Microfiber-it sounds like a new breakfast cereal. Or a computer product. One of the newest buzzwords on the fashion scene, microfiber, a fabric development, is stealing the spotlight from Lycra.
”Don`t wrinkle your nose,” Chip Tolbert, fashion director for the New York-based Men`s Fashion Association, cautions about most microfiber fabric being spun from polyester, although nylon or rayon is sometimes used. ”It`s not the polyester double-knit from the days of leisure suits. It feels like one of the softest, most luxurious fabrics in the world.”
But its delicate appearance belies many high-performance features. Although the fabric repels water from the outside, it whisks perspiration away from the body so garments are not clammy. Like traditional polyester, microfiber fabric is easy to care for and resists stains.
In simple terms, microfibers are tiny, man-made fibers that measure 25 times finer than the average strand of human hair, 15 times finer than a strand from sheer pantyhose and half as thick as silk (which up to now has been the finest fiber available). Tightly woven, microfiber fabric is lightweight and wind- and water-resistant.
Natural vs. man-made
”This country has been conditioned to believe that natural fibers are superior. Microfibers give us the chance to reverse the negative image that people have of polyester,” says John Roberts, a marketing manager at Hoechst Celanese, a fiber firm based in Charlotte, N.C. Microfiber fabric, Roberts notes, has been used first in outerwear and activewear, areas where consumers accept polyester and nylon fabrics.
But now microfiber fabric is quickly being adapted in other apparel categories such as men`s suits, men`s and women`s sportswear and evening wear. ”We`re even talking some of our sources like Norma Kamali to begin introducing microfiber fabric in lingerie,” says Shawny Burns, director of fashion for Bloomingdale`s.
Some of the familiar labels which already have microfiber products on the market are Perry Ellis, Calvin Klein, Liz Claiborne, Regina Kravitz, JH Collectibles, Evan Picone and Country Miss. ”We`ll have elements of microfibers in all our lines for spring next year,” says Fred Weiner, senior vice president of merchandising for Hart, Schaffner & Marx, a men`s and women`s apparel manufacturer in Chicago.
In men`s suits, microfibers are often blended with wool, giving garments more drape, eliminating bulkiness and making them wrinkle-resistant. ”No matter how fine the fabric, an all-wool suit is going to wrinkle like crazy the minute you put it in a suitcase,” says Allyn Saint George, president and designer of Allyn Saint George, a New York men`s apparel firm.
Not cheap
Now, for the bad news- microfiber fabrics are not as cheap as standard fabric. Because of the technology involved, clothes made from microfibers cost more-anywhere from 15 to 50 percent-although it`s still considerably cheaper than silk.
Yet, apparel industry executives are concerned that higher costs might confuse consumers.”We`re going to try to promote the benefits of microfibers at point-of-sale because we want consumers to understand why they are paying more,” says Lewis Loria, vice president of merchandising for the Sansabelt division of Jaymar Ruby.
Robert Abajian, senior vice president of sportswear at Liz Claiborne, says, ”Microfiber technology is still in its infancy, but we`re going to see more and more uses. It`s creating a whole new world of fabrics.”
