Interview with Cindy McNaull

Last year, we launched a new range of fibres designed primarily for the development of durable hi-vis knitted and woven fabrics. This high-tenacity polyester fibre range is available in 90 to 1180 dtex and is air-jet textured for enhanced abrasion resistance and tensile-and-tear strength. Finished fabrics made with these qualifying fibres can be printed, laminated or used uncoated. They are suited for products such as outdoor clothing (eg hi-vis work jackets), high performance sportswear and safety footwear. We are excited to see upcoming innovations in this category from our global authorised fabric mills. Additionally, the 2016 ISPO Textrends jury recently recognised 32 fabrics referencing Cordura as top-trending fabrics for the Fall and Winter outdoor markets of 2017-18. These fabrics, with our newest Cordura NYCO Tactical line and Cordura 4Ever Fleece collections, have garnered significant attention from brand customers. We look forward to highlighting the latest durable product launches using these cutting-edge technologies in the near future.

For more than 45 years, Cordura fabrics have provided enhanced protection, durability and comfort. Our goal is to provide high-performance protective solutions that inspire designers and product developers to create functional and differentiated solutions for their customers. Historically, our fabrics have been used in military equipment, technical backpacks and other end-uses that require rugged, durable fabrics performing even in the toughest environments. Cordura fabrics are so engineered that they are difficult to tear, abrade or wear out. The brand DNA is built around pushing the boundaries of fabric durability, so we have continued to introduce durable yet lightweight fabrics. One example is our extensive line of Cordura Lite and Lite Plus for use in applications such as bags, packs, luggage and garment reinforcements. This class of fabrics is constructed using Invista's high tenacity airbag fibres and feature nylon 6,6 fibre technology that is stronger than steel. The result is enhanced tensile strength performance for applications where lightweight durability is a must. We have launched apparel-focused fabric technologies like Cordura Denim, Cordura Canvas and Cordura Naturalle fabrics, with our most recent additions, Cordura Combat Wool and Cordura 4Ever Fleece. These are designed to be worn next-to-skin and offer stylish comfort as well as durable, long-lasting performance.

In keeping with our core mission of 'Durable Fabrics for Durable People', our innovations are targeted towards end-use applications where durability is required and where there is a demand for products with long-lasting performance. Cordura fabrics can be used in a wide variety of product applications, and we are always looking to push the durable limits of fibre and fabric technologies. We recognise that traditional boundaries are changing, and maximum versatility is a must. So, we experiment with new ingredients and technologies which focus on solutions that enhance the user experience. One such example is our latest, the Denim Alchemy collection. These fabrics take inspiration from seemingly magical process of alchemy - transformation, creation and combination. These are technical denims conjured from carefully crafted blends of natural and manmade fibres to deliver stylish, versatile, yet high-performance solutions. For this collection, we have combined our original, powerful, strong, hardwearing denim with new offerings with moisture management, quick-dry and temperature regulation capabilities, enhanced stretch and recovery functionality and softness of Lyocell fibre. Rugged yet smooth, durable and lightweight, tough but comfortable, this is the new generation of Cordura denim, exploring the past to reinvent the future. Fabrics in the Denim Alchemy collection are available from: 1. Artistic Milliners 2. Advance Denim 3. Samtex

We are pleased to work with a great network of broad and diverse brand customers that value durability and performance. Some exciting new adoptions we are seeing include: - Levi's Commuter Series powered by Cordura fibre technology for enhanced durability - 5.11 XPRT Uniform featuring our new No Melt, No Drip Cordura NYCO Tactical ripstop fabric - The North Face Surge and Borealis packs made with Cordura Lite fabric - Ebags Ultralight Packing Cubes featuring Cordura Ultralite fabric - Mountain Hardwear Stretchstone Jean with Cordura denim fabric - Helly Hansen workwear featuring Cordura Classic fabric - Reebok Crossfit apparel featuring Cordura Naturalle and Cordura Baselayer fabric technologies

We are always evolving and innovating. From the brand's 1000D classic fabric roots, we have expanded our portfolio to include 14 different technologies such as our latest power knits, high-performance multifunctional denim, twill and canvas fabrics and our newest Cordura 4Ever Fleece launch. Designed to take on life's battles, our recently expanded collection of Cordura Combat Wool fabrics offer the comfort and aesthetics of wool with the durability of nylon. Made with Merino wool and nylon 6,6 fibre technologies in a variety of styles and constructions, options include base layer or mid-layer knits, double face wovens, canvas, ripstop, twills, dobby and stretch wovens. As we push the boundaries of durable fabric innovation, many possibilities open up for us to work with global authorised mills to explore new avenues for integration of high-performance fibres, fabrics, coatings and constructions.

Our recent market research indicates that consumers value performance, and durability is a key driver. Ultimately, performance means value. Additionally, our study shows that consumers are willing to pay more for products with higher performance attributes. In both workwear and outdoor segments, the top three desirable attributes were durability, comfort and quality. Respondents attribute durability primarily to fibre and fabric content.