Polartec moves up a gear
Cycling brands are among early adopters of bio-based nylon-containing Power Shield, which also incorporates a new construction to make it Polartec’s most waterproof and breathable technology yet.
A few seconds can make all the difference to a professional cyclist, and so it is imperative their clothing keeps them streamlined, supported and comfortable. UK-based brand Le Col counts English road and track specialists Bradley Wiggins and Victoria Pendleton among its ambassadors, as part of what it bills as one of the widest testing and development networks in cycling. These top-level athletes put all its new products and designs — manufactured in a company-owned factory in Treviso, Italy — through their paces on the toughest of circuits.
At the start of the year, Le Col released a collection made with Polartec’s Power Shield, a revamped and redesigned collection that substitutes half the virgin nylon with a bio-based version without impacting performance. In fact, the US fabric developer describes it as its “most capable and versatile waterproof and breathable technology yet”.
The membrane it created for Power Shield uses Biolon, a renewable, non-genetically modified plant-based nylon, at a blend of around 48% bio-nylon and 52% virgin nylon. This reduces its carbon footprint by about 50%, says Polartec, which ran trials on various bio options for several years before bringing this product to market.
Karen Beattie, director of product management at Polartec, tells WSA there are several reasons it went down the bio route: “First, we wanted to look beyond the bottle, to have other sources of sustainable materials besides recycled PET bottles,” she says. “Second, we were looking for a more sustainable nylon and were not seeing anything at the time that measured up to the gold-standard performance of a nylon 6,6 for durability. Taking the bio route for nylon solved the durability problem.”
Durability is one of the most important attributes in this category of fabrics, which must stand up to challenging weather conditions but remain flexible and breathable. One of the most important things Polartec can do is to make fabrics that last a long time, Ms Beattie adds. “It has been a guiding principle, even before anyone was talking about sustainability. We spent a lot of time making sure that substituting bio-based inputs would not jeopardise product performance and quality before going down this path.”
Molecular diffusion
In addition to adding bio content, Polartec was determined to create offerings that performed better than before. To this end, it developed a new fabric construction that uses molecular diffusion, rather than micropores, to move out water vapour while maintaining a barrier against droplets: protecting against wet weather but transporting sweat from the skin to the surface. The construction also means it cannot lose effectiveness via clogged pores. This type of technology is not new, but rather a membrane that can layer within technical fabric and withstand stretching, washing and the abuse of outdoor sport is, it says.
The end result is Polartec’s first waterproof fabric to test greater than 20,000mm in the Hydrostatic Pressure Test for Waterproofness and 20,000g/m2/24h NVTR, Moisture Vapor Transmission Rating for breathability. The membrane can be paired with a wide range of fabrics, from stretch to wovens, to low-snag and high-stretch knits.
The combination of the membrane and the new construction also meant Polartec did not need any PFAS-based water repellents that are often used in the industry for their high performance but which are linked to environmental concerns. “That’s the major sustainable advantage, in addition to the carbon footprint savings that we get from replacing fossil fuels,” adds Ms Beattie.
Brand R&D
In January, Le Col released four designs containing the Biolon-containing Power Shield: Hors Categorie Jacket II, the Pro Jacket, the Pro All Weather Jersey and the Pro All Weather Gilet. The brand’s product developer, Hannah Greenshield, said they “couldn’t be happier” with the benefits: “Not having to sacrifice performance in the pursuit of more sustainable products is a fantastic result.”
It is not the only cycling brand to have selected the membrane. Italy’s Santini has also worked with Polartec for several years. It produces around 6,000 items per day from its factory in Bergamo and is the official producer of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) racewear and merchandise. It has used the new Power Shield for its Adapt Shell short-sleeved shirt/ jacket and the Adapt Multi jacket.
“Many of our Power Shield fabrics have industry-leading stretch and extremely high breathability, in addition to being waterproof,” says Ms Beattie of the fabric’s suitability for the cycling sector. “That combination of enabling the construction of aero-dynamic garments without restricting rider movement, and enabling rider comfort through great breathability, works exceptionally well for a high aerobic sport like cycling.”
It is not just cycling brands that are adopting the development. Polartec has also updated the nylon in its Power Stretch Pro with 50% Biolon, which has attracted names including Houdini Sportswear. At ISPO Munich in November, the Swedish company announced the next evolution of the Power Houdi will feature this fabric. Several outdoor brands are also trialling Biolon-containing products, with a view of introducing them in autumn-winter 2024 and spring-summer ‘25 collections.
Pump up the volume
Work continues on the sustainability front. In the past 12 months, Polartec unveiled a new type of fleece that is engineered to resist breaking and rubbing off during home laundering. Polartec claims Shed Less Fleece releases up to 85% fewer fibre fragments through a combination of yarn construction, knitting, chemistry and manufacturing techniques. At the start of this year, it also announced a partnership with Must Had, a software provider that helps companies find a second life for excess inventory. One of the first examples, by upcycling designer Ilaria Ferrari, is a collection of blankets, scarves and hair bands made from discarded Polartec fabrics.
Ms Beattie says the company is not resting on any laurels, with more bio-nylon announcements due and a continuous desire to improve. “While our new technology mixes 50% of Biolon plant-based nylon with fossil fuel-sourced nylon, we are actively in research and development to pump up that volume, with an end goal of 100% replacement of extractive fossil fuel resources, and go all plant-based.”
Le Col is a British cycling brand founded by ex-professional cyclist Yanto Barker in 2011. It has used Polartec’s products for several years and has brought four designs to market featuring Biolon.
Credit: Le Col
