New clothing technology gets US tills ringing

NEW YORK - High-performance fabrics that insulate and are stain-proof are pumping up profits of apparel companies.

Once confined mainly to the sporting goods department, technologically embellished fabrics are now found in khaki pants, Oxford shirts, ties and even suits.

Some are wrinkle-free or odour-resistant. Others let body heat escape while keeping water out.

Some keep out the sun and still others keep bugs away. Next up: fabrics that resist static cling.

With clothing sales largely stagnant in recent years and retailers battling pricing pressures, apparel-makers are scrambling for ways to spur sales.

"Why do you need another pair of khakis? Unless they don't fit or they're worn out, you don't need another pair," Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group said. "If it does something different, it's going to give you a reason to buy it."

Cohen estimates that 25 per cent of all fashion apparel will use some form of technology by 2010, up from about 7 per cent now.

"We live in a world where apparel competes with electronics for a share of consumers' wallets.

"If apparel and other products like home furnishings aren't doing more than just sitting there looking nice, it's not good enough."

Textile manufacturing is getting more sophisticated, with some apparel-makers embedding treatments directly into fibres or coating fabrics with chemicals that bond to them on a molecular level.

Gap's Old Navy brand is selling stain-repellent pants, shorts and shirts for boys. J.C. Penney has introduced a wool-blend man's suit that can be machine-washed and tumble-dried and Jos A Bank Clothiers recently introduced a wool-blend summer-weight suit that draws out heat to keep the wearer cool.

Donn Tice, chief executive of Nano-Tex, which develops and markets treated fabrics, said retailers could charge US$3 to US$10 ($4.10 to $13.70) more per item for clothing with extra properties like these.

And consumers are willing to pay. Nano-Tex, a unit of International Textile, says it has seen 60 per cent annual growth in a specific line after adding treatment.

- REUTERS