TOKYO — January 16, 2019 — Teijin Frontier Co. Ltd., the Teijin Group’s fibers and products converting company, announced today that it has launched a new line of sportswear and other clothing incorporating wearable solutions. Samples of the new line-up will be exhibited at the 5th WEARABLE EXPO, a leading trade fair for wearable devices and related technology, which will take place at Tokyo Big Site January 16-18. Teijin Frontier’s stand (W14-8, West Hall) will showcase motion-sensing and vital-sign sensing products.

In the sporting field there is increasing focus on the PDCA (“Plan-Do-Check-Action”) cycle, and there is accordingly a growing need for the visualization of actual motion, heart rate and activity levels to ensure safe and effective performance. With Japan’s declining birthrate and ageing population, the transfer of technology skills to younger workers and ensuring safety in the workplace is becoming one of society’s challenges. Both areas stand to benefit from high functional fiber incorporating wearable technology.

Teijin Frontier has accordingly developed new products integrating highly functional fibers and sensing techniques. Test sales will start with two types of new product, which will leverage continuing advances in IoT technology to provide new solutions to evolving social needs.

The new products comprise the following:

Coaching wear

The anti-slip NANOFRONT ultrafine fiber wear deploys an algorithm which visualizes the difference between the actual motion of the wearer and their ideal motion at a particular time. It is expected this technology will be applied in various scenarios, including the improvement of sports techniques, the transfer of technology know-how and more effective support for those undergoing physical rehabilitation.

Vital sensing wear

This clothing facilitates sustainable and highly accurate sensing of the heart’s electrical activity, heart rates and activity levels, minimizing the noise generated by contact of the body with sportswear during exercise. It combines the ultrafine fiber NANOFRONT with vital-sign sensing technology, and by simultaneously sensing heart rates and activity levels it can be used in various scenarios including sports team management and the prediction of heatstroke risk.

NANOFRONT’s high level of grip prevents vibration and displacement of sensors, allowing highly accurate measurement. In the future, Teijin Frontier plans to deploy comfortable and functional materials such as the outdoor sports textile DELTAPEAK and the stretchable and soft textile SOLOTEX.

Teijin Frontier is targeting annual sales of USD three billion in sports training, workplace applications and other fields by the fiscal year ending March 2021.

Posted January 16, 2019

Source: Teijin

STUTTGART/HERZOGENAURACH — January 16, 2019 — Porsche Design and PUMA have entered into a strategic partnership to bring a new line of high-end sportswear, footwear and accessories to the market starting in the Spring/Summer 2019 season. The collaboration blends Porsche Design’s sophisticated, functional design philosophy with PUMA’s innovative performance technologies. Combining the design heritage of the two globally renowned brands, the Porsche Design Sportswear Collection — available early March 2019 — features engineered products that will perform at the top level and stand for the fusion of lifestyle and performance wear. This has resulted in a dynamic collection with its own identity, which is supposed to appeal to customers expecting uncompromising aesthetics and performance.

The new collection meets the needs of those accustomed to the best in high-quality sportswear. Both brands are rooted in the world of motorsport and bring complementary traits to this newly established partnership. Porsche Design brings its unique design philosophy, its engineering mind-set and strong expertise in the premium segment to this collaboration, while PUMA’s sports expertise can be seen in advanced cushioning systems, seam-sealing knits and lightweight fabrics.

“With PUMA we have found a qualified partner, who shares the same values related to technological innovation and functional design. We are very much looking forward kicking-off this partnership and to lift the Porsche Design Sportswear Collection to new heights over the following years. The new Spring/Summer 2019 Collection is just the starting point of this valued partnership,” says Jan Becker, CEO of Porsche Design Group.

Throughout the years, each brand has remained at the forefront of excellence in functional design and innovative technologies, while continuously staying true to their roots. This winning philosophy has earned both companies numerous awards and is also perfectly reflected in the Porsche Design Sportswear Collection.

“We are really excited to start working with such a renowned partner like Porsche Design,” said Bjørn Gulden, CEO of PUMA. “Their active lifestyle heritage fits perfectly to our ambition to bring the track to the street and merge sport innovation with lifestyle products. With our long experience in motorsport, we will be working with Porsche Design to innovate footwear and apparel styles of high quality and technical engineering.”

A collection ranging from active wear to sports-infused lifestyle wear, the full product range delivers technology, quality, sophistication and style with a clear vision: serving the 24/7 needs of the modern sportive urbanist. This is just the top of the iceberg, because there’s more to come in the near future.

Posted January 16, 2019

Source: Porsche Design Group

ZURICH, Switzerland — January 15, 2019 — Swiss textile innovator HeiQ launches HeiQ XReflex — a radiant barrier technology on high performance fabrics to create warmth without bulk and allow the user to “Wear Less in Winter®”.

Humans lose about 60 percent of body heat through thermal radiation. In order to stay warm, insulations made out of down, synthetic or fleece are typically used in outerwear. The thicker the insulation, the less heat loss and the warmer the person. For the active person or traveler, the goal is to find the same warmth without all the bulk.

HeiQ XReflex does just that — the innovative radiant barrier technology allows outerwear, midlayers, sleeping bags, etc. to maintain the required level of warmth while reducing bulk by as much as 50%. With an ultra-thin reflective surface applied through a high-tech vapor deposition process, HeiQ XReflex reflects the body’s radiant heat, increasing the thermal resistance and allowing maximum breathability. Matched with a specific insulation, this combination creates the optimal heat retention required for the product. By using one layer of HeiQ XReflex, a saving of 25 percent in bulk can be expected. And with two layers, the bulk can be reduced by up to 50 percent while maintaining the same level of thermal resistance. Also worth noting is the environmental footprint savings — one insulated jacket will save 6L water, 280g CO2 and 10MJ of energy.

HeiQ XReflex is created through collaboration between HeiQ and Xefco, an Australian textile technology company that is a partner of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Deakin University. “Warmth without bulk is the best of both worlds for the active consumer”, says Christian von Uthmann, chief sales officer at HeiQ Materials AG. “This technology reduces insulation bulk to create thin, lightweight, breathable products”, continues von Uthmann, “which in turn consumes fewer raw materials for more sustainable products.”

HeiQ XReflex offers multiple options of fabrics and insulations to create the ideal warmth needed for various activities. To learn more about HeiQ XReflex, visit the HeiQ booth at ISPO Munich (Hall C5 Booth 402, 03-06 February 2019, Munich).

Posted January 16, 2019

Source: HeiQ Materials AG