Hot new sports and leisure brand will help industry keep cool - Printwear & Promotion – garment decoration and promotional clothing/merchandise news & information

Hot new sports and leisure brand will help industry keep cool

Published: 01 October, 2007

A new sports and leisurewear clothing brand for the promotional and print wear sector called Coolactive has been launched by the group behind premium performance fabric Coolmax. Originally developed to meet the needs of top class athletes, the Coolmax brand has been well established in the sports and retail sector for the last 17 years and is used in the manufacture of sportswear, leisurewear, workwear and underwear.

Leading sports companies Nike, Adidas and Puma have, in the past, used the fabric in their garments and Coolactive recently supplied T-shirts using the Coolmax fabric to investment bank JP Morgan for its charity run, which it said the athletes were thrilled with.

The new Coolactive brand has been launched following the success of the Coolmax fabric in other markets. “We spotted a gap in this market for everyday and sports wear garments using our intelligent fabrics,” said Coolactive business development manager Richard Nyman.

The use of the Coolmax performance fabric would be unique in this market and would set Coolactive apart from other brands, said Nyman. He explained: “Coolmax is a high-tech fabric specifically and uniquely engineered to keep users dry and comfortable.

“Coolmax fabrics are made from specially engineered polyester fibres with an increased surface area. This special four- or six-channel fibre forms a transport system that pulls moisture away from the skin to the outer layer of the fabric. It then dries that moisture faster than any other fabric and thermoregulates the body.”

Initially the range will include Tshirts, sweatshirts, vests, polo shirts, hoodies and rugby shirts as well performance sportswear and schoolwear, with more items being added over time. It will be available through UK distributors, from stock held in the UK.

“Coolactive is a high performance brand developed with value in mind, which uses the unique fabrics of Coolmax and Thermolite,” said Nyman. “This is unique for the print wear and promotional industry – we are in the strong position of owning the technology and producing the fabric, which is why we can be so competitive on price.”

The Coolmax range is available now and the Thermolite range, which keeps you warm yet lets the sweat evaporate, will be launched in the coming months.

“We are one of the world’s leading licensing groups supplying, manufacturing and distributing the product categories of home, textiles, lifestyle apparel and men’s, women’s and children’s wear,” said Nyman.

“Unlike many other groups, we fully own and control the procurement processes needed to deliver products of high quality.

“Our portfolio of brands includes Hobbs Home, BHPC Home and Menswear, Beverley Hills Polo Club Home and Menswear, the Organic Cotton Company, Oliver & Dickinson Home and Menswear and F1.”

Amongst other activities, the group is one of the biggest suppliers of yarn and grey cloth in Europe and is also a branded home textile manufacturer.

More details on the new brand will feature in the November issue of Printwear & Promotion.

For more information go to www.coolactive.co.uk, telephone 0844 568 9985 or email info@coolactive.co.uk.