All posts by Lou Binik

fabric more fashionable

fabric and clothes made of African fabric

We use fabrics from Ghana and the Netherlands.   Here is a good article on both called   African fabrics recent history

www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/fashion/15iht-ffabric15.html

Leaving the Kumasi, Ghana market after a successful day of selling, I walked into the path of another clothing manufacturer.  After some talk we realized how much we had in common.  From there it was the commitment of working together.

Now we design and sew clothes in America and visit Ghana and Holland often.   You’ll see what also is made in the shop at  thefoxwear.net

With a background strongly immersed in my Ashanti culture, I know how each African fabric pattern represents a part of life.

I’ve learned how to use industrial sewing machines for the clothes I make.

From working in business (Volvo) and selling at the biggest market in West Africa as well as the Missoula Montana People’s Market, I’ve learned how to give customers what they want.

Here you’ll see some of the fabrics and clothes we make – https://www.instagram.com/f.lou/

  contact us via floufox@yahoo.com

Newest fabric

Dermizax – a different kind of membrane

Picture this: You’ve been lugging around a heavy pack for hours in the pouring rain, trying to make the most of the bad weather. And to your surprise, you notice that underneath your waterproof jacket it doesn’t feel like a sauna, even though you’ve been sweating like mad. How’s that even possible? Well, the jacket seems to be doing its job: protect you from the rain and wick moisture away – no matter the weather!
Dermizax was developed in Japan by the company Toray. Compared with other membranes such as Gore-Tex and eVent, this membrane boasts incredibly clever characteristics that really shine in functional outdoor clothing.
In contrast to several other membranes, the polyurethane Dermizax membrane is absent of pores, so there is nothing that could get clogged up. The fabric is “hydrophilic, which – simply put – means that there are tiny molecules with a strong affinity to water in the membrane that transport moisture to the outside. These hydrophilic molecules move more quickly through the membrane at higher temperatures, regardless of whether its the surrounding temperature or your body temperature that is high. So, if the humidity and warmth increases on the jacket’s interior, the difference between the inside and the outside temperature causes the molecules to transport more moisture to the outside.
Like all membranes – regardless of whether they have pores – if it weren’t for the difference in temperature, there wouldn’t be any breathability.
The nonporous construction serves to provide more breathability as the intensity of your movements increases and allows for more moisture and heat to be transferred to the outside. When you take breaks or are out on cold days when you don’t sweat as much, the membrane will keep you from getting cold because heat can’t escape through the pores. Thus, with a Dermizax membrane, you’re getting a membrane that is very variable in terms of its breathability. Another advantage of nonporous membranes is the fact that there aren’t any pores that can get clogged. The pores on conventional membranes are usually clogged by dirt or salts. The salts accumulate on the membrane as a result of our sweat and end up reducing its breathability.
Caring for the membrane is really easy as well. It doesn’t require any special detergent. Plus, you can wash Dermizax clothing as much as you want without diminishing its functionality in any way.
Another advantage of clothing with a Dermizax membrane is how it feels. The fabric is stretchable in all directions. So, not only is the fabric comfortable and robust, but it will also give you the mobility you need for outdoor activities. In fact, the membrane can stretch up to 200% in all directions without you having to worry about it getting damaged.
Thanks to the very thin and soft membrane, garments with a Dermizax membrane feel great against the skin – a tangible plus in terms of comfort.
Dermizax is now being used by a wide array of outdoor clothing brands. The very well-known Scandinavian outdoor company Bergans of Norway loves Dermizax! The Scandinavians place much more emphasis on the functionality and reliability of membrane than marketing. Plus, you can be sure that whatever material is capable of withstanding the harsh conditions of Norway will be perfectly suited to meet the requirements of your outdoor adventures.

Basic washing instructions

General care for all Polartec® Fabrics 

Keeping your Polartec® fabrics looking new and performing better.
Polartec® fabrics are known for their easy care and lasting durability. Most Polartec® fabric can be washed in warm water and tumbled dry on low and in most cases this will deliver the best post-wash feel and performance.

However, every single Polartec® fabric can be machine washed cold and line dried and a few of our fabrics require it. This approach is the most gentle for the fabric and is also the most energy-efficient. One of the greatest environmental impacts of our clothing is washing and drying over the life of the garment. Using cold water and line drying saves a large amount of energy. And most Polartec® fabrics are stain-resistant (requiring less laundering) and dry extremely quickly on their own.

A few general tips:

•    At Polartec®, we don’t always know what trim or special features clothing companies may have applied to the finished garment. So please refer to the care instructions on the garment in addition to our general suggestions.
•    Front-loading washers are preferred if possible. They are gentler on our fabrics and use less water generally than top-loading agitation-style machines.
•    Turning a fleece garment inside out prior to wash can help preserve its appearance.
•    Detergents and machine-washing in general gradually degrade the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatment on fabrics. To get the best performance, run an extra rinse cycle, and tumble dry low if garment care instructions allow.
•    Some fabric treatments like Polartec® Power Care™ DWR require warm water and some time in the dryer to be activated. Follow the specific instructions on the bottle when using a fabric treatment product.

General care for Next-to-Skin Fabrics – Polartec® Power Dry® and Polartec® Power Stretch®:

•    100% polyester: Machine wash warm (105F, 40C), tumble dry low.
•    Blends of polyester, nylon, polypropylene, wool, and/or spandex, or where garment care instructions indicate: Cold wash (85F, 30C), line dry.

Next-to-Skin fabrics Polartec® Power Dry® and Polartec® Power Stretch® rely upon mechanical wicking to pull moisture away from the skin. Using too much detergent in the wash cycle or fabric softener in the dry cycle can inhibit the wicking action. Be sure to use light detergent (Polartec® Power Care™ Base Layer Wash) that rinses completely clean and avoid fabric softeners for these fabrics.

Insulation Fabrics: Polarfleece®, Polartec® Classic, Polartec® Thermal Pro®, and Polartec® Wind Pro®. As a general rule, most fabrics in these series can be machine washed warm (105F, 40C), tumble dry low.

Blends of polyester, nylon, polypropylene, and/or spandex, or where garment care instructions indicate: Cold wash (85F, 30C), line dry.

However, consider reducing environmental impact with a cold wash and line dry on all these fabrics. (Note: A few minutes in a dryer on low can improve the softness/fluffiness of the fabric.) Use a clean-rinsing detergent (Polartec® Power Care™ Outerwear Cleaner™). Fabric softener can be used to reduce static cling, but this will also reduce the effectiveness of the Durable Water Repellency (DWR) treatment. If you would like to increase the DWR, we recommend Polartec® Power Care™ DWR to renew the water repellency.

General care for Weather Protection Fabrics (laminates) – Most Polartec® Windbloc® and Polartec® Power Shield fabrics are laminates. When washing is necessary, we recommend using a front-loading washer, cold wash (85F,30C), and a light detergent like Polartec® Power Care™ Outerwear. Refer to garment care labels for drying instructions. When possible, tumble dry low is specified to improve DWR performance. In some instances, however, line dry is required. Remember, line drying is always an energy-saving and safe alternative to dryer use.

Things African

Ama selling 1Lou here…..

Just wanted to let you all know that my wife makes clothing with African fabric.   These aren’t technical fabrics like those featured in Foxwear’s clothing – they’re 100% cotton, beautifully colorful and have lovely patterns.

please contact us if you think you’d like to have clothing made with these fabrics. As always, you get custom sizing absolutely free.

[nggallery id=1]

Cold Weather Layering Basics

foxwear-long-sleeve-power-dry-t-shirt
Power Dry Base Layer

Why dress in layers for cold weather activities? Layering allows you to manage moisture, manage heat, and protect yourself from the elements. A layered approach is often more versitile in that it covers a wider range of temperatures. To implement a layered system effectively, you have to understand the purpose of each layer.

Most typical is a three layer approach consisting of:

  1. Base Layer – Next to skin, to wick sweat. Can also be a thin thermal layer.
  2. Mid Layer – The insulation layer, consisting of wool, fleece, or thicker technical fabric.
  3. Outer Layer – The shell, meant to block wind, rain, and snow.

Continue reading Cold Weather Layering Basics