MUNICH – Recycling is now playing key role in the production of technical high quality snowboard fashion, with beer cans, fishing nets and reusable EPS foam from the automobile industry just a few of the products being incorporated into the textile products that can be found on display at the winter ISPO show which draws to a close in Germany this week. Manufacturers are also increasingly willing to experiment, using, for example, PLA (polylactic acid) sourced from corn as an impact-resistant material for helmets. Ecotextile News reports from Munich.
Other trends from Munich include the growing use of merino wool – its use in undergarments, for instance, is clearly no longer just for one-off niche products. More and more manufacturers appear to be discovering the benefits of the high quality sheep's wool with its excellent odour neutral and heat and moisture regulation capabilities. Merino wool is also finding popularity in the outerwear sector, and being weaved into durable gabardine, reinforced in strategic areas, turns jackets and pants into suitable outfits. Wool is also increasingly used in outer layers of apparel instead of just in undergarments.
