A first breathable retro-reflective fabric from JRC-Reflex
Retro-reflective materials developer JRC-Reflex has unveiled a new breathable fabric called Air Stripe, describing it as an advanced retro-reflective material for the sports and athleisure markets.
This is the first breathable material that JRC-Reflex has added to its range. Chief executive, Céline Cugerone, said the company had taken this step in response to “long-standing requests from our activewear brand customers in running and cycling who were looking for a retro-reflective fabric offering advanced breathability”.
She said Air Strip offered safety in low-light conditions, elasticity and breathability and would fill a gap in the market for retro-reflective fabrics. She added that its breathability would also speed up the drying times.
Until now the company has embedded the glass microbeads that it uses to reflect light in a coating. The coating ensures that the fabric or trimming will withstand wear and maintain high quality performance over time.
For Air Stripe, its in-house research and development laboratory in Bergamo has developed a new process that applies the microbeads in fine lines, letting air pass through the non-coated portions of the fabric. This has the added benefit of making the fabric lighter in weight by 30%.
