Fall - InsideOutdoor Magazine

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A Healthy Dose of Textile TechnologY Fabrics and constructions offering ‘health and wellness’ benefits represent a new opportunity for outdoor by Martin Vilaboy It’s not very often that a truly “new” category appears within a mature market or industry, but an emerging, albeit loosely tied, group of “medically beneficial” fabrications may just be one of those rare cases. And while there could be all sorts of outdoor performance applications at play, this “category within a category” behaves and is merchandised in ways that outdoor retailers haven’t before seen among apparel products. True, garments that protect us from the elements, prevent chaffing, regulate body heat, even fight off bugs and shield us from the suns rays all offer “health” benefits and certainly are all familiar territory. What we’re starting to see now, however, goes one step further, more toward wellness and even the therapeutic, often combined with performance enhancement, as well. Indeed, fabrics and constructions have come to market with the power to release moisturizers when signaled by body heat or friction, that support or warm joints on command and monitor physiological functions. There’s even one fabric technology that is flexible under normal situations but seizes up on impact to absorb shock like a solid pad. Mind you, these aren’t 10-year out, seen in medical and the military market examples; we’re talking technologies that are on store shelves right now. Macy’s, for example, this summer introduced a line of women’s undergarments embedded with microcapsules that “continuously moisturize and smooth the skin while helping to reduce the appearance of cellulite.” The new line of Skineez Skincarewear comes with a bottle of Skintex skincare spray to replenish the fabric after every six to 10 trips through the wash. “Women will be able to give their body a slimmer, more contoured look, while helping to smooth the appearance of cellulite and moisturize their skin, all at the same time and with one garment,” the company says. Sales of these so-called “shapewear” garments grew more than 36 percent between April 2006 and 2008, says NPD Group, with dollar value for the most recent 12-month period reaching $718 million, says the market research company. A bit closer to home, this fall Optimer announced that its Dri-release technology has been combined with Celliant in socks aimed at the athletic market. Celliant is a material that when added to textile products and worn or placed next to the skin reportedly will enhance oxygen levels in the body from 8 percent to 25 percent, according to Ao2, the exclusive global distributor of Celliant, and Hologenix, which holds the patent to Celliant. The technology is marketed as a way to help regulate body temperature, boost energy, accelerate muscle recovery after exertion and aid in wound healing, say the companies. Critics argue that any material in contact with the skin will lift blood flow and oxygen levels at the skin surface, but Ao2 and Hologenix say Celliant works by modifying light, altering its energy and transmitting it to the body through textiles in contact with the skin. 30 | <strong>InsideOutdoor</strong> | <strong>Fall</strong> 2008
We¹re Green even in a whiteout SUSTAIN - A Collection of Environmentally Friendly Textiles from ASF Group Petroleum is the base of most outerwear fabrics. It is becoming increasingly scarce in the world and its products leave a heavy impact on the environment. By building eco-friendly fabrics, our SUSTAIN Collection takes another step forward towards a cleaner planet. The ASF Group produces technically advanced fabrics that use Recycled Polyester and other Eco-friendly Fibers for performance outerwear. For more info on how we create green fabrics, please contact us. SUSTAIN - Environmentally Friendly Fabric Collection 310-831-2334 We are the fabric builders—from fiber, to fabric, to factory, to finished. www.asfgroup.com
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Page 5 and 6: Yaktrax Ice Traction keeps you safe
Page 7 and 8: Photographs by Dan Milner Every day
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Page 26 and 27: C.A.M.P. Cosmic Helmet We all have
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