Cary, N.C.-based Cotton Incorporated has introduced Storm Cotton™ for Fleece, a water-repellent
finish designed for use on cotton fibers. A variation of Storm Cotton technology for cotton
apparel, it is the latest in Cotton Incorporated’s line of Storm water-repellent, wind-protective,
breathable technologies, which also includes Storm Denim™ finish for denim apparel. Targeted uses
include outdoor apparel such as hoodies.
According to David Earley, director of supply chain marketing in Cotton Incorporated’s Global
Supply Chain division, it has been a challenge for the outdoor apparel segment to integrate
performance features into cotton fabric. He also noted that demand exists for outdoor cotton
apparel with performance benefits such as water repellency, protection from wind and other
attributes. “Our research tells us that the majority of consumers (77%) prefer cotton in general,
and most (70%) said they would be willing to pay more for cotton apparel that mimicked many of the
performance features more commonly found in synthetic fabrics,” he said.
July 28, 2009
