From EVOLUTION to REVOLUTION

fresh performance fabrics make a mark in the 21st century

The flaw of 1990s publicity around high-tech fabrics has faded somewhat as we come into the new millennium, but ease assured that there are sufficiency of new innovations now hitting the market. Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of woven and nonwoven high-performance fabrics, including fresh systems that work with apparel to regulate temperatures and create a more comfortable material substance environment.

While these outcomes still have yet to make their way into mainstream public way apparel, they are expected to make the crossover Here's a direct the eye at what the industry can wait for to see coming down the road in the 21st century

Evolon Leaps Forward

Evolon a novel fabric-forming technology from Freudenberg Nonwovens, can make progress from fiber to finished fabric without weaving or knitting. Manufactured in single continuous process from polymer granulates, Evolon combines three distinct processes: spun continuous filament technology, bicomponent filament technology and hydro-entangled technology. The resulting fabric has fine filaments ranging from 005 dtex to 25 dtex

"It's considerably finer than the [microfibers] around today," says Terry O'Regan, manager, Evolon Apparel Fabrics North America. "We diocese it as the next revolution in the textile industry."

The fabric, which is produc without chemicals, is also drapable and durable, offering the consumer a garment with of the highest order moisture transport, ultraviolet protection and wind blocking characteristics, O'Regan explains. In addition, the fiber is as warm as traditional performance fabrics, on the other hand it weighs half as plenteous because the microfibers are in the way that fine. The material acts like skin, breathing while allowing moisture to evaporate quickly. Indeed, Evolon which is manufactured in a plant in Colmar, France, won an award last year for textile innovation at Avantex, a fresh show for high-performance textiles in Frankfurt, Germany.

"Right now the performance features are crack for outdoor wear," says O'Regan. With weights ranging from 100 grams (slightly above 3 ounces) to 220 grams (about 65 ounces) Evolon is aimed at activewear markets, including hiking, adventure travel, skiing and snow boarding. However, O'Regan dioceses the fabric branching into sportswear and highway wear. For example, Evolon's light weight makes it crack for limited packing space. It can be turned up and when unpacked, wrinkles fall away. It also can be washed and dried quickly.

In confines of price, Evolon is competitive with traditional fabrics. According to O'Reagan, it is produc flat, and it can be dy printed and finished in a variety of ways, including sueding, flocking, calandering and embossing. She also cites several manufacturing advantages. Because it is non-directional, a manufacturer can optimize cutting yield. Moreover, overlocking seams and hemming garments are not necessary because the fabric doesn't fray. Seam slippage is also eliminated.

The hum on Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology, a fresh process that is coming upon strong in the textile arena, actually changes the molecular make of fabrics to add wrinkle-resistant, stain-proof and moisture-wicking properties without impacting the hand of the fabric. The technology originally was evolveed by David Soane Ph.D., a chemical engineer, who showed his creation to George Henderson, the CEO of Burlington Industries. Henderson then decided to invest in Soane's company, which is now called Nano-Tex, as 51 percent majority owner

What exactly is nanotechnology? A nanometer is individual billionth of a meter, and in the area of fabric, the technology creates a nano-scale chemical configuration one-thousandth the size of conventional cotton fiber. These constructions are permanently attached to the fabric, creating performance characteristics that are undetectable to the hand.

Right now nanotechnology has sum of two units commercial applications in apparel and dwelling furnishings. Nano-Care[TM], used on cotton, imparts wrinkle resistance and water and oil repellency upon fabric. Nano-Dry[TM], applied to synthetics, provides advanced hydrophilic performance properties of the like kind as breathability, permanent wickability and quick drying capability.

Nano-Dry popularly is being used by Burlington PerformanceWear (BPW) in Synatural[TM], a clump of techno-natural fabrics using DuPont's fresh Micromattique Natural Matte Luster polyester yarn, which has cotton-like aesthetics. "Customers that normally use cotton are now looking at the invisible performance that Synatural fabrics offer" says Lou D'Lando, BPW's executive vice president, apparel fabrics. "Savane, single of our largest customers, was among the first to adopt Synatural fabrics for a trousers program.

BPW also has a assemblage of activewear fabrics that feature Nano-Dry. Jeff Toonkel, BPW executive vice president, activewear and barrier fabrics, explains that there are three categories of nylon and polyester fabrics in the line. For travel clothing, there are wrinkle-resistant shirtings and pant weights that are comfortable and easy to launder. For high-tech clothing, of that kind as hiking, trekking, rock climbing, etc there are more rugg fabrics with the same attributes. Finally, for golf there are bottom weight fabrics combining fashion with performance in solids featuring weave events and surface finishing.