The Technical Center

The
Textile Resource for Specialty Fabrics and Product Innovation
   November 5, 2024  Facebook Twitter
APPAREL TRENDS

Textile Mills Exhibit Performance Fabrics

by Kathlyn Swantko

Over the past four decades, significant solutions in technical sports textiles has originated in the outdoor industry.  Much of the innovative research & development was conducted at the mill level, either independently or in partnership with manufacturers.  Highlighted below are several companies that showcased their latest fabric advancements at Outdoor Retailer Summer ’22 held in Denver.

 

Concept III
Serving the outdoor, active sports, sportswear, outerwear
and uniform markets, Concept III develops, sources,
and produces knit & woven textiles, and textile-based
finished products worldwide.

Concept III Textiles, a textile development and apparel production service company, is an inclusive resource for developing, sourcing, and producing both knit and woven textiles and textile-based finished products worldwide. The company offers textile and fiber development and maintains close mill and factory relationships.

Concept III serves brands in the outdoor, active sports, sportswear, outerwear and uniform markets.  The company used OR Summer 2022 to promote its top-tier mill partners’ and tech innovators’ design and production capabilities, as well as environmental standards.  Concept III’s current list of partner companies include:  ABMT Textiles, a market leader for sustainable, innovative, high-quality performance Merino knits; HeiQ, a leader in textile innovation and creator of durable, high-performance textile effects; DRY-TEX, specializing in a broad range of technical laminates, soft shell constructions, 4-way stretches, waterproof-breathables, innovatively engineered lightweight laminated and coated materials, and sustainable textile products; Monterey Mills, a manufacturer of high pile/sliver knit sherpas, berbers, velours, and faux furs, along with natural fiber and synthetic blends for performance apparel; Kingwhale, an eco-friendly producer of technical knits and fleeces for all apparel applications, controlling production from fiber spinning, to textile manufacturing, to garment construction; NICEGAIN, a leading producer of sliver knit pile fabrics for apparel; and Daejin, a leading producer of ultra-soft micro-fiber knitted plush fabrics.

 

Eclat Trim Library width=
Eclat Textiles’ Fabric & Trim Library features examples
of Eclat’s elastic knit fabrics, innovative services, and
high-quality non-sew welding production technologies
for fashion apparel, athleisure, and seamless markets.

Eclat Textile Co, Ltd, based in Taipei, Taiwan, this vertical producer promoted its All-in-One service to green innovation, and its role as a supplier of circular knit fabrics for high performance activewear, intimate apparel, swimwear, and casual sportswear markets.  The company produces all types of knitted fabrics, including single knit jersey, interlock, rib knit, jacquard, terry knit, fleece, etc.

Committed to yarn development, fabric design, and garment design,
Eclat introduced its cradle-to-cradle design approach for many of its environmentally-friendly products, along with its environmental lifecycle identification dimension within its environmental management system.  (Eclat only uses chemicals that meet the standards of the bluesign® system.)  Eclat’s promotion of green manufacturing processes is committed to protecting and cherishing the earth’s resources and the environment.

At OR Summer ’22, Eclat showcased the company's branded textile performance fabric BodyCare® products that utilize its air-management system for controlling the body’s micro-climate and enhancing athletic performance.  These fabrics include:  1) Anti-Bacterial - Eclat’s BodyCare® Anti-Bacterial Fabric collection and freshness-enhancing technologies to control the growth of odor-causing bacteria; 2) Odor Resistant Yarns that use new yarns and treatments to neutralize body odor; and 3) Cool Sensation Composite mineral powder that slows endothermic rate and accelerates thermal diffusion to give a cool feel, while also saving electricity and reducing CO2 emissions.  Eclat featured its air-textured nylon yarn and fabric for designing versatile, comfortable, and fashionable sporty and stylish workout wear in a variety of settings.

Sea Wool
As a circular fabric manufacturer, based in Taiwan,
Fortune Textiles is a global supplier of functional
circular knit fabrics. Its new J22011 Seawool fabric
collection is a blend of 63% poly/26% Seawool/11% spandex.

Fortune Textiles, a privately-owned vertically integrated knitting, dyeing, and printing facility, is a fabric supplier of innovative functional fabrics in Taiwan. The company guarantees its customers that all its products are all made from recycle raw material from the beginning of production through the finishing process.

At OR Summer ’22, Fortune Textiles presented its SeaWool fabric, made from upcycled oyster shells, which are sustainably collected from oyster farms in Taiwan.  The oyster shells are sourced from the food industry, ground into powder and mixed with recycled PET plastic bottles.  Fortune Textiles utilizes HandsGlobe’s oyster-based yarn for its new J22011 Seawool fabric collection, a blend of 63% poly/26% Seawool/11% spandex.
Seawool naturally stops odor-causing bacteria from growing on the fabric.  This keeps the fabric and garment smelling fresher for longer periods of time.  Fabrics made from oyster shells can also prevent static during the winter time.  Seawool’s soft touch provides natural insulation to help keep the body warm in cold temperatures.


Gehring Logo
With a variety of specialized warp knitting, circular knitting, and
weaving capabilities, Gehring Textiles’ highly diverse manufacturing
allows for many types of fabrics to be sourced under one roof.

Gehring Tricot Corporation, a USA based vertical textile manufacturer, is a third-generation family-owned vertically integrated textile manufacturer, specializing in warp knits, circular knits, stretch wovens, and dyeing/finishing out to 180 inches. The company’s unique build-to-order sales system, creates custom fabrics based upon individual client specifications and needs.

The Tweave, LLC division is a domestic manufacturer of stretch woven fabrics, sold under the brands Durastretch®, Duratech®, and Durasense®. Contract knitting, dyeing and finishing services are offered, with factories based in NY and MA. Gehring-Tricot also offers a wide variety of testing services on their fabrics, based on ASTM, AATTCC, and NFPA standards.

GT used OR Summer ’22 to highlight its diverse manufacturing, and its ability to source a range of fabrics under one roof.  Its mills specialize in a diversity of machines, making available the processing of over 400 different yarns in the same factory.  With an emphasis on R&D, GT produces fabrics for a broad range of markets including medical, orthopedic, industrial, team sports, activewear, shapewear, personal safety, military/tactical, aerospace, intimate apparel, automotive, home furnishings, and engineered composite products.

 

WidePlus miniR

WidePlus International Co., Ltd., based in Taiwan, is an international vertical fabric manufacturer, specializing in synthetic woven performance fabrics.  The company’s mission is to provide a global fabric sourcing platform and build up a trust relationship between brands and global customers.  WidePlus has its own vertical manufacturing facility, and offers warping to weaving to dyeing processes, along with its own In-House Lab to provide a wide range of internal quality control tests, ensuring customer product/material obligations and its “Create Lasting Value” slogan.

At OR Summer ’22, WidePlus featured its “Work Together with Nature” yarns, including recycled polyester and nylon yarns; Biodegradable polyester and nylon 66 yarns; and Bio-Based yarns----all of which tells a sustainable story.  In addition, the company featured its WM3.Pro fabric, a lighter/higher air-permeable 3-layer microporous membrane fabric for improved waterproof and breathability; WH3.Pro hydrophilic PU fabric for lighter higher breathability; and its miniR® fabric to keep the wearer comfortable in heated conditions.  The WidePlus miniR® fabric is one of WidePlus main performance products, made using exclusive high UPF yarn technology that reflects the sun’s rays, so the body feels cooler, giving longer skin protection from the sun.  The WidePlus R&D team focuses on new technologies for various markets, including outdoor, workwear, uniform, and medical, keeping each new product as environmentally-friendly as possible.

 

FEATURED PRESENTATIONS
ConceptIII
Supporting Brands
Rentex Mills
Connects Form with Function
Nice Gain
Monterey Mills
Draper Knitting Company
Bringing Ideas to Life
Teflon Eco Elite

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