The Daily - June 10,2022 - 57

Bread+Butter
T R E N D S
ing industry waste: 40% recycled
garments, 60% factory scraps.
Five Ten's recycled
poly 5.10 Flannel
Wind Jacket.
Tech Apparel
Goes Green
The pandemic hasn't slowed down
advancements in tech apparel-but it
has brought the need for sustainability
to the forefront. By Eugene Buchanan
MANUFACTURERS CONTINUE TO
showcase improvements in everything
from fit and materials to
weight and performance. At the
forefront of these advancements
is an increased focus on sustainability,
which includes taking
steps such as using recycled materials
to repurposing pollution.
Read on for trends you'll find in
the show aisles this week.
Letting Fibers Do Their Work
With sustainability at the forefront,
companies are forsaking
planet-harming coatings for
natural fibers that do the job even
better. NexTex Innovations, which
recently partnered with Optimer
Brands, innovator of Drirelease,
launches its TurboDry collection
utilizing Drirelease wool. " A key
principle is letting the yarn's inherent
performance shine, leveraging
its wicking and fast-drying
properties, " says Optimer's Lee
Thompson. " It allows fibers to do
what they do best, naturally-a
shared philosophy of 'built-in, not
dipped-in.' " He adds that natural
content and feel continue to be
areas of focus. " Consumers and
makers of apparel are trending
toward softer and more naturalfeeling
fabrics, " he says. " Utilizing
natural fibers like cotton, wool,
and hemp for their wicking power
and natural aesthetic, Drirelease
answers this call. "
Recycling to Keep
the Planet Green
" Industry-wide, we're seeing
brands rolling out more sustainable
materials and going deeper
into their lines with them, " says
Maro LaBlance of France's Picture,
which is using the Show to
introduce its new Circular techwear
polyester-made from exist " The
idea is to move away from
developing raw goods altogether
to come closer to achieving a circular
economy. " The material can
be found in its new Abstral 2.5
jacket, which offers the same level
of technical performance and
certifications as its bio-sourced
polyester, but it emits only half
the CO2. For this year, exhibitor
Fjällräven updates its Nuuk Parka
and Singi down jackets in its
Expedition Series with sustainable
materials; its Kånken family
with Pine Weave, Fjällräven's
latest non-fossil-based fabric; and
an expanded line of quick-drying
garments made of G-1000 Air
Stretch, including the men's and
women's Abisko Hike Anorak and
Abisko Hike Trousers. " We focus
on creating durable, timeless
outdoor equipment that lasts for
generations, avoiding short-term
trends and fashions, " says the
company's Fallon Emmett.
In support of Adidas' commitment
to ending plastic waste,
Five Ten is introducing four
pieces of apparel featuring recycled
polyester: the 5.10 Flannel
Wind Jacket, Flooce Midlayer,
and Longsleeve Jersey. In line
with the company's goal of exclusively
using nonvirgin polyester
in footwear and apparel by
2024, the Terrex Flooce utilizes
a looped construction that sheds
fewer microfibers than traditional
fleece fabrics. " We're seeing a
lot of interesting trends heading
into 2023 and beyond, " says
Michael Kadous, head of North
America for Adidas and Five Ten.
" Sustainability continues to be a
priority, so you'll continue to see
recycled and repurposed materials
rooted in performance. "
Turning Ocean Pollution
into Apparel
In their focus on sustainability,
manufacturers are also looking
seaward. Reducing dependence on
petroleum, Helly Hansen debuts
its Ocean Bound recycled material,
which is made by repurposing
abandoned and discarded fishing
gear like buoys and other plastic
waste that would otherwise be a
source of marine litter. Sourced
within 50 kilometers of coastlines,
the collected material is broken
down into pellets that become
molten polymers, which are then
extruded and spun into recycled
synthetic yarns that get woven
into the final fabric. The material
is being integrated across all categories.
Highlight pieces include
its new Bluesign-certified Odin
9 Worlds 3.0 Jacket for men and
women, made with Helly Tech
Pro three-layer construction and
a PFC-free DWR treatment; Blaze
3L Shell hiking jacket and pant;
Lifa Active Solen sun protective
hoodie; and Newport Coastal
sailing jacket and bib.
Battery Heat Firing
Why let fibers do all the work? If
batteries are powering everything
else these days, why not incorporate
them into apparel? G-Tech Apparel
touts its alternative heating
solution in its new 3.0 Product Line,
including the G-Tech Heated Hoodie,
upgraded this season with pouch
heat-capture material-featuring a
soft fleece lining and its patented
G-Tech Heat hand-warming technology
via a 7.4v, rechargeable
lithium battery. Made from a 92%
polyester/8% Spandex blend, the
jacket comes with waterproof zippers
and an upgraded battery and
charger, and is designed to provide
12-plus hours of consistent heat.
OUTDOOR RETAILER SUMMER 2022 /
57
LAUREN DANILEK
The Daily - June 10,2022

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