Athleisure the new term for that space between Sports and Lounge wear.  A hybrid of clothing that can be used in daily exercise and that can be worn to the from the house and maybe even out into the bars and restaurants.  Slowly making its way into the office. I was fortunate enough to watch and be part of the evolution of this industry.

Back in 2012 I joined Lululemon in the capacity of Raw Materials Innovation and Commercialization Director to support the rapid growth of the business.  It was an amazing few years working with cross functional partners and teams to build out what is now the athleisure industry.

What I was able to bring to the leadership team was an unprecedented experience in raw material manufacturing, development and sourcing practices.  Having this holistic view the industry from fibre through to garment gave me the insight on how to bring franchise fabrics that have fit form and function to the market.

Nylon Spandex was a relatively new product for the sports industry and only a few mills were able to handle the delicate process to bring it to a garment without any real issues.  What more the balance between fit and fabric was just being established,

This is where I thrived, I spent as much time as the day would allow to learn about the interaction between Fibre, Elastane and construction to give the very best in quality and performance.  Understanding the properties of Nylon that make it the ideal fabric for this sector of the apparel industry.  Unfortunately as people are finding out now that its not the easiest of fabrics to handle and consistency produce.

I created a methodology around fabric development to measure the fit and ensure performance for comfort and opacity.  With this knowledge I was able to commercialize many iconic franchise fabrics.

I worked hand in hand with fabric mills and garment makers to ensure consistency of quality, color and fit.  Over the last two years I have been working with a number of brands and mills to create franchise fabrics for the athleisure industry.

From Nylon Spandex, Polyester Spandex and different constructions the requrements of brands tends to always filter back to the original Lululemon legging and the holy grail of Fit, feel, and Function.  All of which come from a combination of factors.

I would be happy to build your next franchise fabric family and find your magic combination of Fit Feel and Function.