NexTex Innovations recently partnered with Optimer Brands, innovator of drirelease®, to launch a TurboDry® drirelease® fabric collection. The collection, which utilizes drirelease® wool, received a great response at the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show and lays the foundation for deeper collaboration with Optimer Brands in the future. We were fortunate to sit down with Lee Thompson, Eastern North America Business Development, Optimer Brands, to get his take on our brand collaboration, which we are happy to share in the Q & A below.
What brought Optimer Brands and NexTex Innovations together in the development of the new TurboDry® drirelease® fabric collection?
The leadership of both companies has always had a strong relationship where the door for collaboration is always open. One of the key principles of the TurboDry technology is letting the yarns’ inherent performance shine. Drirelease was also founded upon this principle of leveraging inherent wicking and fast-drying properties. As one of the only yarn technologies on the market that optimizes comfort without the use of chemistry, drirelease allows fibers to do what they do best, naturally. This shared philosophy of “built-in, not dipped-in” is what brought these two technologies together.
What do you look for when choosing to collaborate with a textile technology developer?
It can be summed up in two words, relationship and solution. As a company, Optimer Brands is a solutions provider. Our reason for being is to provide solutions that solve our customers’ problems and help them meet their goals. We regularly look beyond our company and expertise to build a best-fit solution. When choosing a collaboration partner, we are not only looking to build a solution, but also a strong relationship with common interests.
Other than consumer demand for more sustainable materials, are you noticing any new trends in textile developments, and if so, can you please share?
Natural content and feel are not new trends but are trends that continue to be more important. The growth is probably in part due to the sustainability push. Consumers and makers of apparel are trending toward softer and more natural feeling fabrics in almost every category. By utilizing natural fibers like cotton, wool and hemp for its wicking power, and partly for its natural aesthetic, drirelease answers this call. The timing couldn’t be better for the collection.
What is new and exciting on the horizon for drirelease®?
As a solutions provider of comfort, Optimer Brands is always working hard on innovation that improves the comfort and performance of a wide range of textiles. Our DRICOMFORT® GEO is a new technology that accelerates the drying of filament polyester fabrics. Its naturally conductive nature uses the heat from the skin to make sweat evaporate faster. GEO is not a chemical additive. It is a natural mineral particle that is infused with the polymer during dyeing to impart inherent wicking and fast drying that lasts the life of the garment.
About Optimer Brands
Optimer Brands, the makers of drirelease®, Dricomfort® and OPTIMER® continue as a pioneer in textile technology and literally part of the best performance fabrics and active wear in today’s marketplace. It’s what lets you move more comfortably as you pursue your passions by wicking, drying, cooling and freshening. The best brands and retailers in the world utilize Optimer’s expertise, sophisticated fabrics, smart performance and eco-friendly advances. As a company, Optimer Brands is committed to its promise of comfort. Whether it’s high-performance athletic wear, fashion, lifestyle, underwear, outerwear, socks, or even bedding, we bring you comfort as you move through your day.