Sportswear is all about Functional Fabrics, so that the garment can help improve the comfort and performance of the wearer.
When we perform any physical activity, our body undergoes various physiological changes to keep itself comfortable. Sweating during exercise is one of them, so that the body can get cool and maintain its average temperature of 37’C. Among the other challenges faced in sports are bad odour of sweat, protection from micro-organisms like Virus, Bacteria, Fungi, protection from harmful Sun rays, uneasiness due to polyester fabric, etc. which have not been addressed holistically.
All these years the market has been offering only Wicking and Anti Static function to the consumers, primarily due to the cost associated with each additional function. But functions like UPF, Anti Odour, Anti Viral, Qmax, etc., are highly important
“Hexarel – Graphene Enabled Fabrics” is a revolution in the Sportswear Industry, wherein the 6 most required properties for Sportswear are achieved by a single finish.
Graphene is an allotrope of carbon, from the Graphite family which is in a Hexagonal shape. A single layer of Graphite, which is an atom thick sheet like structure is called as Graphene and is a Green material, derived from natural sources.
Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov at the University of Manchester, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 for their research on this material, and henceforth has found commercial application in various high-tech industries. Graphene has been proven to be the strongest material
ever made in human history, and at the same time is Highly Conductive, Flexible and Light as well.
“HexaRel” is a patented technology of Reliance Industries Limited, which addresses the core needs of the Sportswear/ Activewear user.
Now lets take a look at the 6 core functions that are provided by HexaRel – Graphene enabled fabrics :
- QMax Cool Touch – Graphene conducts heat and electricity very efficiently, giving the fabric a Qmax Cool rating of 0.15w/cm2(Dry) and 0.37w/cm2(Wet). It enables the fabric to be cooler, when it is dry or wet, and helps transfer the body heat to the environment quickly.
- UPF Sun Protection : Sports is mostly about being outdoors, so protection from the harmful Ultra Violet Rays (UPF) has become extremely important. With a high UPF protection, the fabric is well suited for Sportwear applications.
- Anti Odour – Sweat gives rise to bacteria, which are able to grow very fast on Polyester materials compared to cottons. Due to this Polyester garments tend to develop a bad odour on use. The Atomically thin sharp edges of graphene tear down the microorganisms and kill them on contact. Hence the Anti Microbial properties of Graphene, does not allow the bad smell producing bacteria to stay on the fabric, and keeps it feeling fresh.
- Anti Viral – Graphene acts like a sword, and kills most Virus, Bacterial and Fungus. With an Antiviral rating of AATCC 100 > 99.99%, it is also being tested against the Corona virus. As people are moving out for their physical well being, fabrics with Anti Viral properties are quite effective.
- Sweat Wicking – The Hexagonal shape of graphene, provides it a high Moisture Wicking capability which is important to move sweat away from the body. Tested as per AATCC 197 standards it is able to wick 2in in 3 min and upto 5in in 30mins. Actually it is able to absorb the sweat within a second, and keeps it dry.
- Anti Static : As polyesters tend to have a high Static charge, Anti Static properties are highly desired by the wearer. As per AATCC 115, there is Nil clinging observed in this fabric.
Along with these functions, the HexaRel fabric also has a good handfeel, bounce, dullness, and all the above functions have been tested to withstand atleast 30 washes.
We all understand that truly any Sportswear must have these key functions, to improve the comfort and performance of the user. Currently the industry is not being able to offer all these functions in their garment, primarily because of the additional cost of each chemical treatment. But as this
revolutionary technology combines all these functions in a single treatment, it becomes very cost effective and suitable.
This is the biggest technological shift that has been seen in Sportswear fabric in recent years, and brands who choose to adapt to this early, shall be the winners.
We at Positex (a unit of Pashupati Overseas LLP) have been striving to get you the best in Sportswear, since our inception in 2005. Specialising in the field of Fabrics for Sportswear, Jackets and Outdoor wear we have been working with most Garment Brands and their Garment Manufacturers in the Indian market. In collaboration with Reliance Industries Ltd., are glad to launch this revolutionary technology in India to help the Indian consumer to get the best the world has to offer. Under the initiative of
“Chemistry for Smiles” Reliance Petrochemicals is providing the patented technology of Graphene to the industry, to benefit from its various applications and properties.
Understanding the needs of the Sportswear industry with its 15 years of experience, Positex has launched various fabrics to suit the needs of the consumer in Knits and Wovens category.
Serving you with an experienced & committed team, we are prepared to cater to your requirements, through our main office at New Delhi, and associate offices at Bengaluru, Mumbai & Ludhiana.
For a detailed understanding and presentation feel free to get in touch with us at info@pashupatioverseas.com or call us at +91-9311197995 or visit us at www.positex.in
