Taking the sweat out of performance apparel

Performance apparel is one of the most competitive sectors in the clothing industry and innovation is the only way to keep perspiration at bay, as Belinda Smart reports.

Few Australians could forget the pulse of excitement captured by the image of Aussie athlete Cathy Freeman surging to a 400 metres gold victory at the 2000 Sydney OlymThe image was memorable not just for Freeman's breath taking win, but because of the groundbreaking Nike Swift Suit that aided her triumph.
Covering Freeman from head to toe in a skintight sheath, the futuristic garment seemed almost to be a part of the athlete. With its highly aerodynamic appearance, it also held the promise of shaving seconds off her running time.
As history relates, it did so, gloriously.
In many ways the Nike Swift Suit is the perfect metaphor for the performance apparel sector, a sector that is fast moving, highly specialised and must constantly adapt and improve in order to beat fresh challenges.
As a global company, Nike prides itself on being at the cutting edge of innovation.
Nike Australia apparel director Grant Barth claims, "I can confidently say that we do more testing on what can be substantiated claimed than anyone else".
The company's US research and development (R&D) team retains an enviable position at the forefront of research, marshalling all areas of science - even the minute workings of nature, "bio-dynamics" - in the pursuit of innovation.
In short, when it comes to innovation, "Nike certainly leaves no stone unturned," Barth says.
Despite its intimidating status as a global company with a centralized research capability, Nike does tailor its ranges to local markets. In Australia UV resistant garments to protect end-users against the ravages of the antipodean sun are in high demand.
In recent years, consumers are increasingly typified by demand for moisture management and cooling apparel across a range of sports categories, says Barth.
Nike's recently released Sphere React range is the latest in a trio of "sweat reduction" or moisture management technologies released in recent years - including the Nike Dri-FIT and Nike Sphere lines. Sphere React is revolutionary because it "creates a personal atmosphere around the athlete."
"You can actually see the mesh in the fabric opening up as the athlete gets warmer," he says, adding that the Sphere React line is divided into Dry, Cool and Pro [Protection] sub-categories.
Nike Sphere React Dry fabric activates in reaction to moisture, transforming from a flat fabric to a three-dimensional structure that prevents body cling and reduces stickiness by 50 per cent. Airflow across the skin increases to aid evaporative cooling and when the sweat has evaporated post exercise., the lightweight microfibre fabric returns to a flat shape against the body.
US company New Balance is also tapping into increased demand for moisture management garments, says Stephen Roach, national Marketing Manager for New Balance Australia, who claims products will be increasingly characterized by "lightness, breathability, good fit and great designs."
"New Balance apparel products that use the latest technological advances in performance fabrics include Lightning Dry, which is used in running singlets and tee-shirts and Storm Dry, which is used in running tops," he says.
R&D is a central part of the company's business, he adds.
"New Balance will not pay high profile athletes to tell people how good our products are. Instead we invest in R&D to provide great performing products to athletes at any level." To this end, New Balance Australia works with a development squad of athletes who send feedback to head office in the US regarding the their specific apparel technology needs.
While global players like Nike and New Balance lead the charge in R & D for finished apparel, global fabric companies like INVISTA have also noted growing demand for moisture management fabrics, claims Steve Hughes, marketing Manager for INVISTA Australia.
"INVISTA's Coolmax brand is synonymous with moisture management, while innovations have also led to fabrics such as Coolmax FreshFX which have the additional benefit of their clothes smelling clean and fresh for longer," he says.
Australian performance fabric specialists like Sydney warp knitting mill Stretchtex - which specialises in fabrics for sports applications - are also keeping up to date with global innovations.
This is a pre-requisite for staying in business amidst the growing might offshore manufacturers, says sales manager Raymond Fuchs.
"We're always going to be under threat so it's important to constantly develop new fibres and combinations of fibres. The research and development [at Stretchtex] is constant."
Most performance fabrics worth the name now have a moisture management component, he claims.
In the last six months Stretchtex has started working with moisture management fibre Sorbtek, from US polyester and nylon specialist Unifi. Stretchtex has blended Sorbtek -- which draws moisture away from the skin by wicking it through capillary action -- with Lycra to give it more stretch, targeting a range of apparel products including training tights for footballers.
One of the key developments in the moisture management category is in the integration of moisture management capabilities into the fibre itself, Fuchs claims.
"Previously the market was dominated by fabrics that were chemically treated; this is not as permanent as current [fibre integrated] innovations which do not deteriorate with washing."
Another growth area is in compression garments for track and field, rugby league rugby union AFL and swimming. Stretchtex entered the compression garments market three and a half years ago and is currently working with different fibre formulations to innovate the basic fabric.
"Compression garments keep muscles from strain, so the athlete can train harder and recover faster. They hold everything in place, pumping lactic acid away from the muscles, increasing blood flow and cutting down fatigue."
Tim Hennessy, owner and managing director of Queensland Lycra based fabric specialist Eclipse Textiles claims Australia is witnessing a growing "appetite for new fabric innovations and high performance fabrics".
To meet this demand, the company recently launched Vuelta, a performance fabric specifically for the cycling and high performance sportswear market.
"Vuelta is described as a bi-elastic techno fabric with Lycra. It has a soft, comfortable brushed hand feel and offers excellent benefits in terms of breathability, high resistance to pilling and abrasion as well as an exclusive anti-bacterial treatment."
A growing sub-category of the performance apparel and fabrics sector is sublimation printing; the printing of full-colour, fine-detail graphic designs, which are then printed on to transfer papers using specialized sublimation inks. The paper is then placed on to a product that has been prepared with a receptive sublimated surface and the image is transferred using high-temperature heat presses.
Eclipse will shortly start stocking a Polyester/Lycra fabric called Dolmiti, which Hennessy describes as "perfect for sublimation printing."
Other local Australian businesses are beginning to see the value in offering unbranded product and sublimation printing services.
In early October Melbourne wholesaler Design Evolution won the distribution license for sublimation printing-oriented apparel brand Vapor Apparel from US performance apparel company Source Substrates, which specializes in products specifically engineered for sublimation and screen-printing applications.
Design Evolution co-founder Paul Norgate sees unrivalled opportunities in bringing Vapor Apparel to Australia because of the rapid growth of the country's performance apparel industry.
"Performance Apparel is an extremely fast growing area. Vapor offers a superior product that is engineered for the digital decorator. Our customers will be very pleased that we have made this product investment," he says.
In addition Vapor Apparel - which specializes in performance singlets and tee shirts that wick moisture away from the body -- represents a departure from chemical coated fabrics because the wicking is built in to the garment itself.
The sublimation printing process also prevents cracking and peeling of the printed image.
In addition it taps into the growing market for customized and personalized apparel, because sublimation printing carries no set up costs, so small runs do not carry exorbitant fees.
Norgate sees Australia as a relatively young market that still offers untapped potential for the canny business.
"I would say the Australian performance apparel market lags the US market by about five years. It's about getting Australian customers educated. Many of them still believe cotton is best for performance fabrics", he says.
While the Nikes of this world will always dominate the global market, companies like Evolution Design and Vapor Apparel that can provide short run, customized, niche product at low prices may well have a strong future in Australia.
This is partly because of the ever-present threat from huge offshore volume manufacturers but also because Australian consumers are an increasingly demanding bunch perhaps more attuned to an "individualized" product than ever before.
INVISTA's Steve Hughes describes the performance apparel sector as one of the most competitive areas of the Australian market.
"The Australian Market is very much like the European and US markets, with very sophisticated but also demanding consumer expectations in regard to performance fabrics and apparel," he says.
"Not so long ago a pair of sports socks only had to be white; now they have to not only be white but stay white along with keeping you cool, dry, fresh and energized."
In Hughes' view this sophistication means one thing and one thing only; "innovation is key to staying ahead of the pack."
The mantra is one that any top class athlete would understand; and in the race to gain competitive edge, it is also familiar to most participants in the performance apparel and fabrics market.

Nike Sphere React Dry fabric activates in reaction to moisture, preventing body cling and reducing stickiness by around 50 per cent.

New Balance uses feedback from its development squad athletes -- including runners Hayley McGregor and Shane
Nankervis -- as part of its product development activities