Eschler’s ice innovations
Swiss knitwear specialist Eschler will provide the fabric for many of the suits worn at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver (February 12-28).
The company supplies fabric to brands such as Nike and Descente, which produce speed-skating racing gear for some of the world’s top athletes. Nike engineers the suits for the US, Dutch and South Korean national teams, while Descente provides suits for the Japanese and Canadian squads.
Four different Eschler fabrics are used in a single speed-skating suit. The one-suit system uses durable and cut-resistant fabric in critical zones specified by the International Skating Union (ISU). Tight compression material on the thighs helps reduce muscle vibration and support muscle movement, while behind the knee and on the inner thigh, thin, durable fabric is employed. Mesh inserts are also used to improve moisture management and ventilation. The materials have been trialled in a range of laboratory and wind-tunnel tests to ensure they are aerodynamic as this can make a massive difference at competition level.
