HIGH TECH THREADS
By Mary Peers

Sometime in the not too distant future society will look back on the performance clothing of the twentieth century with amazement, and wonder at the individuals who attempted to withstand the elements clad in pre Gore-Tex or Thinsulate fabrics.  Truth of the matter is, the chasm between fashion and performance apparel was wide in the first half of the twentieth century.  You could chose to look cute and suffer frostbite, or enter the wilderness prepared, stuffed into the lumpy folds of your gargantuan expedition parka with the very serious potential of suffering exhaustion from the weight of your clothes!  Fortunately, in 1978, 3M introduced Thinsulate insulation, and W.L.Gore & Associates stepped forward with Gore-Tex, a waterproof yet breathable fabric guaranteed to keep you dry.  Outerwear able to protect one from the elements changed drastically over the next seventeen years, and developed into an entire industry referred to today as Smart Fabric.              

Innovations in outdoor clothing usually feature waterproof/breathable technology that allows fabric to breath: moisture, such as perspiration, can pass out through the fabric while still preventing water from penetrating in.  Three major technologies that allow this are microporous laminates, microporous coatings, and monolithic membranes.  Perspiration, previously trapped within the clothing, would cause the body to overheat and also to cool down too quickly.  These new materials not only eased the comfort level of the individual, but also helped maintain the body’s regulation of heat and cold, thus assisting the athlete.  Columbia Sportswear Company was one of the first to use waterproof/breathable material for their performance apparel.  They also introduced what is referred to as the Columbia Interchange system, in which a shell and the liner are combined to create a variety of options.  

Another area to benefit from new technology was the concept of warmth.  Besides down filling, still one of the favorite protections from cold, there now are new synthetic fills that, although sometimes heavier and bulkier, will not collapse or deflate when wet, as does down fill.  They can also be treated so as to deflect moisture from penetrating and still keep you warm.

Because fabrics can now be targeted to either resist rain, wind, or increase warmth with effective insulation, clothing can be tailored for specific sports, allowing for greater ease of movement or protection from more severe elements such as those experienced in activities like ice climbing, mountaineering, or backcountry sports.  The lighter weight, thinner membrane materials offer tremendous potential.  Long underwear, shirts, pants, gloves and shoes are all benefiting in ways that make the outdoor experience more pleasing even for the weekend enthusiast.  Indeed, the advancement in performance fabric has encouraged more individuals to partake in outdoor activities because of the ease and comfort it facilitates.  And the benefit to serious athletes, and those in the competitive arena, has already been seen in the types of clothing created for swimmers, long distance runners, or speed skaters: for example, materials that reduce drag. 

Yet these smart threads are not confined to sporting enthusiasts alone. The move to lighter weight, durable fabric has facilitated a marriage of fashion and performance wear.  Hi Tech materials are showing up in everyday clothing, enhancing form and function with new age, lightweight apparel guaranteed to withstand the whims of Mother Nature.  And as the technology/textile merger advances, it is increasingly becoming a diverse industry that also focuses on the needs of the military, challenges in the medical community, and space frontier.  These materials, initially created to protect us from the elements, are getting smarter.  Electronic clothing - replete with wires, circuits, and optical fibers - is being developed that has the potential to know how and when to keep you warm, that can glow in the dark, or monitor your heart rate during a workout.  Clothing fitted with position system technology could be used to assist in tracking skiers or hikers lost on the mountain, or help the military.  Other fabrics are being developed that could provide protection against chemical or biological threats.  The development of wireless technology and handheld multi-media devices has facilitated the growth of this industry.  Technology can now be embedded in clothing, patches, scarves, or purses to assist you in your daily life.

This marriage of textiles and electronics is burgeoning worldwide.  Homes and car interiors are other areas we will see benefiting from intelligent fabrics.  Chalkcloth is just such a fabric.  Able to function like a real chalkboard, Chalkcloth is a material that can be sewn into a variety of uses, such as aprons, games, or wall hangings.  It can also adhere to walls, giving freedom to the creative side of anyone at any age then be easily wiped off.

Performance fabrics, born from the demands of sporting enthusiasts, are becoming smarter every day, spreading quickly to fill the needs of countless industries.  Someday you might even be able to have a purse with the ability to tell you that your wallet is not enclosed, a jacket that could whisper your grocery list in your ear, or even a wedding dress that glows in the dark!

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