Invista, one of the world’s largest integrated producers of polymers and fibers, showcased its performance credentials at Performance Days in Munich, and held a series of informative and educational workshops for the first time to provide guidance on cooling and compression fabrics across its COOLMAX® and LYCRA® SPORT brands.

The workshops, by Huw Williams, Global Segment Director Activewear & Outdoor and Simon Whitmarsh-Knight, EMEA Accounts Director Activewear and Outdoor from Invista Apparel, highlighted common problems and misconceptions around cooling and compression fabrics, the importance of testing and understanding consumer needs, as well as market insights into the move away from fabric ‘wicking’ towards ‘cool and dry’ and the different types of compression.

According to Simon Whitmarsh-Knight, consumers expect more from their active outfits/sports gear but not everything that stretches is necessarily made with LYCRA® fiber and not all performance fabrics are created equal. We have a clear set of standards and rigorously test fibers and fabrics specifically for performance sports use ensuring any garment featuring our branded hangtag will deliver high performance and consistent quality without compromising any dimension of comfort.

The workshops also outlined key trends in the performance sector with athleisure and commuter wear trends driving the need for garments to perform beyond the gym, creating greater demand for fabrics offering cool and dry moisture management, compression and soft shaping.