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items found in ATHLETIC APPAREL.
Taiwan’s experts stay one step ahead
Once again Titas was awash with new ideas - biodegradability, novel recycled fibres and the circular economy among those on the agenda.
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2019
Micam celebrates sports shoe success
The Milan footwear exhibition Micam added a new component for its September 2019 show. For the first time, sports and outdoor brands were able to show off their latest collections in a dedicated space called the Players’ District.
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2019
VF’s new London HQ ‘shows commitment’
Five brands tell WSA about upcoming launches and strategies, as well as how the seven-storey Axtell Soho will boost their standing in Europe.
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2019
Under Armour goes in for infrared
Sports brand Under Armour has harnessed the power of infrared energy to help athletes improve their performance and kickstart their recovery after exercise. The secret is a mineralinfused fabric developed with the help of textile innovator Celliant.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2019
Castore takes aim at sportswear sector
UK-based brand Castore has already raised significant funding as it seeks to provide a premium alternative to the leading names of the sportswear market. Securing the support of tennis star Andy Murray can’t do any harm to its chances of achieving this go
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2019
Marketing identity in women’s sportswear
Shari Shallard puts the spotlight on three sportswear brands that have realised that selling to female consumers is as much about understanding the importance of identity to women as it is about the quality of the products they make.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2018
Cooling technology harnesses the power of sweat
To find out how far cooling functionality in athletic clothing has come, Shari Shallard takes a closer look at some of the latest innovations and talks to two seasoned athletes and trainers about the extent to which cooling technology helps them.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2018
Because shrinking and pinking isn’t enough...
Sports brands are beginning to realise that to develop footwear and apparel for women they need to do more than just adapt the products they have already created for men.
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2018
Can the appetite for athleisure last?
As part of a wide range of discussions and seminars taking place on the show floor at Intertextile Shanghai’s Functional Lab in the autumn of 2017, WSA editor, Stephen Tierney, led a debate on athleisure. Guest speakers were Pierluigi Berardi, vice-presid
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2018
The brand that invented activewear
Although some might dispute it, Brisbane-based brand Lorna Jane claims to have invented the term ‘activewear’ and to have shared not just its clothing collections but its philosophy for a healthy lifestyle with millions of women across Australia and, now,
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2017
Athletic shoes: an online elephant enters the room
Recent results and developments in the market are making industry observers wonder if the gloss may be coming off the athletic footwear sector. It’s certainly a changing world.
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2017
Appetite for instruction
A former designer at The North Face, adidas and Nike has created the Functional Apparel and Accessories Studio to help her indulge in one of her main passions: helping young designers fulfil their full potential.
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2017
To The Lighthouse
Under Armour opens the doors of its new fast-prototyping and design centre in Baltimore to WSA.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2017
Net assets
Open-structured textiles play a key role in performance sports clothing. Added airflow speeds up the evaporation of moisture and enhances thermoregulation. New developments in this product category are raising the bar on what mesh fabrics can do.
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2016
All roads lead to Rio
Only a small number of athletes will break records and win medals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (August 5-21) but all participants tailor their preparations for months (even years) in advance in the hope of peaking at just the right time to take a place i
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2016
New yoga tribes
Lululemon is targeting $1 billion in sales from its men’s business by 2020 after a 250% growth in the market in four years, while small companies are addressing the burgeoning antenatal sector.
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2016
Athleisure: stretching the limits of performance fabrics
Clothing that moves seamlessly from city streets to the gym and back is expected to look good and perform as needed. If they are to crossover successfully from active sportswear to everyday wear, technical textiles will need to hide their functional featu
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2015
The layering system in transition
This July, at the OutDoor show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, crossover clothing, which attempts to fuse function and fashion, was the subject of many discussions. What styles and fabrics suit this transitional product category that aspires to reach a wider
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2015
Rise To The Challenge: Vozweimax And Schoeller
The jacket runners really wanted: German triathlete Michael Stigl tried for years to find a suitable running jacket. In 2014, he gave up and launched his own sports brand, Vozweimax. With the help of a detailed series of instructions on how athletes can t
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2015
WSA - The Second 10 Years
A brief timeline in textiles and sports, Part 2.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2015
A Retrospective Part 2
20th Anniversary: Two decades of change: In the second part of WSA’s 20th anniversary celebrations, industry insiders discuss how the magazine has kept them informed of market developments, and give us their views on the changing face of the outdoor and
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2015
Merging of athleisure into everyday wear
Aniversary Perspective, 20 Years On: This is the second of two special WSA anniversary articles in which we examine what has happened to the sportswear and performance markets over the past two decades. Here, Renaud Vaschalde, Paris-based lead analyst of
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2015
20 in 20: Textiles and Apparel
20th Anniversary: 20 in 20: Textiles and apparel. In the 20 years since we began publishing WSA there have been many landmark moments in the field of innovation in outdoor and sports products. In the second of two articles, we look at 20 important develop
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2015
Innovators: Kevin Plank
Winning mentality: It is 20 years since Kevin Plank launched US sportswear firm Under Armour, growing it from a compression t-shirt seller to a $3 billion business with sky-high ambitions.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2015
Anniversary Perspective: 20 years on
Looking into the future market with the benefit of hindsight: In 1995, textile management consultant David Rigby outlined his thoughts on present and future markets for sports- and leisurewear in WSA’s first issue. Twenty years on, Alexandra Zakharova dec
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2015
20th anniversary: A retrospective
WSA hits the spot: As part of WSA’s 20th anniversary celebrations, some of the big players in the textiles and sportswear supply chains share their views on the advances of the past two decades and consider where we are headed, and explain how the magazin
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2015
A modest proposal
Rarely can a piece of sportswear be credited with changing lives, but the burqini comes close: this practical and stylish alternative to traditional swimsuits has made beaches, pools, parks, and any other combination of water and sun more accessible to re
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2010
A new movement in movement
Recent trends in aerobic fitness suggest there is growing demand for more creative and enjoyable workouts. One of this decade’s most explosive nonconventional aerobic creations is the Latin-dance inspired Zumba. Zumba is taught around the world and the as
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2010
Growth in China
According to the major brands, the Chinese sport and outdoor sector is still growing. With domestic sports brands becoming more prominent and the global giants fighting for market share, the industry has never been more competitive.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2010
Stealing a march
Potential changes to the Berry Amendment, which could lead to the US military buying 100% domestically made athletic shoes, have been touted as a “big win” for certain footwear manufacturers. Could it be the “rebirth of an era of athletic shoe production”
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2014
Puma and adidas leave bad feelings on the bench
German sportswear firms adidas and Puma have put behind them a feud that has lasted more than 60 years to take part in the Peace One Day programme.
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2009
Research institutes: Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong comes up with the money: Thanks to generous funding from the Hong Kong government, the Institute of Textiles and Clothing at the special administrative region’s Polytechnic University has been able to embrace a whole series of cutting-edge proje
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2009
Rise to the challenge: Xtep and Dow Microbial Control
A fresh approach to athletic footwear: Dow partnered Chinese sportswear manufacturer Xtep to find an odour control solution that that would work for the Chinese consumer.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2014
Skirting the issue
Earlier this year, the World Badminton Federation announced a new dress code for female players of the sport. The rule has since been shelved, amid criticisms from badminton players and officials, but has started an interesting debate about male and femal
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2011
Focus on winners: Mara Yamauchi
Marathon Mara: Few elite athletes have had to combine competing and training with a career as a diplomat. Talent and tenacity have allowed Mara Yamauchi to concentrate solely on distance running for the past five years and she is hoping the long hours on
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2011
Participation on the up in China
No longer just a source of lower-cost manufactured products, China has become one of the most important consumer markets in the world, with the sports and outdoor industry beginning to make a big impact.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2011
Brand Profile: Li-Ning
Tough at the top: Chinese sports brand Li-Ning has set its sights on competing against western brands such as Nike and adidas, but competing against such giants on their home turf will always be an uphill battle.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2011
Mapping the future
Sports clothes being made from more than a single type of textile material may not be new but research into body mapping technology is revealing new possibilities for achieving maximum performance and comfort.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2011
So who won the Olympics?
The XXXth Olympiad has closed, exceeding all the expectations of the International Olympic Committee. Praise for London’s third hosting of the Games has been lavish and IOC president Jacques Rogge said ‘it had refreshed the Games in many aspects’…
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2012
Focus on Winners: Ivan Basso
Making winning a habit. Italian cyclist Ivan Basso is enjoying a glittering career and his passion for road racing clearly hasn’t dwindled since he first started competing on the world stage. Nicknamed Ivor the Terrible, he started entering cycling compet
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2009
Brand profile: Rapha Cycling
Born to ride. Rapha Cycling is a London-based company established in 2003 by two passionate road cyclists, Simon Mottram and Luke Scheybeler. Its product range officially launched on July 4, 2004, at a month-long exhibition of cycling memorabilia and even
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2009
Innovations for revolutionary running
Running as both a recreational activity and as a competitive sport appears to be becoming increasingly popular. As more and more people get involved, technical textile, garment and footwear manufacturers are working hard behind the scenes to develop new i
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2009
Lead market initiative
The European Commission has launched a special project called the Lead Market Initiative to encourage innovation in the 27 member states of the European Union. The Commission chose six specific industry markets in which to try the idea out, listing Person
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2009
Life at the high end
From the time you picked up this magazine to the time you happened upon this article, odds are that the stock market stumbled by a percentage point or two, and several currencies juggled their relative value multiple times. Such is the state of the global
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2009
Emerging markets climb
A recent report from Global Industry Analysts suggests that various emerging markets will play a key role in growing the global sporting goods market in the coming years. The report, entitled ‘Sporting Goods: A Global Outlook’, also states that there has
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2009
Brand profile: Under Armour
Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Under Armour was established in 1996 by former University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank, who is now chief executive and chairman of the board. The firm’s initial aspiration was to come up with a t-shirt that would p
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2009
Focus on Winners: Rebecca Adlington
Hard work and “lucky” swimsuits. The Beijing Olympic Games offered Rebecca Adlington her first ever taste of Olympic competition, although her incredible performances at the event would suggested that never have given. On August 11, 2008, Ms Adlington bec
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2009
Intimate details
A look at some of the most recent developments in underwear for the sports and outdoor markets.
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2009
New heights for knits
Summer 2013 and Winter 13/14 knit fabrics address athletic sportswear needs from new angles, providing physiological well-being or improved protection, from first to outer layers.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2012
The rise of yoga-wear
As the yoga trend shows no sign of abating, brands offering yoga apparel are going from strength to strength. But it’s the multi-functional clothing that is proving the most popular.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2012
Let the games begin
The Summer Olympic Games is the biggest sporting event on earth, and fashion, fame and flashing lights seem more important to athletes than ever before. Still, amid the public relations extravaganza there are examples of genuine innovation in the clothes
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2012
Brand profile: Joma Sport
From humble beginnings to the top ten: A company founded in rural Spain in 1967 is now among the top ten global sports brands, with a growing presence in Europe, Asia and the Americas and an expanding list of elite athletes championing its products.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2012
Standards in sport: American football
In where it hurts: In this new series of features for 2012, the standards that apply to the clothing, footwear and equipment used by competitors in particular sports is examined, including recent changes in those standards and the debate surrounding them.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2012
90-year-old man beats Usain Bolt
In a youth-obsessed world, shouldn’t mainstream media and brands be paying more attention to the grey and greying generations? WSA considers the world of the Masters.
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2013
Mud run apparel, an under-served niche
Popular new events called obstacle course mud runs may be opening up new possibilities for the sports textile and apparel industry. Some big brands are already taking notice.
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2013
Function is the new chic
Sports influences have made numerous inroads into menswear collections for many seasons, but appeared to reach a new level for summer 2014 where the trend has been spotted on countless catwalks from Burberry to Louis Vuitton, and inspiring fast-fashion re
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2013
Footwear Technology: adidas
Star-studded rugby boot unveiled: Sports brand adidas believes a special stud configuration on the latest in its line of rugby boots will be of particular help to flankers and number 8 forwards.
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2013
Exclusive sport becomes all inclusive
Once the preserve of the north-eastern pocket of North America, and especially of expensive private schools and universities there, lacrosse is now taking the whole continent by storm. It has also become more international. The world championships were held in July this year in Manchester, UK, when 30 nations took part. Given the history of the sport, it was not too surprising that the US beat Canada in the final.
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2010
FOCUS ON WINNERS: LIONEL MESSI
World Player of the Year, Lionel Messi of Argentina and Barcelona, was one of the few global football stars to set the 2010 FIFA World Cup alight. Perhaps wearing the lightest boots in the world gave him an extra edge in speed, but being exceptionally gifted must have helped too.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2010
RISE TO THE CHALLENGE: THONI MARA AND NI LIT
Yarns that will run and run. Working together to tackle specific supply chain needs: German running apparel brand Thoni Mara and Israeli yarns and fibres manufacturer Nilit.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2010
Where the best in the world meet: Part two
The FIFA 2010 World Cup took the finals of the world’s biggest sporting event to Africa for the first time. It was a triumph for host nation, South Africa, and produced intriguing battles on and off the field of play.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2010
Gripping stuff in the world of rugby
The popularity of rugby union is growing all the time. At international level, the International Rugby Board claims the sport is now played by men and women in more than 100 countries on six continents. The final of the most prestigious men’s competition, the Rugby World Cup, is now reckoned to be the third biggest sporting event on the planet, behind only association football’s FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympics. All three events attract total television audiences of billions.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2009
China’s big moment
Enthusiasm for the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer has spread way beyond the capital city, as the reception that the Olympic torch relay has enjoyed the length and breadth of the country has shown. China was already sports mad, but the Olympics is tu
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2008
All-in-one workout and health checks prove popular
Healthy eating and regular exercise have long been considered key factors in maintaining an active lifestyle. And garment manufacturers have been giving the health-conscious an extra helping hand by creating apparel that not only enhances comfort during e
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2008
A logical combination
When fibre manufacturer Advansa developed a new product that combined the thermobuffering qualities of Thermolite and the moisture-management capabilities of Coolmax, it seemed obvious to call it after both.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2008
Sports market is a breath of fresh air
Italian footwear manufacturer Geox has branched out into the sports sector with its new, patented NET System, which it says offers not just breathability, but “supertranspiration”.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2008
Battle of the big brands in Beijing
The fast-approaching Beijing Olympics (August 8–24) have been surrounded by controversy in recent months, but athletes continue to train for the biggest sporting event in the world, and sportswear giants continue to produce innovative products to boost th
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2008
Image and beauty the big pluses at ispo Winter 2008
The merging together of sport and lifestyle continues. This is one of the main conclusions the organisers of ispo Winter 2008 have drawn from this most recent edition of the outdoor and sports apparel and equipment exhibition.
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2008
What a start to the year
It seems that, at the start of the calendar year, the entire sporting world trains its sights on the Australian city of Melbourne. It’s the second largest city in what Australians refer to as “the Commonwealth” (of states and territories; Melbourne is th
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2008
Glow-in-the-dark fabric takes its sporting chance
It’s all the rage to use fluorescent fabric to add a splash of class to sports clothing, as the big brands have begun to do. In the case of adidas, it even used the technology to enhance the appeal of referees’ shirts at the 2006 Fifa World Cup in Germany
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2008
Waterproof boots give Deco a boost
In common with many other sports, a game of football can be won by a single moment of genius; last-minute free-kicks from specialists such as Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho, Juninho Pernambucano, Juan Román Riquelme and Deco are a classic example. In the rain a
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2008
Support where it’s needed
Companies making specialist support apparel claim that too many people are still trying to treat muscle injuries with the remedies of 30 years ago. This article takes a look at newer methods.
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2007
Micro encapsulation: it makes scents
Micro capsule manufacturer Celessence International – a subsidiary of New York-based International Flavours and Fragrances – has been working in partnership with man-made fibres, resins and intermediates manufacturer Invista, among other companies, to pro
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2007
Comfort: food for thought
Fabric and fibre manufacturers are making increasingly strong connections between elasticity and comfort. Some, however, have discovered more benefits than they first imagined.
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2007
‘No Spies at World Cup’
The competition at the recent rugby World Cup was almost as fierce amongst apparel sponsors as it was on the pitch.
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2007
Brands ignore special qualities of stretch garments
Size matters and big brands in the sports and activewear sector need to take the matter of stretch more seriously. Dr Penelope Watkins explains why.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2007
Fighting back against nature - polyester does its bit for the planet
Although new 'natural' fabrics and apparel appear to be the 'in' thing with companies and consumers at present, polyester is fighting its corner and is even transforming itself into a sustainable product.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2007
When black becomes cool fashion
textile engineering has taken a new turn. Innovators are paying more attention to the invisible, and some visible, parts of the spectrum to generate some surprising results.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2007
An exercise in (UV) protection
The first glimpse of the sun has us taking to the outdoors in droves but, whilst we may look after our hearts, too few of us take the necessary precautions to protect our largest organ... the skin. This situation will not improve until UV labelling in gar
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2007
Spring has sprung
Although shoes with springs appeared in a magazine article as far back as 1939, the latest 'spring' formations entering the marketplace are certainly making their mark.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2007
Only natural for cellulose and linen to score skin-friendly success
Fabric and finished garments that are kind to the wearer's skin are of growing importance in our health-conscious world, and the implications for sports and activewear are obvious.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2007
"If he hits a home-run I'll eat my hat!"
Conserving the environment and 'going green' has become a fascination for the masses, from eating organic food through buying fair trade products to wearing eco-friendly apparel. This has 'naturally' had an impact on the textile industry as manufacturers
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2007
Performing a balancing act
Human physiology is a natural wonder, a finely balanced system intricately designed to regulate itself. But we then reduce its efficacy by swathing ourselves in clothes. As a result, textile developers around the world are faced with the challenge of tryi
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2007
Q-Angle - brought to market
Tha latest innovative entry into the footwear market caters strictly for women. Q-Angle is not an innovation in itself but a biomechanical correction for an exaggerated natural motion, but the benefits offered to women by the products designed to deal wit
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2007
Five years on and PTT starts to make its mark
There are a limited number of polymers from which man-made fibres are currently produced. Polyester, polypropylene and polyamide are the three most widely used in the world, but PTT is now beginning to make its mark.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2007
Forefoot technologies come to the fore
One of the most interesting 'trends' in both casual and athletic shoes of late has been the emergence of brands promoting the benefits to the wearer of 'forefoot technology'. We explain the science and consider who is doing what.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2007
Polypropylene fabrics for sport
Earlier this year we looked at the renewed interest in activewear using polypropylene and its technology and properties. In this article we consider why polypropylene (polyolefin) fabrics might be chosen for sportswear garments and equipment in preference
WSA - Issue6 - Nov/Dec 2006
Kicking up a stink
Talk to any cyclist, runner, walker, climber, football player, or cross-country skier about the smell of his or her thermals and you will always hear the response, “It can be awful.” If you went into more detail, you’d most likely hear that some athletes
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2006
Supreme sock takes to the hills
Veteran runner Dr. Ron Hill has helped develop a high-tech multi-component sock which was introduced at this year's London Marathon.
WSA - Issue4 - Jul/Aug 2006
A well-rounded ball
The days when soccer balls were made of leather are long gone and synthetics are now the materials of choice. Adidas has come up with a pioneering breakthrough for the official World Cup 2006 ball.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2006
Protecting those armpits
Active people will no longer accept apparel that smells bad and the demand for clothing equipped with antibacterial effects continues to grow. Manufacturers have launched a fresh attack on the microbes that cause odour.
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2006
Striking the right balance
The World Cup is a truly global affair and there is a huge multi-billion marketing opportunity for soccer brands. Because the market for replica kits is enormous, the big brands are gambling on backing the winning team, and this has led to some truly innovative products appearing on the market in the run up to the competition, no where less than in the lucrative field of soccer boots.
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2006
Stamina specialists and curious amateurs
In a boom time for extreme sports, triathlon has itself become commercial and is now considered as a modern and innovative sport. Malin Auras reports on how a whole industry has developed around it, producing high-tech equipment from bikes to shoes and ap
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2006
New goals for your 'sole mate'
A hot new trend has sprung up underfoot in an ancient sport; the sport is soccer and the trend – soccer shoes for women. It’s hard to design for a consumer that didn’t exist before, but women’s soccer shoes have become another niche in the expanding market of sports products being designed specifically for women.
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2006
If it doesn't make you faster, then don't use it!
Amateur triathlete and qualified coach with Ful-on Triathlon Club in London, UK, Lee Jackson gives his opinion on triathlon apparel available on the market.
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2006
Brands hoping to score a success on the pitch
It is an exciting time in soccer, and not just because of the World Cup. A study by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), a leading US industry trade group, says growth in soccer is coming from many sources including increased participation
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2006
Healus, running with a bounce
As a physiotherapist and an accomplished marathon runner, Adri Hartveld was only too aware of the injuries runners can incur. Realising that shoes can influence the way people run, he has developed a heel-less running shoe that is said to reduce impact forces by approximately 50%.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2006
Steam engines in orange
Red stands for danger, green stands for eco-friendly, and one company would like to see orange represent breathability. Orange is the design colour of eVent's waterproof breathable membrane that is giving the established names a run for their money.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2006
Climbing high in a downhill world
Skiing has always been popular as a competitive sport, but talent alone is no longer the only deciding factor in a sport where a hundredth of a second separates the winner from the losers. As sponsor of three major ational ski teams, Spyder goes the distance to ensure its athletes have the latest technical apparel at their disposal.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2006
The Church of football makes a comeback
The old Wembley stadium, now demolished, was always considered the home of football. A new stadium is rising in its place which will become a focus for the 2012 Olympics in London. Apart from the actual architecture, special playing surfaces will also pla
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2005
Sports shoes for summer 2006
Comfort, light weight and increasing breathability are the key words for technical sports shoes for summer 2006. Covering the latest technologies, this feature looks at what's on offer for all climates for the next summer season.
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2005
Spinning a new yarn
Although the innovative is used all too frequently in the textile industry, there are some truly innovative products on the scene in terms of yarns. This feature looks at some truly 'new' yarns that have recently been developed by the big names such as DuPont,Unifi and Teijin.
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2005
Playing safe
There is only so much impact that the human body can physically withstand and, as a result, there is a greater demand for personal protective equipment (PPE)than ever before. This feature is based on new research being carried out a Loughborough Universit
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2005
Fun in the sun?
Skin ageing, cancers and irritations are increasing. And so is the need for protecting the human skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Our intrepid explorer, Till Gottbrath, considers the technologies of textile-provided UV-protection as well as test a
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2005
Women's winters - warmer and more stylish
More women’s products were on show at ispo than ever before -including better fitting lasts, and boots that are warmer. The day before the fair started the Volvo design conference concentrated on women’s specific design as a growing part of the sports sho
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2005
Reflecting on road runners and other nocturnal creatures
High visibility footwear has come a long way since fireflies were tied to a runner’s boots. Flashing lights have been relegated to fun footwear for kids but late night joggers still need to make sure that others are aware of their presence and shape.
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2005
Seen and (hopefully) not hurt
For more than 60 years retroreflective materials have been making conditions safer for those who work in poorly-lit, hazardous situations. More recently, those who pursue outdoor sports have been wearing luminescent clothing in greater numbers as high-vis
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2005
Colour me…….
Identification is only part of the story behind football team colours.
WSA - Issue2 - Summer 2001
The battle of the brands
While many non football fans will be scouring the TV guides to escape the imminent World Cup, the major brands will be hoping to score on the pitch. Will the score lines reflect the years of research into producing high performance strips and footwear fo
WSA - Issue2 - Summer 2002
Hard, fast and ignoring danger
Jai Alai, the Basque version of handball, has been described as “the fastest ball game in the world” with projectiles travelling up to 185miles per hour. Despite its European origins, the game is now extremely popular in North America. This very unusual s
WSA - Issue1 - Spring 2002
Light my way
Athletes owe more to shoe technology that they might appreciate – more stride time in the air can improve times.
WSA - Issue3 - Autumn 2001
Body armour for sports players
An explanation of PPE testing and the effect the EU Directive has on design and development.
WSA - Issue1 - Spring 2001
Gridiron v Rugby
As the games get faster and the tackles get heavier, individual protection becomes increasingly important.
WSA - Issue1 - Spring 2001
A safe pair of hands
The essential use of protective gloves for a number of sporting activities
WSA - Issue4 - Winter 2000
Storm in a T-cup
Has pragmatism won the day for the demands of sponsorship? Beach volleyball clothing examined.
WSA - Issue3 - Autumn 2000
Hard race, tough technology
With the triathlon about to debut as an Olympic event – just what do performance textiles contribute to eventual success?
WSA - Issue3 - Autumn 2000
Super Show – ready to retire?
Focus on footwear: All is change as the Super Show prepares to move from Atlanta to Las Vegas. But the final footwear performance in the Georgia State capital might just have been a show too far…
WSA - Issue2 - Summer 2000
Kick off
Euro 2000 looms large. The manufacturing ‘players’ have used technology to the full – now everything rests on the shoulders of the national teams.
WSA - Issue2 - Summer 2000
Downhill all the way
One of the toughest forms of foot racing and the footwear that supports it.
WSA - Issue1 - Spring 2000
The game’s underfoot
Synthetic playing surfaces of one form or another have been with us for hundreds of years, but modern polymer technology is quite literally gaining ground. It is a very long way from the sisal matting surfaces of schoolboy cricket; safety and the requirement for less ‘painful’ coverings have drawn the best from construction techniques that are geared to the provision of all-year-round sport. As a multi-billion dollar activity that is continuing to grow by dealing with grass that does not, the synthetic surfacing industry is committed to providing the ‘subtle mix of impact transfers, shock absorption, ‘slide’ and ‘texture’ that characterises a good quality sports field.
WSA - Issue1 - Spring 2003
Sweet chariot
The effects of the rugby world cup 2003 were two-fold. A justifiable surge in national pride after an England victory and an international surge in the sales of replica shirts. But the question is , did the textile technology built into the shirts win the tournament?
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2004
Courage, determination and Paralympians
The application of technology to enable disabled or physically-challenged athletes to reach their full potential. even if they might
WSA - Issue2 - Mar/Apr 2004
Olympic green
With the Athens Olympics almost upon us, now is a good time to take a look at what’s afoot – or at least under it. Synthetic grass or composite prefabrications, what is the technology involved in producing the perfect sports surfaces for the world’s athle
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2004
The world comes to Portugal
Sixteen nations fielding a total of 320 sportsmen in the third largest tournament on Earth. Is this the perfect situation to produce accelerated development? A veritable hot-bed of textile and polymer research, but whatever happened to cotton and leather?
WSA - Issue3 - May/Jun 2004
Blurring the line between function and fashion
As city life relaxes the social mores, the rules for footwear are far less rigidly applied than they were 40 years ago. Trail boots are more or less acceptable anywhere and the athletic shoe in all its forms and guises has become ubiquitous. The requireme
WSA - Issue2 - Summer 2003
Everest: The 50th Anniversary feature
Our special feature explores the equipment used by Hunt’s 1953 expedition.
WSA - Issue2 - Summer 2003
Armoured advance on the ski slopes
With the not-so-young and the very young spending more and more time indulging in snow sports, the perceived necessity for impact protection is likely to affect many an insurance assessment. Technology borrowed from the motorcycle market could save the day and bring down the premiums at the same time. With an upcoming Rugby World Cup in mind, the writer also reports on a new entry into player protection.
WSA - Issue3 - Autumn 2003
Fashion police on patrol
The prospects of television millions – whether the currency is dollars, pounds or euros – has strange side-effects on many aspects of sporting endeavour. In the case of American football they include a regimental attitude to the wearing of uniform that would raise a smile on the face of many a military disciplinarian.
WSA - Issue3 - Autumn 2003
Ultimate materials testing
Seventy-two runners take on the physical conditions of a summer’s day in California’s Death Valley National Park. One man thinks it’s a good idea to test a new pair of performance shoes as well, and at the end he’s still standing – and smiling.
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2004
What about that comfort feeling?
When designers skimp on the materials used at the interface between foot and shoe, that’s when the trouble begin. We examine a wide range of modern footwear for its comfort values – and it’s not all a question of linings and EVA.
WSA - Issue5 - Sept/Oct 2004
Vive la difference
The two sexes have different physiological ways of coping with heat and different requirements in terms of fabrics for moisture management as well as design. An awareness of the differences is growing among the brands and manufacturers. Thermal imaging is now being used to better identify “zones” and create gender-specific variations.
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2005
Waterproof barriers for footwear
Moisture control in footwear has seen tremendous improvements in recent years. It wasn’t all that long ago when keeping feet dry meant compromising comfort. New materials and construction methods have changed to ensure that the properties of staying dry a
WSA - Issue1 - Jan/Feb 2005