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Tennessee, processed in the U.S. through Bastcore, an Alabama-based company pioneering hemp textile production. e 2024 Special Report: Marine Derived Textiles, published by World Textile Information Network (WTiN) recaps a recent event that drew a crowd focused on algal fiber innovations and ocean-harvested materials. Brands participating included: Algaeing, Keel Labs, Sway, Squitex, Phycolabs, Seaqual, Living Ink, Pneuma and Algix among many others. "It is still an emerging science and little commercially ready, yet the feeling is that there is an appetite for alternatives that marine derived can satiate," said Fuzhong Zhang, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, MO in a round-up of speaker comments. Adding to Zhang's statement, Uyen Tran, founder of material science company TomTex, observed, "the sea is a great resource of materials that are high-value, high-performing and have innate functional properties." Attendees cited scalability, cost competitiveness and seamless integration into established facilities as big challenges. However, bright spots exist, particularly in the advancement of inks, dyes and packaging. California company Sway released a scalable seaweed-based plastic packaging alternative, following a recent close of $5M seed round. Its TPSEA (thermoplastic seaweed resin) is a 100 percent bio-based, home composable, microplastic- free ingredient that is scalable and compatible with existing infrastructure. The Future of Clothing Is Climate-Conscious As the planet continues to warm – 2023 was the hottest year on record, according to the website Climate. gov – fabrics that keep wearers cool is top of mind as demand for cooling technologies is likely to grow. According to Bloomberg, companies see opportunity in apparel designed to beat the heat; Market forecasts expect sales growth annually of around eight percent by 2032. Cooling via micro-minerals permanently integrated into fabric is used by brrr to create the brand's "triple chill effect." e company continues to upgrade and intensify cooling action with a new biodegradable yarn made in partnership with CiCLO, creator of a technology that speeds biodegradation in landfill conditions; brrr polyester CiCLO fabrics biodegrade 3.5 times faster than a control fabric, according to the suppliers. Another sustainable option brrr has under development is a mechanical stretch fabric, made without spandex or elastane for better reuse potential and circular design. An ISPO textile report recently highlighted the importance of cooling techniques in an age of rising temperatures. E.COOLINE takes a novel approach by cooling through trapped moisture, enabling cooling evaporation without the textile having to feel wet. It relies on a special 3D structure that binds and stores moisture directly in the 3D fibers. The Future of Fabric Is PFAS-Free Despite good progress bringing water repellent fabrics free of harmful chemicals to market, negating the need for PFAS in performance garments will remain a primary focus of textile suppliers and brands for years to come. Nikwax has unveiled a new factory applied Direct. Dry DWR, that is a high performance, highly-durable, PFAS-free DWR, available this Fall via exclusive launch partner Outdoor Research. "As the PFAS-free timelines started to accelerate with regulations in California and other areas, we wanted to find a way to better support brands and retailers through the transition with a PFAS- free DWR for fabric," explained Brian Davidson, CEO, Nikwax global / president, Nikwax NA, who added, "Our formula fits seamlessly into existing application methods, and we look forward to working with new factories and brands going forward." Direct. Dry is currently available for all brands. Silicone has entered the field of budding PFAS-free alternatives, but the jury is still out on permeability and durability. Alden Wicker, an authority on textile chemicals, wrote in her EcoCult newsletter, "I've been hearing some concerns about silicone. Aer all, it looks and feels and acts similar to plastic. And it's being proposed as a safe replacement for toxic, PFAS-based, stain-resistant textile coatings. With plastic's many hazardous properties being increasingly documented, it's fair to question whether this synthetic material gets a special pass to be on your body and touching your food." The Future of Textiles Is Net Zero Commitment to sustainability goals is a springboard for ongoing investment in "net zero" initiatives. For example, Hyosung is investing $1B in creating the world's first integrated production of bio spandex from raw material to fiber. Hyosung has partnered with Geno, a San Diego, CA-based biotech firm, to start construction at its plant in Vietnam of facilities to produce Bio BDO derived from sugarcane, commencing Q2 2026. According to a company statement, the project will fast track the production of Bio BDO with an annual capacity of 50,000 tons in the second half of 2026 – with the aim of expanding capacity up to a total of 200,000 Silicone has entered the field of budding PFAS-free alternatives, but the jury is still out on permeability and durability. According to the recently released National Hemp Report, 2023 production of hemp grown in the open for fiber was estimated at 49.1M pounds, up 133 percent from 2022. 22 • July/August 2024 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com DESIGN / TRENDS

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