Sports Insight

sportsinsightmag.com July/August 2019 Sports Insight • 15 IN THE MARKET / OUTDOOR The North Face Looks to the Future(light) Activist Futurelight Low, a Spring 2020 style from The North Face W hen it comes to attention-getting trends, hemp was a hot talking point at this past June's Outdoor Retail Summer Market trade show in Denver. Hemp is being used as a fiber in everything from socks and pants to footwear and bags. One of the biggest misconceptions of hemp is that it is stiff and rough. But hemp is avail- able in several weights and helps wearers of garments stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Described as "the strongest natural fabric," it has durability and longev- ity. Hemp is enhanced with wash and has a high resistance to UV rays, so it can retain dyes well. Being antibacterial, it is fitting for performance and athletic endeavors. While hemp offers plenty of opportunities for manufacturers, textile experts note that there is currently no option to process hemp domestically – specifically, textile grade hemp fiber. Once this essential step is developed, execs say, the viability of a sustainable U.S. based hemp supply chain comes into focus. "Ultimately this will result in a win for farm- ers, a win for the environment and win for outdoor community and consumers," says David Petri, founder, Cynosura Consulting. n T his fall, The North Face will launch its proprietary nanospun Futurelight waterproof breathable membrane technology in pinnacle apparel products. e launch marks the beginning of a new era for the brand. (It also marks the end of its longtime partnership with Gore-tex.) For Spring '20, e North Face is bringing the same technology into footwear. Created by spraying a polyurethane solution through nano-scale nozzles to create a film, the Futurelight membrane is dense enough to stop water penetrating — but porous enough to let air molecules through. It's also customizable: Tweaks to the process can dial up or down the permeability and porosity to suit differ- ent performance or weight needs. The process gives the materials some distinct advantages, allowing the film to function when applied to stretch fabrics, unlike more traditional membranes, for better fit with a bootie construction. It also lets the company improve the sustainability. Futurelight is PFC free, and the facing and backing fabrics the company uses to create it are made from 100 percent recycled fabrics. Styles showcasing the technology include the performance Ultra Traction Futurelight and the Fastpack IV boots; it will also be a critical feature of trail styles like the Activist Futurelight boot for men and women, designed for a sneaker-like feel on the trail and style off it, which is available in mid ($145) and low ($135) heights for spring. n Hemp Is Hot Right Now Loyak Hemp footwear style from Astral

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