FabricLink's Technical Center

08/01/2012
ESCHLER – a schoeller® brand: Bike Collection Summer 2014 (8/1/12)
Eschler – a schoeller® brand presents a highly ambitious and focused summer bike collection 2014! The warp knits for rec- reationsal bikewear is strongly influenced by the high-tech textiles developed for the elite segment. The collection high- lights include the complex two-layer knit “Flash”, which unites outstanding aerodynamics with a fantastic moisture management. Eschler offers the fabrics with integrated car- bon fibres as well as coldblack® – the special finishing tech- nology for textiles by Schoeller Switzerland that reduces heat build-up and provides reliable protection from UV rays. Yet, Eschler and the Schoeller Textil AG do not only cooperate, the two Swiss companies – the pioneer of stretch wovens Schoeller and the warp knit specialist Eschler – have merged in June 2012 under the leadership of Schoeller Textil AG.

Market Segments: Elite Sports & Recreational Sports:
The market segment ‘Elite Sports’ concentrates on sponsors and racesuit manufacturers for alpine skiing and ski jumping – Eschler is market leader in both disciplines, equipping more or less all national teams with sports specific, high performance fabrics. Yet, Eschler also supplies elite summer sports athletes with warp knits for race- wear, in particular cyclists and triathletes. The market segment ‘Rec- reational Sports’, of course, strongly profits from the expertise gained from the professional sports fabrics.

Structured for Speed:
Determined to develop innovations and to enhance the perform- ance of athletes, Eschler has put a lot of time and research in opti- mising the aerodynamics of its high performance textiles. When speed counts, Eschler presents fast knitwear fine-tuned to the de- tail. Wind channel studies showed that special structured surfaces reduce wind resistance up to 10% compared to smooth surfaces. The tests of highly elastic knitwear specifically focused on the speed range of over 100 km/h for alpine skiwear and 35–75 km/h for bikewear. They proved that on structured surfaces the airflow is more streamlined, leading to less air turbulence and thus improving the aerodynamics. The test results are of high relevance for disci- plines such as mountainbiking, road cycling as well as triathlon.

Eschler – a schoeller® brand transfers its expertise to the fabrics for non-professional sports apparel and expands its range of elastic, structured knitwear. One of the highlights in this product category is the double layer “Flash” material merging a Polyamide/Elastane outer and a Polyester material on the inside: a unique combination of outstanding moisture management, abrasion resistance and aerodynamics. For added comfort, Eschler, on client request, inte- grates carbon fibres that further optimise temperature manage- ment. A further option: the Swiss brand offers Flash fabrics with coldblack® by Schoeller Switzerland which reduces heat build-up and provides reliable protection from UV rays. The technology re- flects infrared heat rays, the textiles heat up less and thus signifi- cantly optimise heat management.

Eschler also tests and classifies the compression properties of the two-way stretch knitwear (the range includes weight classes from 150–180 g/m2 to 200–250 g/m2).

CERAMIC PRINTING: fine, yet diamond hard:
It certainly is a hard task to fulfil: the demand of fine, soft sports- wear fabrics, which simultaneously offer tough durability – even with extreme rubbing friction. Eschler is known as a specialist for ceramic printed fabrics that offer the perfect synergy of high wear- ing comfort and resistance to mechanical wear. The Polyurethane- based coating embedded with diamond-hard ceramic particles is printed in a fine pentagon shape with small dots. Thus, Eschler can keep the fabrics’ soft feel and high elasticity. This particularly envi- ronmentally friendly innovation is completely free of solvents. Fur- thermore, the ceramic particles remain permanently embedded in the polyurethane.

A Far-Sighted Business Move:
In June 2012, the Eschler Group merged with Schoeller Textil AG –
a far-sighted business move and a logical consequence in terms of market positioning. The combination of Eschler’s highly functional knitted fabrics and the innovative range of Schoeller textiles and technologies is absolutely unique on the market and will meet the future requirements of joint customers even more precisely, more individually and more creatively. Thus, the two traditional Swiss companies make it possible to place the product range on an even broader footing on the global market.

Peter Eschler, CEO of the brand which was founded in 1927, states: “The synergy of woven and knitted fabrics is the only one of its kind in the textile sector. But it is also a coming together of two companies that have fostered the same values and cultures! We are both Swiss, family-owned brands with a a strong and dedicated ambition to always deliver top performance.”

Siegfried Winkelbeiner, CEO Schoeller Textil AG, adds: We are con- vinced that there is a global demand for Swiss quality, Now, the power of this concentrated expertise opens up entirely new dimen- sions for further exciting developments!“