TUKWILA, WA -- In its ongoing effort to make a difference in protecting the environment, ExOfficio has carefully selected sustainable and recycled fabrics for its Spring/Summer 2008 line of adventure travel apparel that will be introduced at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City, UT, August 9-12, 2007.
"People are becoming more and more aware of how their purchases affect the environment," said Monica Smith, ExOfficio Design Director. "As a result, textile manufactures have been developing innovative, eco-friendly fabrics that not only perform, but also feel great, which is essential for us."
ExOfficio has expanded its apparel offerings made with various blends of soy and organic cotton. Soy is a renewable protein-based fiber that has many of the same benefits of natural and synthetic fibers without added chemical treatments. It is an extremely strong yet soft fiber that naturally resists odor and bacteria. Organic cotton is raised with biologically-based rather than chemically-dependent growing systems.
"Soy fibers are made from the husk and stalk, which are by-products of the plant," said Smith. "Soy is a very vigorous plant that doesn't require a lot of management or pesticides."
For Spring/Summer 2008, ExOfficio introduces a broad range of versatile and travel-friendly soy knits in its men's Satellite collection and women's Soytopia and ExSential collections.
The Satellite collection features a Satellite Pique blend (60% organic cotton/40% soy). Soy blends offered in the Soytopia collection include Soytopia Stretch Jersey (56% organic cotton/37% soy/7% spandex) and Softsoy Knit (100% soybean). Soytopia underwear is made of Soytopia Stretch (77% soy/18% nylon/5% lycra). Pieces in the ExSential collection are made with ExSential Stretch (37% organic cotton/28% nylon/25% soy/10% spandex).
In addition to its expanded soy offering, ExOfficio is introducing two new outerwear pieces -- the men's Canopy Trench and women's Tempest -- made from Eco-Poly, a 100% recycled polyester that has been recycled through the ECO CIRCLE™ process. ECO CIRCLE™ is a recycling system whereby plastic bottles are broken down to create polyester fiber. The process eliminates waste, decreases oil consumption, and reduces energy and carbon dioxide emissions by one fifth versus traditional methods.
The Canopy Trench and Tempest styles feature waterproof/windproof/breathable laminate membrane construction with fully sealed seams for protection against the elements, and a Teflon® coating for stain resistance. The extremely lightweight and sleek design offers a number of travel related performance features to include: discreet welded-on sleeve and chest zipper pockets, waist cinch, adjustable sleeve tabs, removable hood and a two-way zip with snap placket -- a truly great eco-conscious travel companion.
"As textile manufactures continue to make advancements in the development of eco-friendly fabrics, we will continue to adopt them, if they make sense in our product line," said Smith. "In the meantime, we take pride in the fact that there is a lot of economy built into ExOfficio apparel. It can be used for many activities and is built to last," Smith added.
About ExOfficio
ExOfficio has been creating adventure clothing to explore the world in since 1987. Built on the success of the ultimate fly-fishing shirt, the company has evolved into a leading travel apparel brand known for its innovative technical features and performance benefits that enhance the travel experience. ExOfficio is sold internationally in specialty outdoor, fly-fishing, travel and luggage stores. Products are also available in ExOfficio retail stores and online. ExOfficio supports numerous social and environmental organizations to include World Concern, Medical Teams International, and the America Wildlife Foundation, among others. For more information, visit www.exofficio.com.
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