From EVOLUTION to REVOLUTION

Bobbin, May, 2001 by Raye Rudie

New performance fabrics make a mark in the 21st century.

The flurry of 1990s publicity around high-tech fabrics has faded somewhat as we enter the new millennium, but rest assured that there are plenty of new innovations now hitting the market. Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of woven and nonwoven high-performance fabrics, including new systems that work with apparel to regulate temperatures and create a more comfortable body environment.

While these products still have yet to make their way into mainstream street apparel, they are expected to make the crossover. Here's a look at what the industry can expect to see coming down the road in the 21st century.

Evolon Leaps Forward

Evolon, a new fabric-forming technology from Freudenberg Nonwovens, can go from fiber to finished fabric without weaving or knitting. Manufactured in one continuous process from polymer granulates, Evolon combines three distinct processes: spun continuous filament technology, bicomponent filament technology and hydro-entangled technology. The resulting fabric has fine filaments ranging from 0.05 dtex to 2.5 dtex.

"It's considerably finer than the [microfibers] around today," says Terry O'Regan, manager, Evolon Apparel Fabrics North America. "We see it as the next revolution in the textile industry."

The fabric, which is produced without chemicals, is also drapable and durable, offering the consumer a garment with excellent moisture transport, ultraviolet protection and wind blocking characteristics, O'Regan explains. In addition, the fiber is as warm as traditional performance fabrics, but it weighs half as much because the microfibers are so fine. The material acts like skin, breathing while allowing moisture to evaporate quickly. Indeed, Evolon, which is manufactured in a plant in Colmar, France, won an award last year for textile innovation at Avantex, a new show for high-performance textiles in Frankfurt, Germany.

"Right now the performance features are excellent for outdoor wear," says O'Regan. With weights ranging from 100 grams (slightly over 3 ounces) to 220 grams (about 6.5 ounces), Evolon is aimed at activewear markets, including hiking, adventure travel, skiing and snow boarding. However, O'Regan sees the fabric branching into sportswear and street wear. For example, Evolon's light weight makes it excellent for limited packing space. It can be rolled up and when unpacked, wrinkles fall away. It also can be washed and dried quickly.

In terms of price, Evolon is competitive with traditional fabrics. According to O'Reagan, it is produced flat, and it can be dyed, printed and finished in a variety of ways, including sueding, flocking, calandering and embossing. She also cites several manufacturing advantages. Because it is non-directional, a manufacturer can optimize cutting yield. Moreover, overlocking seams and hemming garments are not necessary because the fabric doesn't fray. Seam slippage is also eliminated.

The Buzz on Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology, a new process that is coming on strong in the textile arena, actually changes the molecular structure of fabrics to add wrinkle-resistant, stain-proof and moisture-wicking properties without impacting the hand of the fabric. The technology originally was developed by David Soane Ph.D., a chemical engineer, who showed his creation to George Henderson, the CEO of Burlington Industries. Henderson then decided to invest in Soane's company, which is now called Nano-Tex, as 51 percent majority owner.

What exactly is nanotechnology? A nanometer is one billionth of a meter, and in the area of fabric, the technology creates a nano-scale chemical structure one-thousandth the size of conventional cotton fiber. These structures are permanently attached to the fabric, creating performance characteristics that are undetectable to the hand.

Right now nanotechnology has two commercial applications in apparel and home furnishings. Nano-Care[TM], used on cotton, imparts wrinkle resistance and water and oil repellency on fabric. Nano-Dry[TM], applied to synthetics, provides advanced hydrophilic performance properties such as breathability, permanent wickability and quick drying capability.

Nano-Dry currently is being used by Burlington PerformanceWear (BPW) in Synatural[TM], a group of techno-natural fabrics using DuPont's new Micromattique Natural Matte Luster polyester yarn, which has cotton-like aesthetics. "Customers that normally use cotton are now looking at the invisible performance that Synatural fabrics offer," says Lou D'Lando, BPW's executive vice president, apparel fabrics. "Savane, one of our largest customers, was among the first to adopt Synatural fabrics for a trousers program.

BPW also has a group of activewear fabrics that feature Nano-Dry. Jeff Toonkel, BPW executive vice president, activewear and barrier fabrics, explains that there are three categories of nylon and polyester fabrics in the line. For travel clothing, there are wrinkle-resistant shirtings and pant weights that are comfortable and easy to launder. For high-tech clothing, such as hiking, trekking, rock climbing, etc., there are more rugged fabrics with the same attributes. Finally, for golf, there are bottom weight fabrics combining fashion with performance in solids featuring weave effects and surface finishing.