12 FM

Sporttech

Cool wool and technical details take centre stage at a buoyant Outdoor Retailer Summer

Market. Kathlyn Swantko rounds up the highlights from Salt Lake City

launches, made Outdoor Retailer Summer Market ‘14 the largest and strongest OR ever in the history of the show. The four-day event, which ran from August 6 – 9 in Salt Lake City, Utah, hosted more than

329 of which were new exhibitors to Summer Market.

outdoor retail, the heart and soul of our industry,” said Outdoor Retailer show director Kenji Haroutunian.

recent trend numbers from Leisure Trends,

part of the NPD Group. For the year-to-date (January to July 2014) US outdoor sales were up 2.8%, or $6.9 billion. The top apparel categories included casual jackets / vests (+30% at $17.3m), shorts (+8% at $62.8m), trousers (+8% at $106m), trail running shoes (+5% at 69.8m), and long sleeve shirts (+5% at $75.2m).

A 1.3% growth is projected for year-end

director of Leisure Trends, reports:

are opening up their wallets again.”

being generated in Merino wool blends, sliver knit piles, cooling

knits and

lightweight knits. Here is our pick of the new fabric launches from a variety of ORSM’14 exhibitors:

W. L. Gore Footwear showcased its new Gore-Tex Surround product technology for hiking shoes and boots. Cynthia Amon,

“One-third of the body’s sweat glands are

technology allows the moisture and warmth to escape from below the foot through the Gore-Tex membrane into a ‘spacer’, and

is the feet remain dry both inside and out.” Cordura Brand launched its new

head-to-toe Wool Fabric Line, which has been “two years in the making,” according to Cindy McNaull, global Cordura brand market director. Highlights from this

from Chia Her; 2) Midlayer knit fabrics from Chang-Ho Fiber; 3) Sock styles from Xialu; and 4) Twill, canvas, ripstop, dobby

Burlington Industries.Schoeller featured three new fabric

Fabrics, which are said to feel cooler and

temperature to generate a pleasantly cool

comfort-climate next-to skin; 2)

The Summer Wool

fashionable,

lightweight, breathable, and easy-care

and 3) The Jeans Prints line of polyamide fabrics for jackets and trousers have been designed to match urban styles, but with extra performance created through a variety of Schoeller technologies.

Bemis Worldwide presented its newest development called Flowfree. The

air in. Bemis said the technology targets high-sweat areas where breathability

sleeker, lighter, more comfortable designs.Burlington Industries introduced two

new fabrics at the show. The Merino FX

Merino blended technologies in various

features performance and sustainable

along with plaid fashions made from 100%

that provides water and stain repellency

through repeated washings. presented four new yarn

repellent technology has been engineered

the yarn and is targeted to the footwear and

the company explained that when the fabric is saturated with water, the fabric dries 35% faster than standard polyester yarn.

comprises PET, PBT and Elastomeric yarns

performance. Waterwise Colour Technology uses less water than piece dyeing, possesses inherently brilliant colorfast colour, is

Outdoor appeal

Gore-Tex Surround Footwear with

P 12 - 13 Outdoor retailer.indd 12 21/08/2014 09:40

Issue 5 2014 13

Sporttech

www.outdoorretailer.comwww.gore.com

www.cordura.com

www.bemis.com www.burlington.com

www.invista.com www.3m.com

www.pertex.com www.celliant.com

Matched to the urban technical trend are two Schoeller-shape jacket fabrics with C_Change climate membrane

Men’s trousers featuring woven Cordura Combat Wool fabric, also known as Merino FX by Burlington

Concept III, together with its

resource, ABMT of Australia and China,

fabrics at OR. Without dimishing Merino’s

MerinoEdge “Cool” treatment lends a smooth, cool touch and enhanced drape to these popular fabrics. MerinoEdge Cool is

outdoor market.Invista introduced Coolmax Air fabrics

fabrics made from high performance

with a patented ‘propeller’ shape to provide superior moisture management performance, breathability, and faster

3M featured two new products at ORSM’14. Thinsulate Featherless is a 600

that closely mimics down. The claim is it provides warmth without the feathers,

Protector DWR, meanwhile, is a new and improved repellent technology that aims

-ability, wearability, and breathability in

and Mitsui collaborated

of technical knits, primarily for baselayer

are categorised into Gold and Silver

Dry. The Silver group highlights Merino wool/poly blends to address moisture

Pertex showcased new outerwear, sleeping bags, and accessories, made by many of its highly-respected outdoor

Pertex lightweight and highly durable performance fabrics. The featured gear was from Adidas Outdoor, Bergans of Norway, Black Diamond, Mammut, Marmot, Millet, Montane, Outdoor

Research, Rab, and Westcomb.Celliant presented several new fabric

developments including a Worsted wool/Celliant blend for socks and baselayer; Pima

blends; Celliant DriEnergy, which is a blend of Celliant and DriRelease technology.

Klingler Asia Ltd introduced its Pure Cool fabrics, which embeds performance technology, developed from jade stones, into the fabric. The fabric is said to provide coolness, odour-control, quick drying and

P 12 - 13 Outdoor retailer.indd 13 21/08/2014 09:40