The last edition of Munich Fabric Start offered a vast selection of product novelties. The SPIN OFF has selected some most innovative ideas seen on the show floor.
Stretching news
Stretch denim continues evolving and increasing its performances in terms of comfort and coolness. Among some of most interesting innovations, Isko presented a newly updated selection of Isko Reform fabrics, a series of stretch denims offering from 20% elasticity, for regular daily activities, up to 100% (Reform 100) elasticity levels, through a special denim supporting the wearer when playing heavy physical activity though keeping his or her style impeccable and cool. Despite the high performance and body support guaranteed by these fabrics, they look as rigid denims also perfect for trendy pieces like bell-bottoms, pleated pants or comfy items that don’t show how functional and body supportive they can be.
As these denims can be worn for longer, they adapt to one’s changing shape and size, an important aspect in these days as, according to a study carried ahead by Orta and The Lycra Company if an average garment stays in use three times longer than today, its carbon footwear is reduced by 65% and its water use by 66%. Another UK study underlines that only 19% of clothing is disposed of because it is damaged, stained or worn out.
Orta has also presented Torq, a special stretch denim that is made with 100% cotton. The special flexibility of the fabric is due to a new special yarn production technique.
No cotton, please
Isko’s R-TWO 50+ fabrics are GRS certified and guarantee to be made with at least 50% recycled materials. A new fabric group is Zero Virgin Cotton and made by using only recycled materials or regenerated fibers.
No indigo denim? Yes!
Crescent Bahümán has recently engineered Blue Infinity, a new technology that creates a vast offer of blue shades without using indigo, therefore lowering its impact. The Blue Infinity concept is based on a proprietary dyeing technology that reduces environmental stress, both on required resources and generated outputs. The gains are across environmental impact categories such as water, energy and chemicals.
Use less live longer
Elleti Group, the Italian company specialised in denim treatments and garment, presented a special collection produced in collaboration with Wiser Wash as its exclusive partner for Europe and the Mediterranean area except Portugal.
The capsule was treated using Wiser Wash, the patented and award-winning ozone bleaching process that uses only 200 ml of water for the decolorization, while creating outstanding denim looks creating even brighter contrasts. This washing method eliminates the use of pumice stone and toxic chemicals, while drastically reducing water consumption throughout the process. In addition, the efficiency of the process lowers chemical and mechanical stress on fabric fibers as compared to traditional treatments, guaranteeing greater garment robustness and longevity.
Let the sunshine shin in
Sunkolor is a new technology that makes invisible UV radiation visible through a reversible color change in textiles. By wearing, for instance, accessories made with such fibers adults or children who spend much time in outdoor activities can learn adaptation strategies in order to fully enjoy the sun. During the show Sunkolor presented some hats produced in collaboration with Panorama Fabrics, a design studio from Berlin.
NDL has developed N-Tech, a new workwear division in cooperation with DSM, the company behind the highly durable and tear resistant fiber Dyneema. The new division is specialised in developing fabrics aimed at three different market segments - workwear, motor denim and fire retardant protective denims. Within this development all fabrics offered by the new N-Tech division will also be sustainable from 2023 on as Dyneema will only offer a bio-based alternative of its fiber made with feedstock and other substances obtained from wood only.
Why Orta loves France
Orta is betting strong on its Gen H line of fabrics, a collection of denims made with hemp, and has launched a series of new fabrics made with hemp grown according to regenerative agriculture. The hemp Orta used is cultivated by the third generation of a French family of the hemp grower company La Chanvriere, from Troyes, near Paris.
Mix yeast, bacteria and sweetened green tea, and you will get a biodegradable, resistant and highly flexible material originating from a fermentation process. This is how they obtain Biotic, a new project developed by Lionne van Deursen studio from Uden in the Netherlands dedicated to material research and product design, launched in 2019.
Microbes spin nanofibers of bacterial cellulose onto a surface. Once this layer dries, it becomes a solid material with properties very similar to leather. The thickness of the fabric can be easily adjusted during the growth process. Depending on the duration of the growth, it either becomes more unstable and thinner or firmer and thicker. Depending on the thickness, different nuances and different translucencies are created in the material.
About 40% of flowers are never sold. So florists have to dispose of them themselves. Irene Purasachit, a designer of Thai origins living in Finland, recycles these flowers into fabric and paper, from which she makes sustainable bags, purses or flower paper. This not only creates new, biodegradable and plastic-free products – it also saves tons of waste.
For her Flower Matter project, she creates, among others, also "Flower Paper", a paper made of 100% flower stems and leaves. With her "Flaux" material (whose name stands for Flower and Flexible Sheet) she creates an all-natural, leather-like fabric that she uses for purses and bags for her collection.
The Healing Imprint explores the therapeutic potential of knitted garments. According to Laura Deschl, the creative mind behind this project, special bodysuits, gloves, socks and pillowcases are made to stimulate acupressure points on different parts of the body such as the hands, feet and head when moved. The custom-made textiles designed by Deschl have grids through which small massage balls can be moved, and acupressure points can be targeted on specific parts of the body.
Laura Deschl is not only the designer of these special textiles, but also has a background as a yoga teacher. According to Deschl, trauma can also be worked through with this method. The Healing Imprint shows how the fields of science, economics, medicine, psychology and textile production can be harmonised in an interdisciplinary way.
The Healing Imprint explores the therapeutic potential of knitted garments. According to Laura Deschl, yoga teacher and creative mind behind this project, special bodysuits, gloves, socks and pillowcases are made to stimulate acupressure points on different parts of the body such as the hands, feet and head when moved. The custom-made textiles designed by Deschl have grids through which small massage balls can be moved, and acupressure points can be targeted on specific parts of the body.
Sourcing for good
Sourcetexile is a Portuguese specialised jersey apparel manufacturer using 100% made in Portugal fabrics. The company has also started offering pieces made with 100% natural fibers, along with 100% recycled cotton or recycled PET.
The manufacturer also operates through a network that collects and reuses most of the remains it produces from the cutting process and from some defective garments. It also collects products it previously manufactured and that were returned by the customers to the stores.
The Lycra Company introduced the Lycra Dual Comfort for Denim, a sustainable innovation technology that combines comfortable stretch and cooling comfort with long-lasting shape retention. It was initially launched for wovens and RTW in February and is now also available for denim, too.
This functional performance benefits come from new Lycra T400 A EcoMade fiber, the fabric’s sole stretch fiber. This fiber is made from recycled and renewable content and helps reduce the environmental impact of clothes compared to virgin fibers.
Fabrics made with Lycra Dual Comfort technology are more resilient than comparable fabrics made from 100% cotton, which helps apparel last longer. For brands and manufacturer willing to offer more sustainable alternative fabrics The Lycra Company has developed Lycra EcoMade fiber that contains 20% recycled content, along with Coolmax and Thermolite EcoMade technologies made from 100% textile waste.
Cool cotton news
Athos Pallas is a Greek association of apparel manufacturers that produce apparel for various brands worldwide and, in particular, women’s, men’s and children’s apparel in jersey and woven fabrics.
The company has recently started a new project based upon the use of premium cotton from Greece, the main cotton producer in Europe and the major seventh in the world.
Vicunha, the Brazilian denim manufacturer, has been strongly focused on using cotton grown according to regenerative agricultre practises before many spoke about it. It offers denim made with 100% BCI cotton grown in Brazil with 93% rain water in fields that alternative host soy and cotton cultivation for six months a year each.
Bluesign, the Swiss methodology analysis specialist, has celebrated its 20th anniversary through a special project in collaboration with Officina39, the Biella-based chemical specialist, and denim specialist Prosperity.
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