Textile Insight

Smartwool Intraknit Crew Visible Technology While seamless knitwear is not new to the market, retail- ers and consumers don't always understand what sets a fully-fashioned flat knit or seamless garment apart from less costly cut-and-sew versions. "Why would you pay more for something that looks the same?" queries Kirwald. Designing "visible technology" via yarn-to-garment flat knit construction is the "Holy Grail," says Anne Wiper, product VP/GMM for Smartwool. The brand's recently introduced Intraknit 3D merino base layer tops feature varied performance zones for insulation, ventilation, and articulation, using contrasting yarns and gender-specific guidelines. With second-skin fit, the technology is "an elegant solution" to enhancing the body's essential heating and cooling, according to Wiper. "Think about what we do with socks: color, pattern, and cushioning. We know knit design, but the machines had to catch up," Wiper explains. The Yarn Becomes the Fabric Emphasizing the importance of close collaboration with yarn suppliers, Wiper points out, "The yarn becomes your fabric." Studio Eva x Carola concurs. "We believe in reversing the product creation process--designs are a result of fiber, material and machine selection rather than vice-versa. The result is performance wear that has been tailored to the athlete." Cifra WKS also collaborates with yarn suppliers to create knitwear for specific markets. Cifra's recent Thermo collec- tion, introduced at ISPO Munich, incorporated Thermolite and Emana yarns from European supplier Fulgar. The far-infrared and insulating properties of the yarns made it possible to knit lightweight, insulated, quick- drying active sportswear that maintains constant warmth regardless of the outside temperature. Knitting Smart Garments Knitted garments also open the door to using conductive yarns and circuits. A collaboration between Stoll America and Canada's textile computing company Myant is focused on knitting conductive yarns into garments to provide functions such as heating, cooling, and motion tracking. Using the plating and goring capabilities of Stoll's CMS ADF machines, circuits and conductive yarns can be knit precisely where needed into shaped garments such as sports bras and balaclavas. Rather than strapping on a device, incorporating conduc- tive yarns into the knit construction "allows the integration of technology into something you wear every day," Stoll's Kirwald points out. According to Studio Eva x Carola, "Smart textiles will be the future. With this (true value engineered into the materials) we hope it encourages people to start invest- ing and changing their perspective in textiles and valuing every item they purchase." Mass customization Knitwear garments are highly cus- tomizable, and there are already a number of brands offering custom- ized 3D knit garments at retail and direct-to-consumer, such as Adidas, Ministry of Supply, and London's Unmade Studio. "In the future there will be more and more possibility of mass production personalization. This means that items are produced following the needs and wishes of a client, but are automated, processed and produced in an industrial way," says Studio Eva x Carola. Smartwool has further Intraknit styles on the drawing board for 2020; Wiper sees additional potential for using knitted structures to create functionalities—spacer knit insulation, for example. "The ability to create custom garments is not far away," she believes, "but we need to look at the value calculations from a cost perspective." "It's the biggest revolution in apparel," says Wiper. l textileinsight.com March/April 2019 ~ Textile Insight • 17 w w w . s u p e r d r y e r s . c o m MOLD? MOISTURE DAMAGE? AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE No Silica gel Captures and Isolates Moisture in excess of 200-450% of its dry weight Prevention is better than cure No clay No BIOCIDES Michael H anrahan > > micha el@ superdryers.com (201) 679 4703 Steve R y an > > steve@ superdryers.com (312) 371 5438 Alex Chisholm > > alex@superdryamericas.com (904) 210 8602 For orders in the Americas :

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