IO_Winter21

Inside Outdoor | WINTER 2021 10 F leece fabrics were a huge and immediate success upon hitting the outdoor market in the late 1970s, when folks including Doug Hoschek and compa- nies such as Malden Mills pioneered Polarfleece in the once-noble attempt to build apparel that was lighter weight, faster drying and highly washable. Since that time, however, problems with pilling, abrasion resis- tance and, most recently and argu- ably most significantly, problematic levels of microplastic pollution have challenged supplies to develop fur- ther improvements. One such development comes by way of Toray’s Karuishi, a knit textile that the company claims, “repre- sents the most significant improve- ment to date in the fleece fabric cat- egory.” Originally introduced in 2017 to premium performance wear mar- kets, Karuishi offers a more durable face than traditional fleece fabrics, thereby resisting pilling and abrasion without surface treatments or resins. In turn, it produces “a remarkably lower level of microplastic shed- ding in comparison to other leading fleece products,” said Toray. Toray’s testing labs repeatedly washed samples of Karuishi, as well as competitive fleece, including a leading stretch fleece, and the lint shed by each fabric was collected and compared. “The results were dramatic,” said Toray. “Karuishi fleece showed far less microplastic shedding, especially after repeated washings.” To create Karuishi, Toray devel- oped a novel knitting construction that creates a high-volume, two-layer structure, resulting in a higher loft without increasing weight. This knit- ting method allows Toray to use varia- tions of yarns on the face and back, creating fabrics with different perfor- mance characteristics without using glues or laminates. Outdoor brands currently incorpo- rating Karuishi into their outerwear collections include Kuiu, Patagonia, Simms and Stio. As brands become more responsive to consumer de- mand for more environmentally re- sponsible products, expect to see more products using Karuishi in the coming seasons. Toray Fleece Tackles Microplastic Problem Ingredients Cumulative Micro-ShedWeight Number ofWashings Source: Toray Labs 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 0 2 4 6 Karuishi Leading stretch fleece Weight (mg) Fleece Micro-shed Weight Comparison Fabric 1 Wash 2 Washes 3-5 Washes Karuishi 3.8 mg 1.2 mg 1.6 mg Leading stretch fleece 9.1 mg 6.2 mg 12.3 mg