When consumers shop for athletic apparel, performance, price, fit, style – and sustainability – are all factors in the decision-making process. “Conveying a clear, compelling and simple message is critically important,” explained Cheryl Smyre, VP of advanced materials at Parkdale Mills, as “we only have 5-10 seconds to make an impression.”

Ingredient brands are becoming more visible at retail – and more heavily relied upon – to communicate transparency and technologies. Since shoppers may not fully understand complex innovations, Smyre and her team at CiCLO works with brand partners to “avoid scientific jargon and instead emphasize on the benefit: CiCLO fibers are designed to break down naturally in the environment, helping to reduce microplastic pollution.” The message is conveyed with product hangtags, digital campaigns and in retail storytelling. CiCLO teams with outdoor and athletic firms including Bass Pro Shops, Billabong, Champion and Oakley “where performance synthetics are essential, but environmental impact is top-of-mind,” commented the exec.

“Brands do seem to rely more on their ingredient partners to do some of the heavy lifting in terms of communications,” shared Matthew Betcher, creative director at ALLIED Feather + Down. “In Europe especially, you see a lot of ingredient branding now and brands are very open to letting their ingredient partners help tell the stories behind their materials.”

Betcher is currently working with Digital Product Passport suppliers at Green Threads DPP on a comprehensive audit of its supply chain. Once the EU requirements come into effect in 2027, partner brands will be able to include all of ALLIED’s down sustainability credentials in DPPS, which will be required on every jacket sold in the EU, and accessible by QR code.

Brand Expansion

Traditionally ALLIED’s down would be reserved for warm winter parkas, but recently the brand has seen a “significant uptake” in cycling, commented Betcher. “Working with the compressibility, warmth to weight ratio and higher thermoregulation capabilities, we are now seeing down used in really interesting high energy activities so the user can remain comfortable in extreme weather and pack more easily in a jacket or jersey pocket.”

As an ingredient brand, Coolcore is focused on “helping our partner brands deliver cooling as a true performance advantage,” according to its CEO, Eric Schenker. In addition to using recycled and natural fibers, “Coolcore mimics natural fiber design to create synthetic yarns with permanent cooling performance engineered into every fiber.” Biomimetric Fiber Geometry employs the fiber shape to help boost performance instead of coatings, additives or finishes that will wash out more quickly.

In a collaboration with Australian running brand Fractel, the pair created cooling hats and apparel to support ultra-runner Jimmy Elam at The Mammoth 200 in September 2025 (he won the 200-mile race).

While Polartec set a milestone in 1993 by introducing fleece crafted from recycled plastic bottles, “today the expectation is much higher. Consumers want proof, transparency and credibility behind every claim,” communicated Ramesh Kesh, Ph.D, senior VP, managing director, Polartec, adding “Here we don’t just make fabrics – we engineer performance ecosystems.”

Kesh prides the firm on working with some of the world’s most demanding performance brands. Italian cycling brand Castelli’s Ultra Rain Cape, powered by Polartec PowerShield RPM, offers non-PFAS waterproofing and premium breathability. 100% recycled and recyclable, Polartec Power Shield RPM is a high-stretch, waterproof breathable fabric designed for high-performance activities in wet and windy conditions.

Castelli – and Italian cycling brand Sportful – both adopted Polartec AirCore, which is a fabric “that breathes with the body – ventilating sweat, stabilizing the core, and sustaining peak performance in cycling, mountaineering, trekking, and beyond,” concluded the exec. Polartec partners with performance-based entities including golf brands Sun Day Red and G/Fore; trail running companies Satisfy and Tracksmith; plus, ski touring firm Dynafit.  Next on the agenda is expanding into footwear and optics.

eVent’s light, fast, and highly breathable stormburstLT laminate became available to cyclists earlier this year through a partnership with Italy’s Alé Cycling. “From a consumer perspective, eVent’s mission is first and foremost about weather protection, as we continue to focus on product function, design and price as our primary drivers, however, the sustainability topic continues to be elevated,” said Chad Kelly, president, eVent Fabrics.

In May 2025, retro outdoor-inspired Big Rock Candy Mountaineering became the first brand to adopt eVent Fabrics’ PFAS-free alpineST laminate in its Dawn Wall Jacket, described as “perfectly vintage in style and futuristic in fabrication.” alpineST is a three-layer fabric solution made with a planet-positive textile, offering durable waterproof protection and high moisture vapor transfer rates that last over multiple seasons.

Ionic+ PRISM is a new introduction that marries permanent antimicrobial performance from Noble Biomaterials with permanent color from e.dye’s Clean Color System. The fabrics are a fit for athletic and yoga apparel, offering 99.9% removal of odor-causing bacteria on fabric and 90% less chemistry required in the dyeing process. With three current projects in place, “We’ve gone from concept and small fabric samples to complete finished goods and garments. This could lead us to an entirely new way of manufacturing that offers massive savings in resources,” according to Allon Cohne, SVP and CMO, Noble Biomaterials.