Among ApparelX’s fabrics, Octa® seems very popular recently, so we would like to write an article about this fabric so everyone can have a better understanding about Octa® fabric’s feature.
What is Octa®?
It is a “lightweight fiber with atypical hollow cross-section” developed by Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd.
It is a unique material that has high heat retention while being lightweight and breathable due to its hollow structure and special eight-legged cross-section.
As you can imagine, Octa® means “8”, and the name Octopus comes from this. That’s right, 8 comes first and octopus comes second.
Characteristics of Octa® fabric
･Light Weight
Even with the same diameter, its structure makes it about half the weight. When you hold it, it’s obviously lighter than it is.
･Heat Insulation
The eight-legged structure creates spaces between the fibers, and since it is a hollow fiber, it contains a large amount of “dead air”.
Dead Air is a layer of air that plays an important role in maintaining the temperature inside clothing. This air is retained within the fibers to keep the temperature constant.
･Sweat-absorbing and quick-drying
It is naturally breathable because it is full of cavities, and it also absorbs sweat and moisture through capillary action.
Recommendation usage of Octa® fabric
There are many thermal clothing materials such as fleece and down, but the disadvantage of these is
“It gets hot when you move”
Even if it is not an outdoor product, everyone has felt this disadvantage of warm materials at least once.
Fabrics using Octa® eliminate this problem by achieving both breathability and heat retention, keeping the temperature inside the clothing “constant”.
It is the ideal fabric for so-called “active insulation” and is said to be popular.
In Japanese, Active insulation it means “dynamic thermal clothing”. It is said to refer to outdoor wear that is best suited for physical activity.
There is a wide range of clothing, and many items such as tops, bottoms, and inner wear have functional patterns that are designed for layering.
Layering in fashion and layering in outdoor wear seem to have slightly different meanings, and it refers to combining multiple items with different functions to adapt to various environments and situations.
There were outerwear with a water-repellent outer surface and Octa® fabric on the lining, and even pieces assembled using Octa® fabric on both sides, giving a glimpse into the depth of outdoor wear.
Not only that, but Octa® fabric can also be used for towels and bedding, making Octa® fabric the next generation of ultra-high-performance fabric that can be used for a wide range of purposes.
Octa® fabric on ApparelX
1063360
1063250
Apparently, after knitting the double raschel, it is cut in the middle, and it retains a large amount of dead air by “standing” instead of “brushing”.
Contrary to its appearance that looks bulky and heavy, the fabric is incredibly light when you pick it up.
The fabric looks bulky, and it really is. It’s super fluffy. It has a lot of loft.
Loft indicates the number of cubic inches of down in 1 oz. When it comes to down, the higher the loft, the less down you can pack per garment.
Summary
Octa® is the focus of attention in the outdoor wear industry, and the secret to its popularity is its ultra-high performance material.
ApparelX is a BtoB ecommerce platform for brands, tailors and the like to order from small MOQs from a variety of manufacturers in one order. And we ship worldwide!
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If you are looking to bulk order, custom order, or have any other questions, contact us through our contact form and a member on the Global Strategy Team will get back to you within the next business day. (Please understand that we are based in Japan and our office hours are 9am-6pm so we are only able to answer during that time).
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