Common threads: the fabric of performance apparel.Performance apparel represents one of the fastest growing sectors of the textile and clothing industry. Market growth is being fueled by the emergence of new fibers, fabrics, and innovative process technologies. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Today's technology encourages breathability, thermal insulation The term thermal insulation can refer to materials used to reduce the rate of heat transfer, or the methods and processes used to reduce heat transfer. Heat is transferred from one material to another by conduction, convection and/or radiation. , moisture management, and odor neutralization neutralization, chemical reaction, according to the Arrhenius theory of acids and bases, in which a water solution of acid is mixed with a water solution of base to form a salt and water; this reaction is complete only if the resulting solution has neither acidic nor . Industry buzzwords Below is a list of common buzzwords which form part of the business jargon of Corporate work environments. General Conversation
gamut - The gamut of a monitor is the set of colours it can display. There are some colours which can't be made up of a mixture of red, green and blue phosphor emissions and so can't be displayed by any monitor. from wicking wicking Infectious disease Enhanced penetration of liquids, and small pathogens, through minute holes in latex membranes–eg, surgical gloves, which may develop when washed with surfactants, an effect that militates against the re-use of certain materials to anti-microbial to climate control. And, increasingly, high-tech fabrics and apparel designed for high-performance wear are crossing over into everyday fashion. Not surprisingly, sports have been a boon to its popularity. To get a feel for the market, Scholastic Coach & Athletic Director Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic asked a roundtable of company executives and marketing directors for their take on what coaches and AD's should be aware of when purchasing performance apparel for their teams. Our panel included: Steve Battista, VP/Brand, Under Armour; Dottie Dye, VP Marketing/Merchandising, M.J. Soffe; Bob McDavid, President, McDavid Sports/Medical Products; Efraim Nathan, President, Lontex Corp., and Ryan Oliver, Director of Marketing, Zensah. What is the most important thing consumers should know when selecting the right performance apparel? Battista: "Our number one job from a marketing standpoint is telling the story, and that means ensuring that the consumer understands the term 'performance apparel' is not just a generic term covering any and all clothing that could be worn in a sports setting. We created the performance apparel category to be exclusive to apparel that does something for you through its synthetic fabrications. That's why we call our logo the Universal Guarantee of Performance, because we don't make 'regular' or cotton products. Ultimately, getting athletes out of cotton is our goal." Dye: "Performance apparel should deliver the obvious--it performs. Most performance apparel has the wicking properties that move moisture away from the body and quick evaporation evaporation, change of a liquid into vapor at any temperature below its boiling point. For example, water, when placed in a shallow open container exposed to air, gradually disappears, evaporating at a rate that depends on the amount of surface exposed, the humidity time enabling the garment to dry faster." McDavid: "They should know what is the specific performance feature or features they are looking. Performance apparel is a catch-all name that implies that the product will provide certain benefits that will make the athlete better. Most of these products have a moisture management (or wicking) component that allows sweat to evaporate e·vap·o·rate v. 1. To convert or change into a vapor; volatilize. 2. To produce vapor. 3. To draw or pass off in the form of vapor. 4. quicker. This means that the garment will be drier, lighter, and cooler so the athlete is more comfortable and can perform better. This is often also described as temperature moderating--keeping the body cooler in hot weather and warmer in cool weather. "All performance apparel products are synthetic, usually nylon or polyester polyester, synthetic fiber, produced by the polymerization of the product formed when an alcohol and organic acid react. The outstanding characteristic of polyesters is their ability to resist wrinkling and to spring back into shape when creased. . It is important to realize that all performance apparel products are not the same. It is difficult to know the differences because the performance feature cannot be seen or felt. So the consumer must rely on his or her direct experience or the recommendation of others. There are many good products out there and there are many that claim to be performance but they really are not. I have seen some brands that claim to have moisture management properties but when we test them they do not. Also, most brands use topically applied chemicals to enhance wicking that washes out after 5-10 washings. In our view this is unacceptable." Nathan: "Cotton is natural. Wool is natural. Silk is natural. Which means you cannot alter it. The first thing is to let the consumer know that cotton is bad for them if they are trying to perform an activity that requires them to sweat. Cotton is not comfortable to wear in the wintertime because when you perspire per·spire v. To excrete perspiration through the pores of the skin. , it freezes to your skin and creates a chill. In the summer, cotton will absorb perspiration perspiration: see sweat. perspiration Fluid given off by the skin as vapour by simple evaporation or as sweat actively secreted from sweat glands to evaporate and cool the body. . Cotton fiber has no exit. So it swaddles the water and it becomes saturated. When it becomes saturated it stays there for 24-30 hours at room temperature. "In 1992, DuPont invented a manmade-fiber called CoolMax. They basically said, 'We have to invent a fiber that has exit and entrance.' It is noted for its breathability and moisture wicking properties. Then Nike came up with Dri-FIT. The first people that understood what it meant to wick moisture away was the individual sports, not the team sports. "There are three things a consumer should ask a retailer before buying a product that claims it has moisture management properties: How does it work? How does it wick moisture away and for what length of period? How many times can I wear and wash it?" Oliver: "I think what's important to mention is that not all performance apparel is created equal. People should definitely look at the make-up of a products because if they really do their homework they will notice that many of the big brands out there are made in the same factories and are made of the same yarns." What are the differences between compression-wear and loose-fitting wear? What are the benefits of each? Battista: "There may be a misconception mis·con·cep·tion n. A mistaken thought, idea, or notion; a misunderstanding: had many misconceptions about the new tax program. that only weekend warriors or part time athletes wear our loose fitting HeatGear, but the fact of the matter is we're seeing growth across the board in our core LooseGear offerings, our Streaker collection, and in our Tech T program which is comprised of fabrics that look like cotton, feel like cotton, but perform like Under Armour. Meanwhile, we're seeing our core compression business continue to be a staple of the athlete's wardrobe, and new designs and technology, like our color blocked Blitz HeatGear program and our new Metal collection, have provided our athletes higher levels of performance." Dye: "Compression helps protect the muscles during a workout Workout Informal repayment or loan forgiveness arrangement between a borrower and creditors. workout 1. The process of a debtor's meeting a loan commitment by satisfying altered repayment terms. or game. Loose-fitting performance apparel usually has the properties listed in compression." McDavid: "If they both have moisture management properties then the difference is that compression wear is snug fitting and compresses the muscles for added benefits. For almost 20 years we have provided compression products to help reduce muscle pulls and strains and to augment proprioception proprioception Perception of stimuli relating to position, posture, equilibrium, or internal condition. Receptors (nerve endings) in skeletal muscles and on tendons provide constant information on limb position and muscle action for coordination of limb movements. (the ability of the body to know where it is in space without actually seeing it). Loose fitting apparel fits like a normal cotton shirt except it has all the moisture management features as described above--lighter, dryer, etc." Nathan: "The whole idea of compression is about the power of the stretch and recovery. As for loose fitting, some people call a t-shirt a performance undergarment. Some people just say that's a t-shirt. It depends how you use it." Oliver: "The compression-wear, from a moisture management standpoint, can actually do a better job just because it stretches across the skin. So it's going to pull the moisture away from the skin and push it to the outside of the fabric. Whereas, if you're wearing loose apparel, moisture is not as readily trapped and can drip out. The other benefits of compression-wear are preventing muscle cramps and helps with blood flow." How important are antimicrobial antimicrobial /an·ti·mi·cro·bi·al/ (-mi-kro´be-al) 1. killing microorganisms or suppressing their multiplication or growth. 2. an agent with such effects. and wicking materials incorporated into today's fabrics? Battista: "Premium price points dictate premium performance." Dye: "Antimicrobial properties are an added benefit because it inhibits the growth of odor causing bacteria." McDavid: "Wicking is very important--the key feature that allows for rapid evaporation of sweat. Without the wicking component it is hard to claim that a product is a performance product. Antimicrobial features are most important if you seldom wash your clothes. Wicking fabrics--the better ones--allow the clothes to dry so rapidly that bacteria and mildew mildew, name for certain fungi and protists, for the diseases they cause in various crops, and for the discoloration (and sometimes the weakening and disintegration) they cause in such materials as leather, fabrics, and paper. are inhibited from growing because they are dry." Nathan: "Performance apparel means that it does something extra for your body. The key for performance apparel to do its job is to open the pores in the skin to dry the sweat rapidly. That's the way cools itself, by sweating. But if the sweat is trapped next to your skin, you're in trouble. It clogs the pores in the skin, elevates the body's temperature, and increases your heart function. The wetness doesn't let the body intake oxygen. Not only through your nose and mouth, but through the pores in the skin." Oliver: "Our fabric is not polyester-based, so it does not have that coarse feel. Polyester is very good for moisture management. But we've been able to take a combination of polyamide polyamide material used in the creation of nonabsorbable, synthetic, nylon sutures. and polyester, as well as our own proprietary technology, to create a great feel in our fabric. The fabric has silver ions impregnated im·preg·nate tr.v. im·preg·nat·ed, im·preg·nat·ing, im·preg·nates 1. To make pregnant; inseminate. 2. To fertilize (an ovum, for example). 3. into it, which eliminates odor. It's not a silver yarn. And it's not dipped. A lot of other companies, in order to get that performance effect, actually dip or dye the garment in a liquid. And that washes out after 30 washes. What the silver does is fights bacteria and it also helps dissipate dis·si·pate v. dis·si·pat·ed, dis·si·pat·ing, dis·si·pates v.tr. 1. To drive away; disperse. 2. heat." Are today's performance apparel fabrics designed as sport-specific? If not, will that ever happen?" Battista: "Our gearlines are designed through the framework of a complex technology laid out in a simple thermographic story: Wear HeatGear when it's hot, ColdGear when it's cold, and AllSeasonGear in between. The ColdGear piece that works so well on the football field is the same piece worn on the baseball, softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' and lacrosse lacrosse (ləkrôs`), ball and goal game usually played outdoors by two teams of 10 players each on a field 60 to 70 yd (54.86 to 64.01 m) wide by 110 yd (100.58 m) long. Two goals face each other 80 yd (73. fields, not to mention on the ski slopes by men and women. There are some sport specific pieces in our line that, ironically enough, end up in other sports through the preference of the athlete. For instance, the Grippy Longsleeve--originally designed for football receivers--has been a favorite of hockey players who like the Grippy pattern on their forearms to help keep their gloves in place. Also, our five pocket football girdle girdle /gir·dle/ (gir´d'l) cingulum; an encircling structure or part; anything encircling a body. pectoral girdle shoulder g. is very popular for basketball players who want that protection on their thighs." Dye: "Some performance apparel is designed for team specific activities--to be worn under the uniform offering compression, moisture management, etc." McDavid: "I'm sure we will see that. Currently there are sliding shorts used in baseball; football girdles, etc that are sport specific performance products. We have developed a line of protective apparel products using Hexpad Technology. These products include hundreds of individual pads permanently bonded to performance fabrics and placed strategically to help prevent injuries as well as to enhance performance. Hexpad products are currently available for football, basketball, volleyball volleyball, outdoor or indoor ball and net game played on a level court. An upright net, 3 ft (or 1 m) high, the top of which stands 8 ft (2.43 m) from the ground for men, 7 ft 4 1/8 in (2. , lacrosse, baseball, soccer and rugby. We have seen an immediate acceptance for these products. These are products in which you can see and feel one of the performance components. Already these products are used in football at the NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga and major colleges. And in basketball--NBA and college." Oliver: "We are only focused on seamless. A regular cut-and-sew garment has been manufactured the same way for hundreds of years. You take the fabric and cut out a pattern and then sew sew v. sewed, sewn or sewed, sew·ing, sews v.tr. 1. To make, repair, or fasten by stitching, as with a needle and thread or a sewing machine: the pieces together, like the front and back. The terminology for seamless is really the way it is manufactured. Does a seamless garment The phrase "seamless garment" refers to the seamless robe of Jesus, which the Gospel of John describes Jesus as having worn to his crucifixion. In 1971, Roman Catholic pacifist Eileen Egan used St. John the Apostle's phrase to describe a holistic reverence for life. mean it doesn't have any seams? No. It does have some seams in certain areas. Seamless also helps prevent chafing chafe v. chafed, chaf·ing, chafes v.tr. 1. To wear away or irritate by rubbing. 2. To annoy; vex. 3. To warm by rubbing, as with the hands. v.intr. . "What's important to remember with cut-and-sew is first they make the fabric and then they make the product. Our product is made at the same time the fabric is knitted. That means we can engineer the fabric to include certain functionality for athletes." Talk about the wearability factor. Many of today's performance materials lose either their antimicrobial and/or wicking technology after several washes. How is that being addressed? Battista: "Durability is something we demand in all of our products. We're in locker rooms every single day and see the amount of loose and compression pieces from five, six, seven years ago still being worn; it's very impressive. It seems like every equipment manager has a story about buying some of our original or early shirts and shorts that have held up to this day." Dye: "The industry usually measures the life of a garment as 50 washings. Topical treatments/finishes should meet these standards. There are permanent moisture management & antimicrobial properties in some yarns. Soffe's Dri Release products of tees and shorts are knitted with these yarns and offer permanent moisture management and anti microbial microbial pertaining to or emanating from a microbe. microbial digestion the breakdown of organic material, especially feedstuffs, by microbial organisms. properties." McDavid: "You are correct; most performance products on the market loose their benefits when the wicking material washes out. This may take as little as 5 washings. We developed our own process we call hDc. Our Ultra hDc technology is permanent--it won't wash out. This is because Ultra hDc technology changes the molecular structure of the synthetic fabrics Synthetic fabrics are textiles made from synthetic fibres. They are used primarily to make clothing. that are treated. It is not a topical application. It is chemically applied under high temperatures.' |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion