Teijin nanofibre used in New Balance socks
Japanese fibre producer Teijin Fibres has announced that it is supplying its high-strength polyester nanofiber Nanofront for use in running socks made by US-based sports brand New Balance. The socks are being marketed by New Balance Japan and sold in its directly owned shops in Tokyo and Osaka, as well as other sports retail stores from January 2012.
Nanofront is used in most of the sock, except the toe, heel and cuff. Frictional force, one of Nanofront’s properties, creates outstanding slip resistance to help prevent the sock from sliding inside a shoe, thereby reducing blisters and shoe sores. Nanofront also has high absorbency for added comfort.
Nanofront is a high-strength polyester fibre with a thickness of 700 nanometers (7,500 times thinner than a strand of hair). Teijin’s proprietary ‘island-in-sea’ composite spinning technology eliminates the problem of unstable quality associated with conventional mass-produced nanofibres, the fibre company claims. Nano-sized bumps on the surface of Nanofront raise frictional force and produce a surface area greater than that of regular fibre, giving the material enhanced slip resistance. The fibre is also soft, stretchable and boasts excellent absorbency and opaqueness.
Nanofront is also used in shoelaces made by New Balance Japan. Teijin Fibres started commercial production of Nanofront in 2008 and has been developing applications in areas such as innerwear, sportswear and industrial materials.
