On The Scene

Bobbin, May, 2000 by Jordon K. Speer

performance fabrics & fashion-forward looks Reign at The Super Show

Innovations in high-performance and safety fabrics and an explosion of new e-commerce businesses generate excitement at the immense sports show.

From paintball and Power Bars to online personal trainers and fashion shows, the 2000 Super Show offered up enough excitement to stimulate even the most casual sports enthusiast -- and pay homage to the powerful sway of sports in our personal lives as well as our national psyche.

The latest innovations in apparel and sewn products for the sporting goods market were abundant at the huge event, which featured everything from high-performance activewear for the serious athlete to licensed team apparel for the avid spectator.

Following is a sampling of some of what the exhibitors had to offer.

High-tech drives market for the serious athlete

High-performance fibers and fabrics continue to drive the market in athletic wear. With its motto of "run happy," Brooks showed a full line of men's and women's running apparel for fall 2000. "Our goal is function first," said Julie Whiteaker, vice president of design, who observed that fashion is critical but innovations in textiles and fabrication also are a priority.

Whiteaker said she is a strong believer in DuPont's CoolMax(r) as well as the higher-end CoolMax [Alta.sup.TM], which features low pilling and a "silkier, more micro-feeling" hand. Both fabrics are going into everything from running shorts and tanks to Brooks' new "Power Bras," made with Lycra(r) Power fabrics. "The Power fabrics combine optimum support with optimum breathability," remarked Whiteaker, noting that these bras have a higher percentage of Lycra(r) Power than would generally be found in a sports bra. The "Rhapsody Power Bra" contains 68 percent CoolMax and 36 percent Lycra and is also reversible, which is a huge trend in sportswear, she added.

In other innovative fabrics, [Epic.sup.TM] is going into Brooks' items such as jackets, vests and pants. The fabric, manufactured by Nextec, uses new technology to combine breathability with water and wind resistance. Instead of coating the front or back of a fabric, said Whiteaker, Epic encapsulates each individual fiber with an ultra thin polymer, essentially coating the "inside" of the fabric. Using this technology, the fibers themselves can protect against the elements while the fabric can be woven to allow breathability, she explained.

High-tech fabrics are also making headway in the world of baseball, with Wilson Sporting Goods Co.'s new UltraFlex fabric. Kevin McTernan, vice president/business director of the team sports apparel division, told Bobbin: "Traditionally, warp-knit has been what most teams have used for baseball uniforms. It tends to be very durable, but very stiff, with kind of a rough feel to it," whereas the trend now is toward moisture-management fabrics and fabrics that "have more play, more give."

UltraFlex offers stretch, softness and durability, said McTernan, who added that all of Wilson Sporting Goods' major league ball club customers will be wearing the 100 percent polyester UltraFlex in the coming year. "A lot of complaints [from baseball players] in the past were about the unforgiving [nature] of the old fabric. UltraFlex gives you a great feel and a great stretch, and because it stretches and gives so much, it allows it to feel like a custom fit, even when it's not a hand-tailored item."

As for softball, what works is style, says McTernan. "Female athletes want something that looks like it's been made for them. They don't want a basic baseball uniform that's been cut for them. We design uniforms specifically for our female athletes in the same material as a traditional baseball uniform, but we make that same silhouette in a more fashion-forward look, adding more luster to the fabric."

Another trend in softball apparel is cap sleeves, he noted. Female athletes, especially pitchers, perform a lot of underhand arm movement, explained McTernan. "A sleeve really gets in the way of the windmill movement, with a cap sleeve there's a lot more freedom to move," he concluded.

In fact, many exhibitors remarked that women's softball is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. Alfred R. Pierce Jr., president of Best Equipment(R), noted a major trend in women's softball toward fast-pitch, and along with that a trend toward lighter, more technical equipment. Shin guards are thinner with lighter padding and backings made of Lycra, which is "more comfortable against the back of the leg than the traditional heavy knits," he said.

Even softball mitts are evolving to appeal to female athletes. Mike Cornell, territory manager of North Carolina and South Carolina at Worth, explained that women prefer the company's "Tumble Milled" series of mitts, which have a "play-the-game" feel and a worn-in look, while men prefer the more traditional firm leather that has to be worn out during play. The "Tumble Milled" gloves incorporate finger linings made from CoolMax to wick moisture away from the hand, added Cornell.