ISPO 2022: Asahi Kasei Group celebrates 100 years featuring its key brands ECOSENSOR™, ROICA™ and RespiGard™

Sustainability oriented and technology based, ECOSENSOR™ AW 2024/2025 & SS2024 fabrics enriched this season by high-performance RespiGard™ membrane technology by Polypore

ISPO MUNICH, 28-30 November 2022, Asahi Kasei booth B2-102

2022 is a special time for Asahi Kasei as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. “Asahi Kasei has achieved growth by constantly transforming its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age, and proactively taking challenges in new fields leveraging its capability to change and its diversity. Asahi Kasei culture of open communication and challenging spirit are our precious heritage, embodied in our Group Values of Sincerity, Challenge, and Creativity”.

For the 2022 edition of ISPO Munich, Asahi Kasei Group present its innovation world featuring three of its brands: ECOSENSOR™, ROICA™ and RespiGard™.

ECOSENSOR™ presents 47 new references that meet the needs of the contemporary consumer, such as durability, wellbeing and performance. Being capable of combining active climate control, exquisite touch, lightness and comfort with sustainable values, ECOSENSOR™ stands out as a unique eco-high-tech performance proposition in its market. The collection covers the different market applications with 3 items for INNERWEAR, 1 for OUTERWEAR, 13 for SPORT KNIT and 30 for SPORT WOVENS.

New this season is the application of the RespiGard™ by Polypore unique membrane designed for outdoor apparel. Its innovative pore structure is too small for water droplets to penetrate but features high porosity that allows for airflow and moisture evaporation.

A proprietary and patented products and manufacturing process provide a membrane that:

• Is naturally hydrophobic (repels water)
  

• Has smooth and uniform pores too small for water droplets to penetrate
  

• Features high porosity that allows for airflow and moisture evaporation
  

• Is naturally lightweight due to its high porosity.
  

• Is produced using a solvent-free manufacturing process with a low carbon footprint. The polypropylene-based membrane is recyclable and perfluorocarbon (PFC) free.
  

In order to show at best the performances and possible applications of the fabrics made with RespiGard™, ECOSENSOR™ will feature at its ISPO space an ad hoc created outfit by the outerwear brand ZEROBARRACENTO https://zerobarracento.com[P:

Furthermore, the majority of ECOSENSOR™ fabrics are made with sustainable ingredients which are certified by international certifications such as GRS and RCS through a traceable and transparent production process and supply chain.

100% of the stretch articles (representing 35% of the collection) are made with ROICA™ EF by Asahi Kasei, the recycled stretch yarn made from pre-consumer materials.

Even the dyeing and finishing phases - key moments for performancewear - have been certified by international labels such as bluesign® or OEKO-TEX® Standard 100.

Focusing on a selection of the most interesting fabrics of the collection, we can find:

ESS1-04824-H3LR-W

3 layers woven fabric with great wind and water-resistance performances. Entirely made with GRS certified polyamide it has a very “velvet touch” and it’s an example on how our sustainability can match technical specifications

ES1-A7890-MAC

Crispy. Stretchy. Versatile. This outerwear fabric it’s made with 90% recycled polyamide and 10% ROICA™ EF, the recycled stretch yarn.

ESS2-13584

This knitted fabric emulate the famous “seersucker”. Bright colours and crispy hand complete the peculiarities of this item that is made by recycled polyester and SOLOTEX™*: a partially bio-based yarn that enhances the sustainable credentials of this fabric.

ESS2-23865

Circular knitted, this item is made with recycled polyester and it finds its major applications in “comfort sportwear”. Despite the super-soft touch and great aesthetics, this fabric has excellent anti-abrasion qualities achieving 30,000 times in the famous Martindale test.

ESS2-31440-2

Another 100% recycled polyester knitted fabrics by ECOSENSOR™ that has been realized using a very particular technique and machineries. It’s kntted by double raschel machine allowing to “split” and separate the two “faces” of the fabrics achieving a fake-brushed effect.

Behind the new collection stands an outstanding story of performance and responsibility. “Our global team is yet again determined to innovate with a responsible approach, in order to develop solutions that meet high-performance standards as well as the transparency and traceability of both the ingredients and the supply chain.” affirms Mr. Hashimoto, Senior Managing Director of Asahi Kasei Advance, the global materials innovator and manufacturer.