Practices & Management Preparedness • New Supply Chain Configurations• Performance Textiles in the Age of Safety • The Future of Industry Gatherings • What’s New for Spring ‘21 & What’s Next for Active/Outdoor

Onward in a POst-Pandemic wOrld

Ad Close: May 21, 2020 Show: Outdoor Retailer Summer Market

Contact Jeff Nott: [email protected], 516-305-4711, or your account representative.

textile insight®

Our May/June 2020 Issue Conversations Include:

Active Achievements


Celebrating Women’s History Month and Women’s Right to Vote.

IN THE MARKET | WOMEN’S PRODUCT

New looks also level up women’s lifestyle with innovative takes on textiles and versatile silhouettes that go beyond the basics.

RYKA’s newly launched FEMPOWER collection of training shoes feature a made for women fit with a narrower heel, softer heel cushion ad roomier toe box. The Momentum model is shown here.

Merrell’s Antora X Trail was designed in partnership with the women’s trail running non-profit Trail Sisters. Features include jacquard engineered mesh and TPU upper, and reflective details.

oday’s approach to female-focused, gender engineered women’s product puts to rest the old notion of “shrink it and pink it.” The latest iterations of women’s apparel and footwear showcase authentic design and fabric development for true fit and function-ality whether product is intended for work on a job site or a trail run in the mountains. New looks also level up women’s lifestyle

with innovative takes on textiles and versatile silhouettes that go beyond the basics. Women’s issues were front and center during the month of March, recognized as Women’s History Month, and this summer marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment. Here are examples of how brands are actively advancing women’s-specific products. l

Wrangler’s expanded RIGGS Workwear line includes pants and jeans that highlight tough durable construction without compromis-ing fit and style. Tops are made with moisture-wicking and stretch fabric, with gusset details for range of motion, and reinforced stitching for longevity.

Chill Angel’s Essential Sleep Set made from the company’s super soft 16.5 micron Angel Light 100 percent merino offers a comfort-able fit and the high-performance moisture and temperature manage-ment benefits of merino wool. The Tank also works well worn under a flannel shirt, under a sweater or as an extra base layer.

Cotton Incorporated in col-laboration with Studio 317, a woman-owned design and product development firm, developed the MateLasse Vest, an all-weather quilted garment with Storm Cotton water-repel fabric, a YKK water-proof zipper, and comfort stretch through addition of rib knit collar and side panels.

Entos, a new brand based in Mexico, stands out for its sophisticated use of lace and embroidery combined with fashion-forward approach that takes lingerie into the realm of ready-to-wear. This long sleeve blouse, part of a full body outfit, won praise at the February Curve Expo trade event, where Entos was named best in show.

For more information on the “University of Minnesota’s Research on “Shape-change Textiles Powered Only by Body Heat”, contact Brad Holschuh, Asst. Professor Apparel Design, at: [email protected], 612-624-3210, or Julianna Abel, Asst. Professor, Mechanical Engineering, [email protected], 612-301-7065.


Collaborative Research Advances Shape-change ‘Robotic’ Textiles. By Kathlyn Swantko

Powered only by body heat, our shape-changing textiles create new oppor-tunities for interaction with the clothes we wear every day,” explains Dr. Brad Holschuh, co-leader of the project and assistant professor, apparel design and co-director of the University of Minnesota Wearable Technology Lab. “This capabil-ity has the potential to radically change garment design that initially benefits the user with loose, easy-to put-on apparel. But once on the body, the garment can then physically transform itself into more snug-fitting clothing.”

Two research groups are collaborating on the project: the Wearable Technology Lab (WTL) in the College of Design, and the Design of Active Materials and Structures lab (DAMSL) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, under the direc-tion of Dr. Julianna Abel, Benjamin Mayhugh Assistant Professor.

The project, slated to continue through 2021, is led by Professors Abel and Holschuh, along with two U of M gradu-ate students, Kevin Eschen and Rachael Granberry, and is an explicit partnership with NASA, via a space technology research fellowship. The program also involves industry partners; Fort Wayne Metals devel-ops the advanced materials required to create the shape-changing textiles.

The effort simultaneously solves two sig-nificant problems in the creation of robotic textiles for on-body applications: 1) how to create usable actuation, or movement,

without requiring significant power or heat; and 2) how to conform textiles or a garment to parts of the body that are irregularly shaped.

While resembling typical knits, the textiles used are created from a special category of active materials known as SMAs (shape memory alloy materials), a combination of metals that change shape when heated. The knit-based SMA systems have customizable actuation qualities, which can be tailored both at the material level and the system/architectural level. Recent advancements in the engineering of SMAs have made it possible to manufacture SMAs with precisely targeted actuation temperature ranges.

Program GoalsThe team’s short-term goal is to refine

the technology for compression garment applications. They have partnered with NASA to develop the technology for astro-nauts as they return to earth. (Currently, astronauts wear compression garments to

sustain blood pressure as they transition from zero gravity to earth gravity.)

“Over the long term, we want to translate this technology to a variety of global appli-cations — medical garments, behavioral garments, and even everyday clothing to create a new paradigm of dynamic clothing,” says Holschuh. For instance, compression stockings, which would be easy to put on, but tighten around the wearer’s foot and leg when in place to provide the required medical or therapeutic compression. The technology could also translate to any gar-ment that ultimately needs to fit the user tightly (e.g. corsets, belts, shoes, etc.).

The team is also investigating blended fibers, combining SMAs with traditional fibers to create active textiles with more typical surface finishes and textures. The textiles are evaluated and validated using both 2D mechanical testing and 3D garment motion testing on mannequins and humans.

“Thinking more broadly, textiles with variable mechanical properties can be deployed to create variable stiffness for knee braces, variable-loading casts and other orthotics, dynamic-squeeze garments for circulatory therapy for diabetics, or for behavioral therapy for those with SPD (Sensory Integration Dysfunction)/autism. And, the application for space actuatable textiles is enormous!” states Holschuh.

Everything produced in the lab can be created using industry-standard knitting techniques, explains Holschuh. l

EDUCATION | UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Tech for Fit & Function

Kathlyn Swantko is president of the FabricLink Network and created www.TheTechnicalCenter.com. Contact: [email protected]

SMA knits have demonstrated they react to the heat generated passively by the human body, and these textiles can be engineered to both tighten and adjust the topography to conform to complex body geometries. Photo Credit: University of Minnesota Design of Active Materials and Structures Lab and Wearable Technology Lab.

With Clover & Cobbler, Jaclyn Jones Creates a Factory She Couldn’t Find. By Jennifer Ernst Beaudry

hen Jaclyn Jones wanted to launch her namesake brand in 2015, finding a factory in the U.S. that would take her on was no easy feat. Now, not only does Jones manufacture her Jaclyn Jones USA product line of shoes, she owns the factory that makes it. Located in the Van Nuys neighborhood in Los Angeles, Clover & Cobbler currently makes three in house brands – Jaclyn Jones USA, Salpy, and Californias, which launched earlier this Spring. At any given time Jones also produces footwear for 10-15 private label lines in the 20,000-square-foot factory space that opened in 2018.

A busy showroom on the factory floor that features a swatch wall and samples from local resources serves as a multipurpose space for meetings, line reviews, and conferences. Jones and chief production officer Kim Thomas field so many inquiries from designers,

manufacturers and retailers looking to create in-house brands that the execs crafted a formal interview process to triage potential clients as well connect individuals not yet at the manufacturing stage with area consultants.

Jones said this extra service is a direct response to her own experience of launching a brand. At Clover & Cobbler, Jones is determined to make American manu-facturing simpler, more sustainable and more accessible to designers and retailers than ever.

“I had made all the designs, but there was no information about how to take the next step,” said Jones. “I looked heavily for six months. I had quit my job, and this was 100 percent my day job and my night job.”

While L.A. has a number of operating footwear factories ranging from small garage factories to big European-style operations these facilities weren’t a fit for Jones as they mostly made their own brands and didn’t do private label or had big minimums. As a result Jones ended up working with two smaller factories to create her shoes. One factory patternmaking and another specialized in hand-carved wooden heels that could do outselling and assembly.

A Turning Point in Production It was the second factory, International Last, owned by

Salpy and Kevork Kaladjian, which eventually changed Jones’ plans. After working closely on Jaclyn Jones USA and on Salpy, Kaladjian’s namesake line, the Kaladjians asked Jones if she’d be willing to buy both. The couple were looking to step back, and despite being approached by bigger labels and Chinese factories, they wanted the factory, and what they considered a family of workers, to be in the hands of someone who wanted to run the place, not just acquire its assets and contacts.

“I was saying, ‘I don’t know how to run a factory!’ But then I thought, I’m in here every day, and I do know how. And on top of that, I see all the things that could be done better,” Jones explained.

Enticed by the rare chance to pair a fresh start with the benefits an existing business, Jones took on the financing and made the purchase, leasing a new factory space 15 minutes from the old location and stripping down all the old equipment to be cleaned and tuned up. Having the factory floor be an inspiring, creative, feminine place was important to Jones; when the time came to re-enamel the machines, for example, Jones had it done in teal. New & Improved

The new space gave shape to Jones’ vision of what a modern, forward-looking American Made production facil-ity could be. She transitioned to water-based adhesives to improve both sustainability and workers’ health, and installed $50,000 worth of dust collection and air filtration systems for the same reasons. She also reset the layout so product would flow in a true production line to follow

WFOOTWEAR | MADE IN AMERICA

Domestic Manufacturing Fit for Today


Jaclyn Jones, left, in the showroom on the factory floor. The showroom is set up for meetings, line reviews and conferences with a wall a swatches and information available on local resources.

any given collection through the whole process. Today at Clover & Cobbler, Jones and Thomas, as well

as Salpy Kaladjian and marketing and sales people, work in the office, with 23 workers on the floor, half being women, including the three floor supervisors. “They’re artisans doing their craft,” Jones said. “They’re amazing people.” Together the company offers full service line development, lasting and production. And, Jones said, operations are geared to give new brands the services they need.

“We have zero minimums so new brands can start out,” Jones said. “And we break down our pricing: a style in this color way in four to 12 pairs, here’s your per-pair cost; if you make 14 to 25 pairs, this is what it will cost. We keep the pricing in short breaks so they can decide what they want to do.”

“A lot of people come to us and expect to make shoes that retail for $30, and that’s not realistic,” explained Jones. “It’s not apples to apples with overseas costs. With the [lower] price per shoe, you’ll also have to pay

shipping and customs, and [account] for the time you’re losing on your timelines. And it’s your peace of mind: What is that worth to you?”

Jones said business has grown steadily, with increases in people looking for vegan and sustainable options especially. She sees further growth opportunities for boutiques: Only a small portion of her business is in doing private label for stores, but whenever Jones walks into a shop with their own apparel and jewelry, she can’t help but think, you know, you could put your own name on your own shoes, too.

Some of the business coming her way is the fact that she — unlike the factories she once tried to find — is active online. Being contacted through Instagram is nothing odd. But Jones also believes a cultural shift is driving people to seek her out, too.

“We’re in a certain economy where everyone wants to be an entrepreneur and can be a entrepreneur,” she said. “That movement within the younger generation empowers a lot of people to try it out.” l


Clover & Cobbler’s business has grown steadily,with increases in people looking for vegan and sustainable options especially.

Artisans at work in the company’s reimagined Los Angeles factory.

Creating New Ways to Expand & Elevate Domestic Manufacturing.


Outdoor Research has been successfully making high-performance apparel and gear domestically for decades at its headquarters in Seattle. But when the time came for the company to increase capacity and accelerate product development, Seattle wasn’t the solution; the local labor market was tapped out. A hunt to find a place with the best characteristics for a new factory involved site visits

to Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Texas, New Jersey, eastern Washington state and California. A year ago the company’s El Monte, California manufacturing facility opened. The new Outdoor Research factory is on track and profitable making technical gloves and accessories for military and tactical markets.

MMI Textiles exhibited a new EcoThriv fabric collection at the Outdoor Retailer/Snow Show in Denver earlier this year. The fabrics were developed specifically with sustainability, performance and domestic manufacturing in mind targeting the consumer athleisure/athletic marketplace. Ohio-based MMI Textiles may be best known for its military and industrial business and the company will retain that model, however, being open to diversification is a strategic direction. Outdoor brands are already showing interest in EcoThriv and the company is optimistic about gaining traction with a whole new audience.

In April the ISAIC Learning Factory will open in Detroit with the aim of training people not only in traditional skills, but also skills that are going to be required for advanced manufacturing. ISAIC stands for Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center, an organization that has garnered support from an important local partner: Carhartt. Carhartt donated the 12,000 square feet of prime Detroit real estate, as well as funds for the $1.8 million build out and a beginning inventory of sewing machinery for the creation of the ISAIC Learning Factory. While Michigan’s industry remains humble compared to places like New York, the number of apparel manufacturing establishments in the state has nearly doubled since 2009, from 72 to 120 in 2018. The number of people employed in the state’s apparel manufacturing and cut-and-sew sectors has also increased from 793 in 2009 to 1,471 in 2018, according

to Bureau of Labor Services data.A grassroots effort in North Carolina is educating work-

ers and businesses to more effectively connect with textile suppliers. The Carolina Textile District has received 2200 applications in recent years and classes scheduled for 2020 are almost completely booked. Entrepreneurs who are either launching a brand or product, or scaling up and outgrowing current production and are ready to work with contract manufacturers are driving demand. This category of “Crafted Production” is giving rise to a new kind of work environment attracting next generation talent and revitalizing the region. Whether its investing in the latest machinery for new manu-facturing methods, or forging relationships to build traction in new markets, or innovating programs to create a modern workforce pipeline for a USA supply chain, paths to profit-ability are clearing the way forward for American-made in the future. Here are their stories:

Engineering Factory Efficiency“We ended up in Los Angeles because the bones of that

sewing community is still there,” explains Jason Duncan, head of tactical, innovation, and CSR at Outdoor Research. El Monte also offered affordability, strong community support and a pool of workers – the company received 1,000 applications to work at the factory. “Of that about 20 percent were great sewers. But that’s what we needed. We started with about 70 and are now up to 100,” says Duncan.

The company retrofitted a brand new, but empty, El Monte warehouse with a focus on cutting-edge machinery, technol-ogy and engineered efficiency. Outdoor Research has six mechanical engineers on staff, with degrees from schools such as M.I.T., Cal Poly and University of Denver, who work along with “old heads” machinists. Duncan describes this hybrid model of young minds working together with experienced equipment experts as fantastic. Outdoor Research even has a mathematician on staff doing predictive analysis based on factory capacity plans. “The minutes we save on the produc-tion line are massive,” says Duncan. “Letting people with the skill set solve problems is a better approach, than thinking this is the way we’ve always done it.”

The company has updated to cad cam cutting, significantly reducing waste while increasing cutting efficiency to 90 percent, up from 68 percent. The factory does a lot of auto sewing and


IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT CREATING NEW USA-MADE BUSINESS MODELS / BY EMILY WALZER


cycle machine sewing; workers with a lower skill set operate these machines.

Duncan estimates investment in El Monte as $3 to $5 million. This factors in the training needed to produce high-tech military grade gloves. “Gloves are really difficult, seam allowances are really small, and we build waterproof gloves so its even more difficult sewing and then to seam seal after that is difficult. It calls for significant sewing skills,” states Duncan, adding, that teaching that level of glove making is an expensive invest-ment that requires a lot of trial and error. “We budgeted for having to throw away product until sewers got up to speed, but that is a necessary part of development.” The factory also makes gaiters, headwear, balaclavas, accessories, and some apparel. Branded textile suppler partners include Gore, Brookwood, Polartec, Super Fabric and PrimaLoft.

“We are a technology story, and a first-gener-ation story and a military story,” states Duncan, who sees value in being a wholly owned factory that offers a benefits package. He concludes: “If you can diversify and keep your factory full, it is a nice business to have. But it’s not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure.”

Growth By Diversfication MMI Textiles CEO Amy Bircher recalls numer-

ous conversations in recent years with industry executives during which it became apparent that what’s missing in the supply chain is access to small run stock programs of athletic fabrics for athleisure apparel. “There is a movement of wanting USA product, not relying on Asia, and supporting jobs on U.S. soil, and this is our world that we live in,” Bircher explains.

Seeing an opportunity, MMI Textiles consulted with experts, met with domestic knitting and weav-ing mill partners, as well as ingredient suppliers, to learn the viability of creating a new sustainable line of apparel fabrics are made in the USA.

The new EcoThriv collection, a line of five fab-rications, features environmentally responsible performance. A solution-dyed fleece fabric called “Willow” is made of 100 percent recycled polyes-ter with CiCLO additive that allows polyester to biodegrade, and is finished with fluorine free HeiQ EcoDry DWR. Repreve recycled poly, recycled cotton, and Tencel fibers feature in materials suit-able for a variety of end-uses from yoga pants to baselayers to jackets. Says Bircher, “We’ve been so successful in other market space, that we feel we did our homework, and that we could make worthwhile investment in this space.”

The company is classified as a manufacturer by the government, but doesn’t own its own equip-ment; the making is its converting process. This “virtual manufacturer” model, has served MMI Textiles well as a global diversified supplier of

industrial and custom fabrics. The firm sources internationally but complies with U.S. Berry Amendment mandates for its military and tactical business. The company has experienced steady growth since its founding in 1997 and Bircher is optimistic not only about the year ahead but her business in general.

Last July the company acquired the assets of Competition Textiles, a woven fabric converter as well as fabric importer, based in Indianapolis, IN, enhancing MMI’s existing stock line for domestic and international customers. More recently MMI has brought on board Jeff Papalia in a new-created VP position to help with operations as the com-pany continues to grow.

While Bircher is hoping that EcoThriv becomes a success, perhaps even jumpstarting a small brand to become the next Lululemon, she realizes that big orders could jeopardize domestic sourcing. “The difficulty is finding skilled labor,” Bircher explains. “If worker availability were abundant, and the manufacturing footprint here were bigger, there would be huge movement to come back to USA. It’s not, and that’s the big challenge.”

Right Shoring Vs. Reshoring “There’s all this talk about ‘reshoring’ happen-

ing, but we like to refer to it as ‘right shoring,’ and what we mean by that is not looking to rebuild the way the industry used to operate, we’re looking to build in a different way,” states Jennifer Guarino, CEO and chair of the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC) in Detroit. “We train and apprentice for the future of work.”

ISAIC’s Industrial Sewing Related Technical Institute (RTI) offers 200 hours of training at Henry Ford College in Dearborn. Seen as a starting point, students completing the program have options to advance; for example, to apply for entry-level sewing or apply to ISAIC’s paid apprenticeship or use their course credits for higher education. ISAIC’s apprenticeship program takes place at a brand new Learning Factory in midtown Detroit.

Skills taught at RTI can feed into many industries such as upholstery, footwear, automotive (making car seats) or denim manufacturing. Similarly apprentices become competent to move ahead in a variety of fields from product development, and robotics to quality control. The intention is to teach traditional skills and advanced manu-facturing skills to the same group of people so their comprehensive skill set enables equity in the industry of tomorrow.

For example, ISAIC members believe that people and technology can be really good together. Guarino cites the organization’s partnership with Juki, as example, and hands on learning that provides on the most advanced sewing machines.

Guarino emphasizes the importance ISAIC places on laying out avenues for success, by

investing in people to be a future pipeline. “Our industry has not done a good job of giving very specific paths to advancement in different ways from production management, technical design to equipment and maintenance technicians,” explains Guarino, who previously served as Shinola’s VP of manufacturing. “So our job is to provide those paths so that people want to stay in our industry. Its one thing to want to foster talent, but another to also want to retain them.”

Regional Revitalization The Carolina Textile District has ridden a wave

of change since its inception in 2013 experienc-ing first hand a shift within in the industry from traditional business models based on large orders and working with established companies to a new generation of businesses with different produc-tion needs. “This has required a new thinking on the part of the textile industry,” says Tanya Wade, project coordinator for the Carolina Textile District (CTD).

The CTD has created a platform to educate, support and revitalize the local textile community. The organization offers a Sewn Goods workshop that not only teaches skills, but all aspects of the textile industry, improving individuals’ ability to effectively connect with suppliers. “We do the nitty-gritty on how to make product — all the things not being taught anymore. Today’s design programs focus more on “wanting to eat the sausage, not wanting to make the sausage,” states Wade, who adds, “Our program is such that when attendees leave the workshop they can answer supplier questions on price point, start orders, etc. This has been the big discon-nect in the past. “Companies have no time for hand-holding!”

The District, as its known in the area, also offers clients a week long Crafted Production session once a year focused on how owner-operated businesses can find and retain employees. (This is separate from start-ups contracting production from outside resources, Wade explains.)

According to CTD participant surveys, many businesses in the Crafted Production category (56 percent) are seeking small runs of 100 to 5,000 units and the majority of them (nearly 80 percent) are doing their first production run in textiles or their first production run for the product they are inquiring about. Participants launching new domestically manufactured products are younger (67 percent under the age of 40), have some capital (91 percent have at least $2,500 to put toward the design and development of their product) and have a direct-to-consumer distribution strategy (with 76 percent planning to sell online).

At the end of the day, says Wade, “it’s not about creating jobs, but creating good jobs and thriving careers with fair wages.” l


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Building on Established Tech with New, Nature-Inspired Innovations. By Debra Cobb

hile brands and con-sumers alike appreciate functional fabrics — offering performance benefits such as odor control, moisture management, and weather protection — many are starting to question exactly what kind of mad science goes into them.

According to McKinsey & Company’s report The State of Fashion 2020, “45% of apparel companies surveyed by McKinsey are looking to integrate more innovative bio-based materials, and over 67% of sourcing executives state that the use of innovative sustainable materials will be important for their company.”

As a result, textile innovators are starting to create performance fabrics that replace traditional chemistry with bio-based or bio-mimetic technologies.

Nature-based Odor ControlLife Natural, an odor-control technology for textiles

and polymers from Thailand’s Life Material Technologies

Limited, is based on peppermint oil.According to Lisa Owen, the company’s North American

business representative, peppermint oil has long been used as a natural substance to inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria. “It’s a sustainable chemistry that’s a great alternative to metal-based antimicrobials and odor-capture technologies,” she explains.

Life Natural is applied to textiles during manufac-turing, is durable through multiple washings, and is cost-competitive with current silver, silane-quat or zinc antimicrobials.

Sourced from sustainable plants, the peppermint extract used as the active ingredient is also used in oral hygiene products (toothpaste, mouthwash, etc.) Applied to textiles, footwear, and fitness equipment, it has no smell or sensory impact. Most importantly, it passes relevant tests for efficacy and safety.

Life Natural has already been adopted by Columbia Sportswear and ethical clothing brand Pangaia, as well as by UK retailers Marks & Spencer and John Lewis.

“Everything old — of natural origin — is new again, but better,” quips Owen.

Act Like a TreeThe nature-based principle of capillary action inspires

TurboDry, a non-chemical, patent-pending textile tech-nology that relies on physics to draw moisture one way, to the outside of the garment. TurboDry is the creation of Dr. Jason (Jun-Yan) Hu, CTO of Atlanta-based NexTex Innovations.

Chad Lawrence, NexTex CEO, explains that while the innovative knit constructions utilize two or more yarns or “threads,” unlike old denier-gradient technologies the technology doesn’t rely on differing denier-per-filament ratios.

“Denier-gradient fabrics have construction limitations, and weren’t always soft next to the skin,” says Lawrence.

Dr. Hu’s process leverages the physics of contact angles and capillary action in a range of knitted fabrics typically using commercially available filament yarns, spun fibers, and various fiber blends.

Lawrence is particularly excited about the sustainable aspects of TurboDry fabrics, which can be made with recycled polymers, and easily recycled if constructed of a single polymer type. The reduction of chemicals used during manufacturing also helps lower the Higg Materials Sustainability Index score.

TurboDry technology is physical and will not wash out; in many cases the moisture transport actually improves after washing, based on AATCC 195 testing.

The company has also developed TurboDry elasto-meric fabrics, according to Lawrence. “While spandex makes fabrics difficult to recycle, we are able to use other stretch polymers so that we can engineer what

WTECHNOLOGY | FUNCTIONAL FABRICS

Performance Plus

Ethical brand Pangaia’s Life Natural T-shirts require less washing.


"While spandex makes fabrics difficult to recycle, we are able to use other stretch polymers so that we can engineer what the brands need and desire.” Chad Lawrence, NexTex

“Most waterproof, breathable products give up something. Airadigm gives up nothing.” Greg Vas Nunes, Trinity Tech Group (TTG)

“Everything old — of natural origin — is new again, but better.”Lisa Owen, Life Material Technologies Ltd.

the brands need and desire,” he says.The company currently offers some 22 TurboDry fabrics and is in the

process of developing additional constructions.

Personalized ClimateFew technologies are more critical to comfort in the outdoors than

waterproof, breathable outerwear. With sustainability now top-of-mind, outdoor companies continue to search for the optimal combination of water and wind repellency, breathability and moisture flow, and durability.

AIRADIGM, a new waterproof, breathable membrane system created using microventing plasma technology, is being called “a paradigm shift” in personal comfort. “Adventure is personal,” says Greg Vas Nunes, CEO of Trinity Tech Group (TTG), the Missouri-based maker of membranes for footwear, protective and military apparel.

The microventing mechanism keeps wind and water out while allowing body heat and moisture to escape, promoting what the company is calling an “I-Climate,” or personalized body comfort zone.

TTG’s proprietary, made-in-America technology begins with an ePTFE layer that is laminated to a substrate as required. The magic happens in the vacuum chamber, where a very small amount of waterproofing chemi-cal is vaporized into a gaseous state, creating a charge that permanently bonds the monomer to the multi-layered fabric.

The process encapsulates every fiber without blocking the fabric’s pores unlike traditional DWR finishes that only treat the fabric surface.

The pulse plasma treatment replaces the equivalent of two 55-gallon drums of chemical bath, according to Vas Nunes. No gasses are released into the atmosphere, and no polyurethanes or PFOA are involved.

The treatment can be applied to both knits and wovens, and the result-ing fabrics are not only waterproof but oil and stain resistant as well. The fabrics are soft and pliable, appropriate for active apparel, footwear, gloves, packs, tenting, etc., and can be customized through various constructions and layering configurations.

“We are building on an older technology (ePTFE), but the twist is that we’ve taken away the negatives,” says Vas Nunes. “Most waterproof, breathable products give up something. Airadigm gives up nothing.”

Textile innovation requires a lot of science and capital investment, Vas Nunes points out; but it needn’t rely on harmful chemicals. l

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Airadigm’s microventing membrane system promotes a personalized body comfort zone, or I-Climate.

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Packaging from LimeLoop uses upcycled billboard vinyl.

Market for Eco-Friendly Materials for Product Transport Opens Up. By Suzanne Blecher

W ith an increasing number of cities and municipalities eliminating the use of plastic bags and Styrofoam at retail, both consumers and companies are thinking more about how they package and transport products. At the Active Collective NYC tradeshow in January, I chatted with several brand reps about this phenomenon. Jessica Laursen, creative director at eco-friendly studio cloth-ing brand Avocado, spoke, ironically, about following a company making biodegradable plastic out of avocado pits.

Sustainability was also top of mind for brands including Lole, Splits59, Thrive Societe and the Upside, which ships some items in reusable washbags. At NiyamaSOL, a luxury yoga lifestyle brand, 84 percent of fabric is made of recycled plastic bottles. Owner Allison Hart has been researching sustainable packaging, however, the roadblock is price. One option she looked into was four times more expensive than the brand’s current packaging, which is a stopping point.

Packaging Industry PlayersSaloni Doshi, CEO of recycled packaging

firm EcoEnclose, has heard the woes of small companies before. To accommodate, “we offer packaging at very low volume bundles and custom branding starting at just 500 mailers and 250 boxes,” she commented. EcoEnclose offers 100 percent recycled, 100 percent recy-clable packaging in both paper and poly mailers and works with about 3,600 apparel, footwear and outdoor companies per year including Fjallraven (transitioning to sophisticated, barcoded 100 percent recycled poly mailers) and Bedrock Sandals (using sustainable algae ink). “We were excited with the results from the first batch (of algae ink) and have been using it ever since,” commented Bedrock marketing exec, Matt McAdow.

While poly mailers offer functionality (weatherproof, thin, lightweight, flexible) at a low cost, EcoEnclose’s Paper Apparel Mailer is made with thicker stock than other paper mailers, but is thinner and more pliable than

the company’s Rigid Mailers to conform to apparel and other soft goods. The mailer also expands into a three-dimensional, polybag-like shape when filled with product. One potential hiccup, however, is that the texture of the recycled paperboard can be difficult to adhere to, so firm pressure must be applied across the entire length of the adhesive. Offerings from EcoEnclose are typically 5 percent under and up to 15 percent above a standard mailer of the same size and thickness.

Using upcycled billboard vinyl, LimeLoop has created a “lightweight, durable, returnable smart shipper to get us one step closer to making e-commerce a zero-waste, circular economy,” noted Ashley Etling, the firm’s CEO. Brand partners rent the shippers from LimeLoop, mail out products and attach a prepaid shipping label to return to the shipper for reuse. For every 20,000 shipments, about 132 trees are saved, along with 400 gallons of oil, compared to conventional packaging. Etling said she saves small brands up to 40 percent on packaging costs and when calculating in the return of the shipper, it is on average cost-neutral. The monthly subscription and low minimums help smaller brands with cash flow, according to the exec. The firm works with Turtle Fur outdoor headwear, Upchoose organic baby clothes, as well as Toad & Co., where shoppers can select LimeLoop at checkout.

According to ShipMatrix, Inc., a software provider that analyzes shipping data, consum-ers received 8.6 billion e-commerce packages in the U.S. last year, up from 7.6 billion in 2018.

Packaging has truly changed with the growth of e-commerce. “Traditionally, items were shipped to stores, unpacked, put on shelves or otherwise merchandized in store. Today, online shopping means packaging not only transports the product, but it also has to be part of the unboxing experience,” explained Rachel Kenyon, SVP of non-profit Fibre Box Association, which serves the corrugated packaging industry. Corrugated packaging represents a traditional form of boxing that works in today’s society considering it is made from a renewable resource and has a very high (96 percent in 2018) recovery rate. A corrugated package can be any size, shape or form, allowing creativity in box design while

maintaining supply chain performance, Kenyon said. Additionally, box-making is a local business. Most box plants are built around manufactur-ing hubs and serve a 150-mile radius, making them a part of local communities. There are approximately 1,150 corrugated manufacturing facilities domestically.

Because corrugated options have been around for 150 years, Kenyon admits that sometimes brands need to be reminded of its sustainability story. Therefore, the industry has embarked on a communications program. “Boxes. The most extraordinary thing in the world” is a campaign

sharing attributes of packaging that goes unno-ticed. Similarly, the Paper and Packaging Board launched its “How Life Unfolds” campaign in 2018 highlighting the relevance of paper packaging in our lives and our industry.

Coalition CommentsDespite the newly forming plethora of prom-

ising sustainable packaging options, there are growing pains. “There’s a learning curve that every company must navigate,” commented associate director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, Adam Gendell. “For instance, there are plenty of well-established frameworks for responsible paper sourcing, but implementing a new procurement policy can be an immense undertaking, requiring new suppliers, cost models, packaging designs and new corporate culture – it takes will, determination and coor-dination to make change at scale,” he said.

The upside is that consumers are already gravitating toward purpose-driven brands and “packaging serves as an opportunity for companies to demonstrate corporate respon-sibility and display it, quite literally, on the first tangible interaction the customer has with their product,” the exec noted. l

STRATEGIES | SUSTAINABILITY

The Whole Package


“Packaging serves as an opportunity for companies to demonstrate corporate responsibility and display it.” Adam Gendell, associate director, Sustainable Packaging Coalition

New Takes on an Age-Old Wintertime Woe: Staying Warm.

POWER ON“Battery tech is evolving and innovation in this category is robust,” says KC Bean, CEO of Fieldsheer Apparel, makers of Mobile Warming Technology. The company’s heated-clothing technology is a far cry from the heavy, bulky, batteries of the past. Tucked inside a side pocket of the latest Fieldsheer jacket is a soft-edged, low profile lithium-ion battery that is Bluetooth-based and adjustable with the touch of a discreet button. “The performance is way better, as are the aesthetics,” states Bean, who hails from the consumer electronics industry, and uses terms such as power system, control system, wireless management, and integrated tech to describe apparel tech advancements.

In an article Bean penned recently for Innovation Tech Today, he wrote, “Without question, wearables – and specifically electronic textiles, aka ‘smart clothing’ – have positioned themselves as the newest, and perhaps brightest, star in the IoT universe.”

Fieldsheer was not alone advocating “personal expe-rience” heating at the OR+SS trade show in Denver earlier this year. Attendee interest in the category was obvious, with buyers stopping at displays to check out new collections at a handful of vendors offering battery-powered warmth.

Bean makes a case for the latest developments in this category. “This was year number three for us exhibit-ing at OR, and we bring more cosmetics and leading edge technology.” He mentions price as another factor, citing his company’s $199 price point for a slim, down-insulated jacket.

“The textile industry is at a pivot point for disruption,” Bean concludes. “Just look at what Tesla has done in the automotive industry.”

Gobi and Therm-ic also exhibited at the Denver trade fair. Gobi featured lithium-ion batteries in apparel and accessories that offer adjustable settings. Therm-ic intro-duced a new heated vest for women with five heating zones, affording five hours of USB powered heat that is Bluetooth controlled. The company’s battery powered

TRENDS | INNOVATION

Bringing the Heat

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How to keep warm in cold weather has challenged the best and the brightest in the business over the decades, inspiring advances in insulation materials, strategic layering, engineered fibers and smart yarns. In 2020, the hunt for winter-worthy performance comes in the form of intriguing tech and testing developments. Here’s a quick take on three innovations that caught our eye recently:

Toray’s three Technorama GIII testing chambers can replicate variable wind speeds up to 67mph, simulate rainfall up to 200 mm/hr and temperatures from -22 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, along with many other capabilities.

Powersocks provide 16 hours of warmth/comfort and Bluetooth heat control.

Could this new generation of batteries be the answer to outdoor industry’s version of “wearables?” Smart technology has long been waiting on the doorstep of performance textiles, but slow to generate mainstream acceptance. The significant buzz surrounding Levi’s x Google partnership that brought to market Levi’s tech connected Commuter Trucker Jacket a few years ago, for example, did not result in a game-changer for apparel, nor bring the house down in terms of sales. The outdoor apparel market has barely greeted smart wear, yet alone embraced the technology – compared to fashion or other industries. On the other hand, plenty of OR+SS attendees and exhibitors were wearing AirPods. According to a recent report from Strategy Analytics, Apple sold nearly 60 million AirPods in 2019, outpacing smartwatches and fitness trackers combined. Indeed “hearables” is now tagged the hot smart tech category.

BASE LAYER DEBUTA prolonged legal battle with Columbia Sportswear over patent infringement was settled recently in favor of Seirus — very good news for the San Diego apparel and accessory firm and the evolution of its Heatwave technology. Base layers, an entirely new category for Seirus, will feature Heatwave in men’s and women’s styles for availability in Fall 20. Described as a “dual-stage heating system,” the textile combines a kinetic stage with a reflective stage that together raises and returns warmth.

The journey of how Heatwave came to be serves as a great example of what it takes to create comfortable, lightweight warmth in performance products for the outdoor marketplace.

The company introduced Heatwave in 2013 in gloves and a glove liner, but the origin of the technology dates further back to the early ’90s when Seirus started using a reflec-tive heat fabric by combining a wicking fabric (Thermax) with reflective foil (Lurex) to create “Thermalux” used in a Thermalux Glove Liner – which remains in the line today.

A statement from the company provides a detailed background: “The visible ‘gold flecks’ in the glove liner made the look glittery, and the function was undeniably warmer. We often would try to find ways to move this into other products in our line for the function, but the mate-rial was just a little tricky to work with in other product types. Reflective foil for heat has been a known lightweight heat success story since NASA and the introduction of space blankets into safety kits. We were introduced to a fabric by one of our partners that had enhanced ability to wick and retain warmth. We combined that material with reflective foil and that became Heatwave.

The lightweight and high wicking liner of the base fabric and the soft surface area that we were able to apply against the skin really opened up how we were going to be able to apply reflective heat. Being able to create a comfortable lightweight experience in gloves, liners and headwear was a perfect alignment for our line.”

FUTURISTIC WEATHER TESTING Construction is the key to Marmot’s innovative Warm Cube design that not only gets the job done very well when it comes to warmth but also sports a cool, contemporary look. The insulating material, down, is housed in cube-shaped compartments unlike a traditional baffle. As such the air space trapped between each cubes holds heat more efficiently and warms the wearer quickly. The tech-nology and placement also create channels which flex and shape to the body.

The latest iteration of Marmot’s 8000-meter suit built for the alti-tudes and demanding conditions of the Himalayas, employs the Warm Cube design and makes use of sev-eral custom-designed Toray textiles. Recently Marmot’s textile tech met with futuristic weather testing at Toray’s Technorama GIII facility in Seta, Japan, an advanced laboratory for reproduc-ing climates worldwide, as well as simulating everyday type environments like stuffy subway cars.

Having been put the through its paces in two days of testing, the Marmot suit performed exactly as designed in the Technorama’s sub-zero temps and high wind conditions. This enabled the Toray and Marmot teams to validate the efficacy of the Warm Cube design, through thermal imagery, with input from Everest veteran Roxy Vogel who joined in the testing. l

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Seirus Heatwave next to skin garments feature strategic antimicrobial venting and flatlock seams for comfortable layering.


Creating USA-Made Cycling Bags for Super Cool Adventure Cyclists.

By Suzanne Blecher

Fresh off of a five-day gravel bike camp full of technical descents and pace-line practice in Elgin, Arizona, Martina Brimmer reflects on how much adventure cycling — and her business

— means to her. “We are working hard to bring female representation into the sport, as well as trans and gender binary representation. We currently aren’t doing the best job, but things are changing,” she said, adding, “We’re putting out a call to action.” For one, there is a movement to allow participants to compete in the category that best matches their gender identity.

Brimmer lives, eats and dreams cycling, and it shows in designs for her bag company Swift Industries. After starting the business in 2008 in her basement with her boyfriend (now husband), a sewing machine and a roll of fabric, Brimmer, CEO of the Seattle-based company, has 10 employees (six of which bike almost every day) and a full-fledged, global company.

Textile Insight digs into Brimmer’s quest to be better.

Insta-Success: “We were born around the same time as Instagram and it has been such an exceptional driver

of our growth,” commented Brimmer. For the first three years, she was a maker, and later morphed into a prod-uct designer. The 2016 Struktur event in Portland, OR marked a big change in terms of both connections made and the mission of Swift Industries. The exec reflected, “prior to that event, we had only seen ourselves as a cycling company. There was now this opportunity to come in as an outdoor company straddling outdoors and cycling. We were bewildered that no other brands were in that sphere.”

Seattle Start: With all products designed and manufac-tured in an industrial workplace in the heart of Seattle, Brimmer is tied to the local landscape. She is heavily involved in Seattle Made, a cross industry platform for keeping manufacturing in the Emerald City. Current conversation centers on the dominance of technology and the struggles of urban manufacturing in the area. There is a small factory community thanks to Outdoor Research, REI and Filson, helping small cut and sew shops to keep operations running. “These factories are very approachable. At the beginning we had no tech

TRENDSETTER | SWIFT INDUSTRIES’ MARTINA BRIMMER

UPCYCLING


Martina Brimmer.

Photo: G

ritchelle Fallesgon

packs, no knowledge and it just felt smart to cut our teeth with neighbors – meet face to face,” she said. Following a deal signed in 2019 with REI, Swift Industries’ 2020 collection is now being made in Seattle and Vancouver. “We continue to look for high quality cut and sew assistance in the U.S. to help us to scale,” Brimmer commented.

Offshore Observations: While tied to the local land-scape, Brimmer has thought of fleeing. “Offshore is worth investigating for the centralized sourcing capabilities. It is a little painful that the factories we work with have no connection with our mate-rial sourcing,” she said. Domestic distributors currently meet volume needs, but as the business grows, she anticipates bumping into issues. “If we went to Vietnam, we would have the opportunity to hand over tech packs and do all sourcing, plus get textiles on the same campus versus the cur-rent situation of our production manager calling in every single parts order.” The administrative time and aggravation are palatable, with Brimmer

noting, “That has been a real struggle.” Another issue in the mix is the lack of closed loop options in the U.S.

Proven Product: With 2020 designs just launched in March, Brimmer brought prototypes to cyclists at the February 2020 WTF Bikeexplorers Gravel Camp at the 8,000-acre Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch of the National Audubon Society for feedback. “I ride side by side and interact with people. Some can’t stand a jiggle on their bike. It is amazing intel for our design team,” she said. For 2020, Brimmer has made material improvements to three existing products. The best-selling Zeitgeist bag is being relaunched as a saddle and handlebar bag. The firm moved away from an outmoded attachment system as Brimmer’s team saw limitations caused by material selections – leather straps fed through entire bag (including the interior) with punches created weakness and compromised waterproof-ing. Designers turned to the sailing industry for ways to better reinforce bags to saddles, looking

at how battens support sails. Swift Industries moved to CoverLite and streamlined manufactur-ing processes by introducing laser cut and die cut components. Voile straps replace leather, making the bag vegan. The Bandito saddlebag and Paloma handle bar bag were also upgraded for better integration with the bicycle.

Dream-Driven: “We are really ready internally to jump into a new cycling into soft mount bags in a very different way,” Brimmer commented. There are long term plans to move from being an exclusive cycling bag company to something bigger. “We are a community and events focused brand, and a well-reg

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