Specialty Fabrics Review September 2019 - 52

FOCUS

ADVANCED TEXTILES

The Kjus HYDRO_BOT ski
jacket is designed for enhanced
performance in extreme
conditions. It features an
individually controlled electronic
moisture management system.
Photo: Kjus HYDRO_BOT.

Bringing innovative
textiles to market
Partnerships along the supply chain support
new products and applications.
BY MARIE O'MAHONY

ritish entrepreneur Richard Branson once said, "There are no quick wins in business; it
takes years to become an overnight success." This is certainly true for the development
of innovative new textiles. Business owners who succeed in their efforts know that
establishing long-term collaborations among partners all along the supply chain and the
value network are critical to achieving their goals.
The first step on the way to success in innovation is recognizing that something has to be
done differently, and it may not be obvious. But there are plenty of useful examples from
research, manufacturing and retail that illustrate how the need for change is being recognized,
and how new partnerships and practices can accomplish such change.

Cool control
A detail from the Kjus HYDRO_BOT
ski jacket, which uses an electronic
membrane to pump moisture away
from the body to the outside of the
jacket where it can more easily
evaporate. It promises to be ten times
more efficient at removing moisture
than conventional membranes.
The innovation was the end result
of a successful partnership among
several, mostly Swiss, industry
participants. Photo: Kjus HYDRO_BOT.
52 REVIEW SEPTEMBER 2019

MAKING INNOVATION WORK
The 7Sphere HYDRO_BOT smart sweat technology ski jacket uses an electronic membrane
to pump moisture away from the body to the outside of the jacket where it can more easily
evaporate. It promises to be ten times more efficient at removing moisture than more
conventional membranes, protecting the wearer from post-activity chill.
The innovation was a Gold Winner at the 2019 international sporting goods trade fair ISPO. It
was the end result of a successful partnership among several, mostly Swiss, industry participants
that included Osmotex AG, technology innovator; Schoeller Textil AG, textile manufacturer;
KJUS, Norwegian sportswear brand; Czech company Applycon, wearable electronics; the Swiss
Center of Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM), engineering R&D; and Swiss Federal
Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), electro-chemistry, R&D and testing.
A glance through this list highlights the very different fields involved. Each has its own
set and ranking of priorities so that for the textile manufacturer and brand designer, a soft
handle may be high on the list, but less so, or not at all, for the electrical engineer, and so forth.
Applycon focuses on bringing together interdisciplinary knowledge for wearable technology
and intelligent textiles, but it is dealing with rapidly advancing technologies and doubling
the challenge by looking to integrate them.
Collaboration is key, as Milan Baxa, Applycon managing director, explains: "We aspire
to be a significant force in the field of wearable electronics and its integration into mass

Specialty Fabrics Review September 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Specialty Fabrics Review September 2019