Under Armour develops own fibre-shed test
Sports brand Under Armour, headquartered in Baltimore, has developed an in-house testing method for measuring the fibre-shed rate of fabrics.
The company is already using the methodology to help it assess and reject textiles, both before and during product development, it said. Ultimately, the goal is for 75% of the fabrics it uses to be made of “low-shed materials” by 2030.
High-shed fabrics in existing lines will either be redeveloped or discontinued following testing, Under Armour explained, while newer textiles not yet part of its ranges will not progress to product development, if found to have a significant propensity to shed.
Mechanical finishes and potentially shed-reducing yarn formations will be considered when redeveloping fabrics, the company added. Its testing method will further shape work to find an optimal balance between fabric durability and comfort, particularly as high-shed materials are typically softer, but less durable.
“Our strategy focuses on working to help address the root causes of shedding, starting with the ability to measure it,” shared Under Armour Materials Lab senior manager, Jeremy Strangeland.
“Through ongoing efforts to redevelop high-shed fabrics to shed less, or avoid them entirely, we are leveraging our skills to positively impact our industry and communities.”
The brand’s senior vice-president of innovation, Kyle Blakely, said that articles with a resultingly "improved" shed rate, yet still “high-performance”, could reach the market as soon as next year.
Under Armour called its methodology complementary, but different, to existing fibre-shed tests, such as that released several years ago by the Microfibre Consortium, of which it is a member.
Image via Unsplash. Credit: Brandon Erlinger-Ford.
