Hong Kong's Stealth to launch seam welding tech in April

The welding process uses no stitching, no external heat and no glue, making performance wear 50 per cent stronger, 90 per cent warmer, half the thickness of traditional seams, and enables lightweight fabrics to be welded without damage, the company said in a media release.

Stealth’s revolutionary technology is masterminded by two manufacturing experts; Richard Strompf, also an outdoor adventurer, and chemical engineer Karl Lu who share a common belief that outdoor and performance wear has a major problem – it’s stitched.

Despite the rapid evolution of performance fabrics over the last decade, many manufacturing technology processes that promise protection against the elements are failing through; weak seams allowing seeping water and air, weak glue that delaminates over time and heat damage through the application of tape.

“Since the sewing machine was invented almost 200 years ago, there has been no significant robust alternative to seam construction – until now. Stealth uses a patented sonic and high-frequency process capable of welding a choice of synthetic based materials derived from virgin, recycled or bio (plant based) sources. Across apparel, outdoor gear and tents, Stealth’s new welded seam technology provides endless possibilities for performance brands to create game-changing performance products,” the release added.

Karl Lu, inventor of Stealth, said, “There’s too much outdoor gear today that fails after only a few seasons - we wanted to create performance products that last. We know that 80 per cent of the climate impact happens in manufacturing, so making durable gear that lasts longer is key in our sustainability efforts.”

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)