Health has not just become a key trend topic post-COVID: textile manufacturers and brands have been experimenting for years with health-promoting properties in clothing, such as integrated nanocapsules that treat and regenerate the skin, or intelligent yarns that act as sensors, data conductors and power sources, generate heat over a wide area, or measure humidity, pressure points and temperature.
The pandemic has also drawn attention to antiviral properties: manufacturers such as Sweden’s Polygiene and Switzerland’s Heikyu have developed special finishes for textiles that kill viruses and bacteria, offering active health protection. Given the coronavirus experience, they can give people a sense of security.
Working from home has also taught us that it is much more comfortable to wear comfortable clothes. Basically, fashion has been moving in an increasingly comfortable direction for decades. Sports and outdoor fashion is its main source of inspiration. The prevalence of sneakers, stretch denim and men’s tracksuit suits is a testament to this. People will never be deprived of these achievements again.
Mental health is another quintessential wellness theme that has received a major boost from the pandemic and is likely to boost the outdoor market in the long term. Getting outside and experiencing nature is seen as a therapeutic counterbalance to the constant stresses of our daily lives.
