Performance Apparel Markets - Grado Zero Espace Srl

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Performance Apparel Markets, 1st quarter 2006 Product developments and innovations Current professional swimwear is made of PBT which is chlorine resistant, but is not soft and has limited stretch The new swimwear offers both qualities and will be available from August 2006 Adidas-Salomon has launched the first ever modular football boot The +F50 Tunit can be customised and adapted It is made from three interchangeable components Professional swimmers currently use swimwear made of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) which is 100% polyester with no elastane. The lack of elastane means that this swimwear is chlorine resistant and durable but it is not soft and has limited stretch. Elastane provides stretch to fabrics used in non-professional swimwear. The new swimwear—which includes styles for men, women and children—appears to offer both chlorine resistance and comfort. It will be available from August 2006. ADIDAS-SALOMON: MODULAR FOOTBALL BOOT Germany-based Adidas-Salomon—the second largest sporting goods company in the world—has launched the first ever modular football boot. The +F50 Tunit can be customised and adapted to suit the weather, the pitch and the wearer. It is made from three interchangeable components. Each is available in a variety of styles and functions. ● The upper is available in a range of colours. The boots can be “tuned” to personal requirements ● The chassis is lightweight and made with a ClimaCool upper. The type of chassis determines fit and comfort. Players may choose from a Comfort chassis or an Orthopaedic chassis. ● The studs may be adjusted to suit the pitch. A player can choose the various components and “tune” their own footwear to suit their personal requirements. TEMPERATURE REGULATING MATERIALS A consortium is employing heat protection technology used in space suits to improve firefighters’ suits The consortium originated in ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme and receives EU funding SPACESUIT TECHNOLOGY TO PROTECT WORKERS FROM HEATSTROKE A consortium of companies is working on a project to develop improved protective suits for firefighters and others working in extremely hot conditions by employing heat protection technology used in space suits. The consortium originated in the Technology Transfer Programme of the European Space Agency (ESA) and consists of six small and mediumsized enterprises from Italy, Belgium and Poland in cooperation with Italy-based Grado Zero Espace and CIOP-PIB. It is coordinated by Italybased D’Appolonia and receives funding from the European Union. © Textiles Intelligence Limited 13
Performance Apparel Markets, 1st quarter 2006 Product developments and innovations The project, known as Safe&Cool, aims to develop a protective material with a built-in cooling system Existing protective clothing can hinder a worker’s ability to stay cool, resulting in heatstroke— —and heat stress The objective is to develop a high quality thermal and moisture management layer using three technologies— —a three-dimensional textile structure for the thermal and moisture management layer— —the cooling apparatus based on that designed for space suits and— Space suits are designed to protect astronauts from overheating when carrying out space walks in direct sunlight. One aim of the Safe&Cool project is to develop a protective material with a built-in cooling system similar to that used in the space suits. According to the research team, existing protective clothing can in many cases hinder a worker’s ability to stay cool. In Europe, there are over 1,500 cases of heatstroke each year as a result of workers being unable to shed excess heat and moisture through clothing. Another more common, but less serious, problem is heat stress, which affects around 50,000 workers each year and may increase the risk of injury due to loss of concentration. The objective for Safe&Cool is to develop a high quality thermal and moisture management layer based on a three-dimensional warp-knitted fabric coated with a water binding polymer. Its structure will mimic the physical mechanisms for thermoregulation in the human body. To achieve this, the consortium will use three technologies. First, a three-dimensional textile structure is used for the thermal and moisture management layer. The materials in this layer will be a combination of hydrophobic thermal comfort fibres and hydrophilic fibres. These ensure that the body feels dry as moisture is transported away from the skin. Second, a cooling apparatus is used, based on that designed for space suits. It consists of tubing inserted into cavities in the threedimensional textile structure. The tubes have liquid circulating through them and remove heat in a similar manner to blood vessels in the body (see Figure 1). Figure 1 Cooling tubes woven into the textile Source: Safe&Cool Project Consortium —a water-binding polymer which absorbs excess moisture migrating through the semipermeable membrane to maintain the temperature below a given threshold Third, a water-binding polymer is applied as a coating or in powder form dispersed inside the fabrics. It absorbs excess moisture migrating through the semi-permeable membrane to maintain the temperature below a threshold controlled by the cooling apparatus. If a sudden increase in temperature occurs and the cooling system cannot remove heat fast enough from the body, the polymer will release the liquid accumulated and reproduce the natural sweating 14 © Textiles Intelligence Limited
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Performance Apparel Markets - Grado Zero Espace Srl

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