Will Antiviral Fabrics Sustain Momentum in 2021?

In addition to the challenges it created, the pandemic has also accelerated more than one trend in the fashion industry, including the textile sector’s crucial role in spearheading innovation.

As the first wave of COVID-19 cases was spreading internationally and the importance of customers’ safety and health care came to the fore, a number of storied textile firms in Europe pushed ahead amid lockdowns and brought to the market a new family of performance-driven fabrics with antiviral qualities.

They were believed to become a new market standard along the same lines as odor control, wrinkle-free and natural stretch treatments, offering a response to the fears and preoccupations of the average fashion consumer in 2020.

Looking forward to 2021 with prospects of several vaccines being distributed globally, consumers might show less interest in antiviral fabrics, even less so as fear of getting infected by just touching or trying on clothes seems to be an issue of the past when less evidence was provided by the scientific community on whether fabrics and other materials could themselves represent a means for contagion.

Consumers have also become more educated about the risky behaviors they should avoid, and that isn’t primarily touching garments as the dominant means the virus spreads is airborne.

In the last few months, though, more suppliers have developed antiviral finishings and treatments, signaling that the potential of such fabrics remains large — and brands seem to be taking note.

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Fabio Tamburini, chief executive officer of Cotonificio Albini, the Albini Group’s production arm, which developed the ViroFormula family of antiviral fabrics in partnership with Swiss company HeiQ, said several brands spanning from luxury to contemporary have embraced their fabrics, including Italy’s Xacus and storied Hong Kong-based Ascot Chang, among others.

“Although the vaccines will allow us to get back to a normal and safe life as we were used to, we’re convinced that consumers will still be looking for antiviral fabrics,” he said, noting that increased travel and the use of public transport will drive consumers to look for safety in their fashion purchases.

“We’re still convinced that the antiviral properties are required market-standard in the future even when the pandemic will be fully controlled. The main goal for every [fashion] company is to respect and satisfy its clients’ needs and after all these difficult months, everyone wants to get back to its usual routine feeling safe,” he said.

At the Marzotto Wool Manufacturing company, which launched antimicrobic fabrics made of natural yarns treated with the ViralOff finish developed by Sweden-based Polygiene, ceo Giorgio Todesco ascribed their success to a shift in customers’ perception, with more attention given to technical performance.

The executive underscored that the ViralOff fabrics have been particularly appealing to retailers that provide their sales associates with uniforms, for brands in the Asian market and more generally in the contemporary fashion segment.

Along the same lines, Lecco, Italy-based Luxury Jersey, which also tapped into HeiQ’s Viroblock finishing like the Albini Group, saw a spike in demand by companies in the ath-leisure market, with around 10 brands already making prototypes.

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The company’s general manager Federico Boselli projected a less rosy scenario for consumer attitudes even after the vaccine is distributed and overall he believed that “consumers will be keener on hygiene and will pay more attention to microbes in general.”

To this end he forecast “a widespread circulation of antimicrobic clothing,” echoing the sentiment of Alberto De Conti, head of the fashion division at Germany-based chemical company Rudolf Group, which has conducted lab tests on its RUCO-BAC AGP technology introduced in 2005 and proved it boasts antiviral properties on the family of coronaviruses.

De Conti believes these fabrics will continue to play a pivotal role based on customers and brands alike seeking hygiene finishings, even though a vaccine might reduce their demand.

The executive also touched on another crucial factor: “Because of a proliferation of misleading information, the market has been increasingly expressing interest in reliable and understandable test results. The textile market is looking for real performance that can be communicated to customers rather than short-sighted marketing gimmicks,” he said.

To be sure, no company can casually claim antiviral properties in Europe and the U.S. and these companies have made clear these fabrics are no substitute for PPE, nor do they prevent the risk of contagion.

While some expect the market for antiviral fabrics to grow, thus fostering R&D activities and a reduction of their production costs, Todesco was less confident that demand will continue to surge in 2021 even if, he said, there will always be specific sectors to target, such as workers’ uniforms.

For more industry information, please pay attention to Knitting Fair.

Source: WWD

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Italy’s textile sector was severely hit last year by the COVID-19 pandemic due to decreasing demand from brands and consumers alike, but the country’s star companies continued to invest in extensive research and eco-friendly collections.

According to preliminary figures released by Confindustria Moda, the textile sector last year registered a 27.4 percent decline in sales in the January to October period to 5.48 billion euros, with exports falling 26.7 percent compared to 2019 levels.

“Companies are trying to keep up with the current situation especially as Asia is the only region showing positive signs of recovery and not all textile makers have the strength and means to export there, especially not in China,” said Milano Unica president Alessandro Barberis Canonico.

Exports to China decreased 32.4 percent in the first 10 months last year and Barberis Canonico noted that both the U.S. and countries in the European Union, except for Northern European ones, have seen dramatic downturns compared to pre-pandemic levels. This means a recovery is unlikely before 2023, or with the orders for the fall 2022 season.

While demand for formalwear fabrics, traditionally a prime sector, started to see signs of a downturn almost five years ago with the advent of the streetwear craze, in recent seasons luxury companies and fashion brands have resurrected it via new leisurewear-inspired silhouettes and fabrics that are breathable, lightweight and naturally comfortable, not to mention sustainable.

Tapping into the new hybrid trend blending formalwear with leisurewear-inspired silhouettes, Biella, Italy-based woolen mill Reda developed for its spring 2022 collection a ZQ-certified, mulesing-free and fully traceable pure merino wool suitable for jersey knit suits with a tactile feel.

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Part of its Reda Active line, the fabric leverages the natural qualities of merino wool, is breathable and boasts thermoregulatory features, which make it also appropriate for breezy and lightweight woolen shirts.

A focus on sustainable and comfortable suiting fabrics also took center stage in the spring 2022 collection of the Marzotto Wool Manufacturing Company, which is not compromising on its formalwear offering but at the same time recognizes today’s customers’ needs for easy-care textiles.

Banking on the ever-expanding trend for natural stretch fabrics, the mill has introduced the B-Dynamic+ range of woolen textiles, which are wrinkle-free and naturally elasticized thanks to mechanical processes that strengthen the stretch qualities of the fiber in warp and weft avoiding the use of chemical compounds. The family of fabrics is ideal for breathable and summery suits in classic solids such as midnight blue and gray.

Botto Giuseppe, a champion of sustainable research, continued to expand its Naturalis Fibra eco-friendly collection, breathing new life into to its Slowoolly and Slowool lineups by developing a range of super fine 160’s fabrics intended for duster coats and other sartorial outerwear options. The former is an RWS-certified, traceable, soft combed wool crafted into both super thin poplin and fishbone patterns and is suitable for women’s everyday dresses and overcoats, while the latter is a natural stretch option that retains its lightness, even in double face fabrics in contrasting patterns.

An organic, earthy mood ran through the spring 2022 collection developed by shirt-specialist Tessitura Monti, which banked on summery fabrics such as GOTS-approved linen and hemp, dyed using inorganic compounds derived from ferrous oxides treated with a polymer made from 40 percent renewable sources. The special dyeing technique provided a worn-out but refined look and feel for these fabrics, which are complemented by traditional options such as the striped Leicester Bio cotton poplin in pastel tones such as baby pink and ochre.

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Similarly, Canclini 1925, which is based in the outskirts of Como, the textile district in the Lombardy region, adopted a two-pronged approach for its spring collection nodding to the Hollywood days of yore. Drawing inspiration from James Bond’s penchant for striped shirts, the company offered several takes on the classic men’s wear item, some featuring oversize stripes in pastel hues, others with super thin iterations combining popsicle-inspired shades.

Like other competitors in the shirting arena, Canclini 1925 aims to expand its product assortment by offering indigo fabrics that can be used for casual chino pants and lightweight overshirts with camp collars featuring different motifs, including safari-inspired prints of wild animals referencing 1950s bowling shirts.

In maintaining its focus on its signature Sensitive Fabrics textile, Eurojersey played on the duality of traditional striped motifs and richer patterns including nocturnal and muted floral prints, as well as tie-inspired geometric and micro chevron motifs that would add a dash of character to sartorial shirts injected with extra comfort thanks to the breathable and comfortable fabric that Eurojersey has built its USP on.

At the forefront of sustainable innovation, high-end textile company Bonotto looked to Mother Nature to create its new bio-based and biodegradable fabrics. The textile firm sourced seaweed and crab shells to develop bio-based nylon and viscose cady fabrics, featuring smooth, fluid textures. At the same time, Bonotto sourced lyocell, a cellulose fiber made from dissolving pulp and then reconstituting it by dry jet-wet spinning, as well as Himalayan nettle and jute to realize biodegradable and compostable gabardines and canvasses.

In order to offer extra comfort, feminine tweeds showed textures evoking knitwear, while technical performance attributes were conveyed through rubber-coated tailoring wool, heat-sensitive cotton and fluorine-free, water-repellent outerwear fabrics.

Como-based Ratti also put the focus on performance, delivering silk and cotton fabrics with a ripstop finishing, as well as coated, jacquard and quilted ripstop textiles. Classic nylon twills were revamped to create viscose or nylon duvet cloths, while glossy or matte effects, as well as rubberized texture, were rendered on double face textiles, specifically conceived for outerwear.

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In keeping with its heritage in the world of prints, Ratti experimented with a range of patterns, spanning from kaleidoscopic tartans to nocturnal scenes combining dark tones and vibrant shades on silk and viscose twill, silk chiffon and Lurex. Tie-dye continued to steal the spotlight, along with prints of palm trees in a color palette of earthy tones mixed with acqua green, while wild animal patterns got a black-and-white graphic makeover.

For more industry information, please pay attention to Knitting Fair.

Source: WWD

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Conservative and reassuring textile designs, tactile wools, precious feminine silk and viscose and performance-driven denim options stole the spotlight at the Knitting Expo 's digital-only event.

The general consensus among people is that 2021 opened on an uncertain note, despite a few exceptions including the Iluna Group, a specialist in the production of stretch lace for the apparel and innerwear industries, which forecast this year will see a rebound and revenues will get back to pre-pandemic levels.

In order to dodge the worst, fabric-makers pressed on with digital transformation and sustainability.

The APAC region, particularly China, is the bright spot for Eastman’s Naia, a division of the Kingsport, Tenn.-based materials manufacturing company, which produces the bio-based Naia cellulosic filament yarn.

Eastman’s global marketing director Ruth Farrell said “the current context is a challenge, but it also creates an opportunity to reinvent common approaches, boost our creativity and accelerate the focus on sustainable fashion,” bringing to light another key trend seen at Première Vision as well as in the overall textile market.

As end customers have generally cut back on their fashion expenses, textile designs tended to skew toward a conservative and reassuring approach. Mills offered tactile, cozy and fluid wools, offered in lighter weights to hug the body for more relaxed and loungewear-inspired suiting, while feminine silk and viscose blends were enriched by precious finishings such as metallic glints, and lace came in shimmering iterations.

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An organic and rustic feel took center stage, with linen and hemp appearing in several collections. Men’s suits and shirts crafted from linen were yarn-dyed, while windowpane checks and stripes exuded a countryside vibe. Denim suppliers took a bolder route, reassured by the good performance of the category, with embroideries, jacquards and washed-out nuances stealing the spotlight.

TRACEABLE COTTON: A premium provider of eco-friendly solutions, Albini Group offered its Biofusion line of organic cotton that is fully traceable thanks to a close relationship with the U.S. farms providing the raw material. In particular, the firm has forged ties with farmers in Texas, New Mexico and California for the plantation of Supima extra-long staple cotton and Upland, a long fiber and high-quality cotton traceable, according to forensic company Oritain. Suitable for a total look, at a time when formal shirting is losing steam, the traceable cotton can be used for suits and pants, as well as shirts offered in pastel-toned and earthy-hued stripes and checks, a trend also seen at Milano Unica.

SUSTAINABLE KNITWEAR: Eastman Naia brought to Première Vision Paris its innovation introduced late last year Naia Renew, a blend of 60 percent cellulosic fiber derived from sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40 percent recycled plastic waste. It also expanded its signature Naia fiber to the knitwear category boasting a silky and soft hand and breathability.

BOLD INDIGO: Indigo specialist PG Denim went bold and daring with flock options dyed with natural indigo and color versions crafted from an Organic Content Standard-certified cotton treated with metal-free, natural dyes. By partnering with Eurotessile, PG Denim introduced a recycled denim made of ring-spun yarns, while in tune with the times and the surge in demand for antiviral fabrics, the mill struck a deal with Polygiene for a range of antibacterial and odor-control indigo fabrics.

PERFORMANCE DENIM: Among the key innovations Berto introduced for spring 2022, a performance-driven denim option combined the Aquafil’s man-made Dryarn weft thread with cotton. The former improves the fabric’s performances providing lightness, breathability and fast drying, in tune with customer demand for easy-care options. The overall collection blended cotton with synthetic fibers for an extra dose of comfort, nodding to sportswear and technical materials.

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FLAMBOYANT LACE: Iluna Group introduced the first flock lace that is Global Recycled Standard-certified. Crafted from a blend of Fulgar’s Q-Nova polyamide that comes from pre-consumer recycled fibers and of Roica’s recycled premium stretch yarns, it is offered in a variety of options that brands and retailers can customize, including graphic motif and wild-animal patterns rendered in vibrant and pop-tinged hues. As part of its Bioline range, the company upped the ante on the circular economy, offering a stretch lace that biodegrades in five years without releasing harmful compounds.

Source: WWD

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