Goldwin Starts Sales of Biodegradable Polyester-Used Sportswear

On February 20, 2008, a major Japanese sportswear manufacturer, Goldwin, started marketing sportswear made using Apexa ® . Apexa ® is biodegradable polyester developed by DuPont. A new T-shirt sold under Goldwin's outdoor brand label, LATERRA, consists of 67 percent Apexa ® and 33 percent cotton.

Apexa ® is made from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) resin, which is used in the manufacture of PET bottles. It is degraded into water and CO2 in compost, soil, ponds and the sea by microorganisms. Because Apexa ® has particularly excellent heat resistance and durability when compared with other biodegradable fibers, it has become practical for clothing, in addition to its other applications. The use of Apexa® in combination with natural fibers provides clothes with the benefits of both natural fibers and polyester, and is expected to allow complete degradation.

In Japan, dress shirts made using Apexa ® are already available at Aoyama Clothing, a major Japanese clothing chain. Following Goldwin, Columbia Sportswear Japan is scheduled to launch products made from Apexa ® from the autumn and winter seasons of 2008.

http://www.goldwin.co.jp/corp/info/e/index.html
http://www2.dupont.com/Renewably_Sourced_Materials/en_US/index.html?src=glbhome_enUS

Posted: 2008/06/29 11:53:08 AM