FabricLink's Technical Center

05/30/2012
Gramicci Sets New Industry Standard for Performance Wear (5/30/12)
May 30, 2012 - As the industry's sole manufacturer of truly all natural, organic performance wear, Gramicci recently received independent testing confirming the brand's Natural Performance Technology (NPT)TM apparel performs as well, or better than, chemically-treated cottons or petroleum-based synthetics.

SGS testing recently compared Gramicci NPT shirts (like the
NPT Endurance Tee
Gramicci NPT Men's Endurance Tee
men's Endurance Tee and women's Tara V Neck) against popular market leaders' chemically-treated performance cottons and petroleum-based synthetic performance knitwear. Test results conclusively established that Gramicci products excelled in areas of moisture absorption, breathability, dry time, comfortable body temperature maintenance and odor elimination.

Less than three years after launching Natural Performance Technology, Gramicci regularly hears from hundreds of climbers, hikers, runners, endurance racers and other athletes who say NPT is their new go-to performance apparel of choice.

"My Tara V-Neck totally met my expectations for comfort - and it looks and feels fabulous. I teach yoga and often get sweaty while teaching in a hot room. Consequently, my clothes often stick to my body. Not my Gramicci T-shirt, though! I felt cool as a cucumber," said Chaz Russ, 32-year-old yoga instructor.

"I really liked it [NPT Endurance Tee]. It's a great performance tee shirt and better than synthetics, which is what I'm used to," said Andrew M. from Oakland, Calif.

"A quick spin through your local retailer will tell you that we are dealing with a market that either doesn't know or doesn't believe performance wear can be natural or organic.  We are the only brand making performance apparel that is truly all natural and organic," said Gramicci President Marty Weening. "Consumers don't have to settle for active wear that's been chemically treated to add performance qualities - nature has already provided us with hemp and organic cotton. Combining those materials with our proprietary weave results in, what research has now proven to be, an outstanding all natural, organic performance wear."

Gramicci first introduced NPT fabrics with a modest selection of men's and women's separates in summer 2010. Since then, the NPT collections have been further refined and expanded by 160 percent. The active wear collections are geared at anyone from a high-performance sports enthusiast to a consumer looking for fashionable, sustainably produced lifestyle clothing. Gramicci NPT separates range from $28 to $60 MSRP.

Unlike other popular choices in performance wear, the raw materials for Gramicci NPT garments are grown without pesticides or insecticides that poison the earth, water sources and the humans that harvest it. There is little to no shrinkage and no twisting or torqueing of side seams. All of the NPT series are dyed with Gramicci 's low-impact Bastion dye process creating Gramicci's signature "perfectly imperfect" look, and now, complete with performance that is all natural.

"How great is it that we are able to make an all natural product that exceeds all expectations for comfort and performance, and at the same time do no harm to our planet in the process. This is the future of performance wear." said Weening.

Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) market research confirms Weening's thoughts, showing some $290 billion spent annually for goods and services focused on health, the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainable living in the U.S.