It’s a good day for workout warriors — and their nearby partners-in-sweat. Cotton Incorporated recently announced its alliance with PurThread. Under the union, cotton knit and woven fabrics will have its antimicrobial technology embedded, which protects against odor-causing bacteria.
PurThread has cultivated technology that integrates EPA-registered recycled silver salts into staple fiber and filament yarn at the extrusion level, according to the announcement. “This lends permanent fabric protection from odor-causing bacteria, mold, mildew and fungus, yielding antimicrobial benefits that do not wash away or wear off for the life of the fabric,” the company said. In even better news for brands and retailers: The technology does not affect physical properties or the characteristics of the fabric. It provides uniform colors while enforcing antiodor properties.
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“Consumers know and love cotton, and they have come to expect performance technologies like odor control in their athletic apparel. The continued growth of the ath-leisure category creates an ideal opportunity to expand established athletic apparel performance technologies to additional categories, such as denim,” explained Mark Messura, Cotton Inc. senior vice president of global supply chain marketing. The fabrics created through this collaboration maintain the look and feel of cotton and add long-lasting antiodor properties. The PurThread technology is effective and does not impact fabric design.”
Ath-leisure items are in a moment of upgrade and revamping — its permanence and popularity among consumers has installed new technology and enhancements at the forefront of the textile industry. “Blending PurThread with cotton to offer permanent antimicrobial protection offers tangible benefits — apparel can be worn for longer periods of time between washings, helping to reduce water consumption, and energy usage,” said Lisa Grimes, chief executive officer of PurThread Technologies.
Sustainability-minded Millennials are the same consumer set who might venture to wear leggings on a flight or to a college class, let alone a workout. This marks the revenue growth possibility across micro-categories under the ath-leisure umbrella.
More on Ath-leisure from WWD:
Ath-leisure Clad, Sustainably Aware Consumers Catapult Wool Industry