26th February 2010 Ragtrader

www.ragtrader.com.au
26 February 2010
23
Company
Cutting edge
SWIMEAR FABRICS ARE
BECOMING FINER, LIGHTER
AND EVEN HEALTHIER,
ECLIPSE TEXTILES TELLS
ERIN O’LOUGHLIN
I
F ONLY THEY could see things now, that
small group of scientists who announced
to the world just over 50 years ago they
had created Lycra. For although they revolutionised the apparel industry – particularly
swimwear – they would surely be amazed at
just how much further things have changed.
In 2010, it is not nearly enough for a swimsuit to be merely fast drying, sand-repellent,
resistance, 50+ UV protection, up to fourway stretch and – in the case of performance
swimwear – muscle compression and a lightIt’s a lot to ask but yarn producers the
world over are making all this possible and
more, says Eclipse Textiles’s marketing and
product development designer Vanessa Kirk.
leading supplier of Lycra fabrics in Australia,
importing both fashion and performancee
swimwear fabrics from leading Italian fabric
manufacturers Carvico and Jersey Lomellina,
among others.
For the fashion swimwear industry, yarns
ments and innovations in textile machinery,
says Kirk.
years ago but are a reality now,” Kirk says.
ter/elastomeric yarns that allow swimwear
manufacturers to increasingly capitalise on a
longstanding technology: sublistatic, or heat
transfer, printing.
“Sublistatic printing has been around a
long time but I think it’s becoming stronger
in fashion swimwear because it gives people
swimwear producers include the capacity to
print their own unique designs in small volumes, says Kirk.
“Usually if you do your own print, if you go
metres, whereas locally now if you sublimate
you can do just one panel.”
Kirk has also noticed an increasing use of
manufacturers. Unlike sublistatic printing,
digital printing can be done on stretch, nylon
and even textured fabrics.
“Whereas before it was a very niche area
now it’s becoming more acceptable and a lot
of people are using it more than what they
used to,” says Kirk.
“We feel that due to technological advancements and availability, this will become even
stronger next season.”
Yarn producers have also been working
away to create fabrics that are more fashion
forward. Kirk points to the introduction in
retains its colour for longer. Its introduction
to swim fabrics has assisted in creating new
says Kirk.
For the performance swimwear sector, Dow
Fibre Solutions in the US has created the XLA
for a few years, Kirk believes it is only start-
ing to hit the mainstream now, with Eclipse
only stretch fabric resistant to temperatures
up to 220 celsius, making it suitable for extreme fabric processing conditions. Dow also
resistant to UV light and sunscreen, and durable enough to withstand more than 1000
hours of exposure to chlorine.
Beyond such new yarns, the other key
change in performance swimwear fabrics is
the reduction in their weight, says Kirk.
weight second skin compression fabrics,
which due to technological advancements in
textiles has made this combination not only
realistic but also in demand,” she says.
While compression fabrics previously
weighed in at around 280gsm, they are now
available from around 160gsm, Kirk says.
“So you’ve still got the power without the
weight.”
Looking to the future, Kirk believes recycled and environmentally friendly fabrics
one of the key trends that will be picked up
by swimwear manufacturers at home and
around the world. Eclipse Textiles is reenquiries from Australian companies keen
to learn more about eco-friendly, ‘healthy’
fabrics, she says. While such fabrics are yet
to hit the mainstream, Kirk and her colleagues will be keeping a close eye on how
things unfold.
“It will be interesting to see how commercially viable this becomes,” Kirk says.
ECLIPSE TEXTILES
Anticipating the
development of
eco-friendly, recycled
swim fabrics.