In response to the ensuing demand within a fashion activewear market that continues to heat up, Santoni, together with its partners, is introducing Den/IM 2.0, an innovation in athleisure that brings body-mapping technology to an already innovative denim jean.

The I am DENIM athleisure collection, made with stretch indigo denim on seamless circular knitting machines, debuted last year. Lenzing, Tonello, Santoni and Unitin partnered to create Den/IM, a studio-to-street collection designed to show knit denim’s potential as a viable alternative and competitor to traditional activewear bottoms and to classic woven denim.

The companies have now readied Den/IM 2.0. The new collection employs body-mapping for superior fit and performance, the efficiency of seamless knitting from Santoni, new sustainable wash treatments from Tonello and the advanced indigo knits from Unitin, featuring Lenzing’s Tencel lyocell branded fibres. The den/IM 2.0 collection will debut at BlueZone/Munich Fabric Start from 5-7 September in Munich, Germany.

“At Tonello, we strongly believe in collaborations, especially when aimed at bringing truly innovative solutions to the market,” said R&D Manager Alice Tonello. “Combining our finishing technologies like ECOfree, Laser Blaze and Core, with the high-end products offered by Lenzing, Santoni and Unitin, we were able to achieve a brand-new product with technical performance and an authentic denim taste.”

Versatile and functional

This collaboration started with the idea that traditional sportswear—made with the cut and sew concept—couldn’t provide the comfort expected by a certain kind of active fashionista. Modern lifestyle means that activity and fashion are inseparable. “Denim is a versatile partner to pair with anything and is a must-have in every season,” said Tricia Carey, Director of Global Business Development – Denim at Lenzing.

Body-mapping

Body-mapping seamless sportswear involves just one piece of multiple-knit structure fabric, which provides improved wear comfort by adjusting local body heat exchanges. “Associated with this collection you will hear terms such as compression, ventilation, moisture control, thermal conductivity and body mapping, and these are used alongside traditional denim terms such as indigo shade, fade-down and laser marking,” explained Patrick Silva, Santoni Marketing Manager. “With its roots in seamless sportswear, Santoni’s knitting technologies are creating a new category in the constantly fragmenting athleisure wear market.”

Each knitted garment in the Den/IM 2.0 collection incorporates different combinations of fibres and knitted structures, to create a unique cross-over concept. “It’s all about integrating several sportswear benefits into the authentic denim world,” the company explains.

Functional features

The seamless functional features of Den/IM 2.0 aim to provide superior moisture wicking by incorporating Tencel in a unique two-layer construction. These high-performance yarns are said to provide superior temperature regulation and a perfect microclimate for the skin.

“Engineering seamless fabric thickness provides padding, allowing greater body protection without sacrificing moisture management or temperature regulation,” the company explains. “Body-mapping ensures that the engineered ventilation areas and 3D knitted structures are where they’re most needed in every garment.”

www.santoni.com

Santoni, Unitin, Lenzing and Tonello collaborate on new one-piece denim stretch apparel collection