Companies

Under Armour to scale up its fibre-shed test method

Dec 15, 2023 United States

The company has teamed up with James Heal, a precision testing solutions supplier, to make its fibre-shed test method available to the industry and to address the growing threat of microfibres and microplastics

The partners have spent the last eight months developing and optimising fibre-shed test kits for the industry to use. These kits, available from James Heal, implement Under Armour’s simplified and repeatable testing methodology. To facilitate their implementation, companies will receive ongoing support and technical guidance from testing service provider Hohenstein, an internationally recognized leader in testing, research, and certification with roots in the textile sector.

Synthetic and natural fabrics release fibres at different rates as they are made, worn and cleaned. By making their method more accessible, Under Armour hopes to make it easier for the wider industry to understand their contribution to the microfibre and microplastic problem.

“We believe intervening early to mitigate shedding is critical, which is why our test method is designed to specifically address these time and cost barriers to entry. Thanks to our partners at James Heal, we are excited to make our innovative test method widely available as we address our own environmental impact”, commented Kyle Blakely, Senior Vice President of Innovation for Under Armour.

The company has also provided complimentary test kits to high-volume textile mills in its supply chain to encourage early intervention within its indirect scope. These efforts demonstrate Under Amour's progress towards its goal of having 75% of its products made from low-shed materials by 2030.

Sam Tissington, commercial director at James Heal added that “fibre-shedding in the textile industry is an extremely prevalent topic, and we are as keen as any to support ways to reduce this. We are proud to support Under Armour in their attempts to further reduce the shedding of fibre throughout the manufacturing process of textiles, and to show that support we are providing global access to the Under Armour test method with the purchase of the Under Armour compiled Fibre-Shedding kits”.

Image Credits: about.underarmour.com

Innovation United States Companies Environment Footwear Sustainability Under Armour