Sympatex Moisture-Tech 360° Technology, an innovative system of inner soles and linings for footwear, has won the Performance Award for the upcoming Performance Days trade fair. The product is said to have been proven to provide improved micro climate in the shoe.

“Moisture transport in multi-layer laminates is a major subject in the relevant market. The jury was most impressed by the intelligent advanced development by Sympatex, because the concept is well-thought through from yarn to transport system and product implementation,” commented Stefanie Sacherow, Senior Project Manager, Performance Days.

The Performance Award is said to be becoming a prestigious trophy in the world of functional fabrics for sportswear and workwear. After considering all of the Forum entries in the category Innovations, the Performance Forum jury awarded the prize to the most innovative development. All of the other nominated items form the Innovations section at the core of the Performance Forum at the next trade show will take place from 19-21 November at the MTC in Munich. Innovations featured there for the Winter 2015/16 season are all related to the topics warmth, visibility, durability, and moisture transport.

Moisture-Tech 360° from Sympatex

Sympatex has succeeded in providing an intelligent system solution for the problem of moisture in footwear. The new technology for the sports wearand workwear markets is thought to represent added value for the customer.

In addition to the accelerated moisture transport in the area of the shank by the Moisture-Tech lining laminate, the sole inlays is said to ensure a 360° effect. The sole draws the moisture away from the feet or from the socks and temporarily stores it an intermediate layer. The rolling action of the foot creates a ventilation or pumping effect in the channel structure of the sole inlay that transports moisture in the form of water vapour to the shoe shank fitted with Moisture-Tech laminate liners.

Consequently, moisture is transported across the entire shank area to the surface and does not backup in the comfort-relevant zones. This is said to represent the optimal combination of all layers and design elements and the effect is dry feet for the wearer, which has been independently confirmed by EMPA testing.

Visibility

Performance Days exhibitors will also present pioneering new functional technologies in the area of visibility. JRC Reflex, a specialist for retro-reflective materials, has succeeded in embossing three dimensional surfaces through a new production process, which  gives the reflective material a fashionable touch, for example, a crushed look, negative-positive chequered patterns, in reptile prints, or with dots.

Ea Shinn will exhibit a ‘glow in the dark’ material that charges itself when exposed to light, which is then said to illuminate at twilight or dawn or in the dark on its own without requiring any other light source. Such an active form of visibility is especially well suited for athletes who train in the evening hours, the company believes.

Paltex, in addition to the familiar Hi-Vis neon colours, uses reflecting fibres from 3M Scotchlite. It is woven into the fabric and when illuminated, produces a reflective chequered pattern.

Warmth

Two new developments are expected to stand out when it comes to providing warmth to sporty people- by actively producing heat from the yarn alone, without any electric heating elements.

SITIP is introducing its so called ‘BeHot Heat GeneratingTechnology’, which is said to generate heat through the stretching of the fabric. Whenever the fabric is stretched and then released, the molecules rearrange themselves within the yarn, causing sorting of the molecules, which releases heat.

Pontetorto Spa will show its ‘Tecnostretch Fleece’ with EKS fibres from Toyobo. When wet, these fabrics are said to be up to 2°C warmer because they work with the perspiration of the athlete. Instead of transporting the moisture as quickly as possible to the surface to evaporate and provide cooling, the effect here is to use the physical transfer phase to generate heat.

Durability

FOV Fabrics will present a commercial solution for a highly resistant fabric made with Vectran fibres from Kuraray.

The high performance, multi-filament yarn is spun from liquid crystal polymers. According to the manufacturer, Vectran is five times stronger than steel and ten times stronger than aluminium and is said to deliver high durability together with high elasticity, but with very little elongation.

It is resistant to cuts and tears, dampens vibration, retains shape, and absorbs less moisture, the company reports.

www.performancedays.eu