Polartec, supplier of innovative and sustainable textile solutions, has announced the winners of its 2019 Polartec Apex Awards, an annual design award program celebrating the best products made from Polartec fabrics. The winning products were selected ‘based on skilled and creative uses of Polartec fabric technologies’.
At OutDoor by ISPO this summer, CEO Gary Smith told me, “Young people have grown with technical efficiency and now the expectation is that their apparel not only has to look good but it’s got to work; work in an active setting and a lifestyle setting too. You can’t just sell something on status anymore and charge a premium price. It’s got to work. What we’re seeing is the coming together of outdoor, sport, athletic, urban and fashion – there are no lines anymore.
“With young people it’s all just apparel or footwear and it either works or it doesn’t. If you look at the consumer, they are wearing athletic and outdoor brands. It’s about what their apparel does for them; they want it to keep them warm, dry, safe and cool. In a nutshell, it needs to work but it also needs to look good, feel good and be versatile.”
Here are a few which caught my eye and imagination.
66ºNorth x Ganni Kria NeoShell Jacket, a collaboration merging Icelandic technical know-how with Danish style, referencing 66ºNorth’s first outdoor performance jacket from the 90s, with Polartec® NeoShell®, the most breathable waterproof fabric.
Bally Super Smash Techno Jacket, a masterpiece of three Polartec technologies––Polartec® NeoShell® breathable waterproof exterior, military-grade Polartec® Alpha® insulation, and cosy Polartec micro fleece lining––from the Swiss fashion brand.
Crazy Idea T-Shirt Delta Woman, a technical shirt from the Italian ski touring company, designed for summer training, with Polartec® Delta™ cooling fabric.
Diadora N9000 H Leo Colacicco, a challenging, innovative version of Diadora’s original running shoe, with a striking Polartec® Thermal Pro® shearling fleece upper and nubuck details.
Dudley Stephens Ashford Poncho, an elegant poncho, able to be thrown over the shoulders and zipped for an easy, warm and chic look, made of a Polartec® Thermal Pro® fleece with a curly pile aesthetic.
Giro Emerge, Jackson, Range, Union, Vue and Zone MIPS, premium snow helmets lined with Polartec® Power Grid® fabric for ultimate fit, moisture management and temperature regulation.
LC23 Coat Thermal Pro, a smart ‘trench coat’ made of a Polartec® Thermal Pro® fleece with a sweater knit aesthetic, from the emerging Italian fashion label.
No Bull Soft Shell Jacket, a versatile full-zip hooded jacket made of highly breathable and water-resistant Polartec® Power Shield® Pro fabric for comfort throughout a wide range of conditions and activity levels, from the athletic training brand.
Santini Adapt Bib Tight, Vega Multi Jacket, Alpha Baselayer, and Alpha Under Gloves, advanced cold weather cycling solutions including a bib tight made of a new compression version of Polartec® Power Wool™, baselayers and under-gloves made of only Polartec® Alpha® Direct insulation, and a jacket made of Polartec® Power Shield® Pro, all providing exceptional breathability, moisture management and thermoregulation in diverse climatic conditions from the Italian cycling brand.
Traynor On The Trail 