Knits for a NEW Age IN Life STYLE dressing

Bobbin, Sept, 1999 by Raye Rudie

The latest knit fabrics offer much more than comfort, as leading knitters spin out interesting new blends designed to go anywhere with anything.

As casual, comfortable dressing has become an acceptable way of life, no matter what the day of the week, in the office or at home, knits are assuming a greater role on the fashion scene. Case in point, the twin sweater set, which has overtaken structured suits in ladies career dressing.

Moreover, with fashion trends hitting closer and closer to the retail seasons, manufacturers are turning more frequently to knitters, who generally can offer quicker turns of new, innovative fabrics in smaller minimums than their counterparts in wovens. The fact that the feel and look of knits is, in demand is icing on the cake.

Knits are a lifestyle -- they're easy, comfort driven and with sportswear driving fashion, they're essential," says Kai Chow, president of Here & There, an information service that provides fashion and fabric directions 18 months before the season to manufacturers, retailers, mills and even the cosmetic industry.

Roseann Forde, fashion director at DuPont Fibers, couldn't agree more adding that knits are "comfortable, packable and easy to wear and ideal for people who travel on business and want to look professional."

Forde, whose responsibilities include helping mills and manufacturers plan their lines, points to the ongoing influence of the knit-oriented intimate apparel and activewear markets on the ready-to-wear market, and says the industry will see more knits made with Lycra(r) spandex, which is in demand.

From Here & There's perspective, Chow sees a whole family of cut-and-sew knits emerging in new fibers that will add a different hand and new properties to make them more modern and seasonless.

One example is Elite from Nylstar, which is already going into European knits. A non-elastomer elastic material, Elite offers a high level of stretch with excellent elastic recovery, reports Nylstar, an Italian firm that only recently has released Elite for knitwear end uses. Perhaps most important, Nylstar's sales manager Bob Johnson emphasizes that when Elite is blended with other fibers -- whether synthetic or natural -- it does not impact the appearance and feel of the fibers, or interfere with a fabric's normal finishing cycle. Indeed, the material is said to enhance the characteristics of the fibers with which it is combined.

In addition to the use of unique fibers, there seems to be a return to naturals such as cotton and cotton blends after several seasons of synthetic high-tech. Luster also is important, and often is achieved by adding polyester or nylon to the latest knits. Metallics, too, promise to remain popular into spring and beyond, with an emphasis on silver.

Following is a roundup of the latest knit fabrics offered by 11 U.s. knitters. Because the manufacturers these firms service are working so closely to the season, the knits described here are for seasons ranging from immediate fall/holiday to spring 2000.

What's New in Knits?

Ge-Ray Fabrics has introduced a new division, Today's Knits, which is offering knits geared to the moderate market for sportswear, tops and dresses in the juniors, missy and children's wear categories. The division's lines, which can be tailored to meet specific customer needs, include synthetics, natural fibers and blends of both, as well as lots of spandex. As Pamela Sarett, a stylist who is involved in the division's product development, observes: "Cotton blends are newer than nylon and polyester alone."

Circular knits are being offered in packages that include basic solids, as well as novelties, from crochet-type knits and pointelles to stripes, jacquards and textures. Metallics also are a part of the mix, and Sarett is developing fabrics with a drier hand for the line, with a focus on softness and drape.

Ge-Ray's Knit Dimensions division, on the other hand, is focusing on microdeniers, with an eye on the women's sportswear, swimwear, better and contemporary markets. The newest direction is in high-twist cottons, rayons and nylon/cotton blends that offer comfort and a little bit of sparkle, notes Debra Cobb, merchandiser.

Ge-Ray is using proprietary yarns in the new nylon/cotton combinations, and the firm is incorporating a new Tencel fiber into its "Lustar Collection." The Tencel adds a clean finish and color integrity to the collection, which includes basics, novelties, pointelles and sweatery sport knits for end uses in both men's wear and women's wear as well as intimate apparel.

New fiber blends also are important at Guilford Mills. As Dorothy Jonke, merchandise manager for ready-to-wear and sportswear, says: "Comfort and performance are key factors in knits. New fiber blends are emerging -- it's no longer [about] basic fiber."

Jonke points to a Guilford group of Tencel/Lycra blends as a new soft approach to knit dressing that is going into sportswear, such as men's golf shirts, as well as intimate apparel, where cotton traditionally has dominated. Meanwhile, Tactel nylon continues to be popular for the contemporary and juniors markets, especially in both shockingly bright and pastel pinks, she says.