Lafgo Lafayette Renowned for eco-sports fabrics, Columbia's Lafgo Lafayette offers high-quality textiles, including a special line of tech fabrics designed for durability and breathability. Aware of its community and its wellbeing, the firm is committed to producing sustainable fabrics, reducing its carbon footprint as the year progresses. Their second mission is to improve the quality of life for their 1600 skilled employees, who take up precious roles in their Bogota production. Here, Lafgo promotes the reduction of non-renewable resources with a culture that upcycles and recycles materials where possible. Thirdly, technological development is paramount but done so with minimal environmental impact and risk to the health of their community. When sourcing athletic fibers, their creative textiles with high-performance components allow designers to create comfortable, versatile garments as well as having a sports-luxe quality. Offering micro-terry and pure polyester, we especially love their polyester Lycra-blend fabrics suitable for running, hiking, and doing yoga. Dubbed Laftech, the fabrics work as moisture-wicks to reduce perspiration build-up; boast stretching capabilities for movement. Check out their Magic Fabric mesh in hues of navy for layering on tanks and athleisure trims. We also like the Lycra Plain Weave Stepway for a monochromatic black legging or the black Optimus for embellished micro-squares. Thanks to the special construction of the fabric, Lafgo clothes act as a real shield against UV rays, making them ideal for swimwear. Other features include a repel finish, which protects the fabric, preventing the absorption of liquids. The Hawaiian-inspired Surfiando and Flores Vintage materials are a must-see for boardies and bikinis, too. Finally, for the adventurers, special construction in the tabular form gives Lafgo textiles high strength characteristics in both directions, making anti-tear. Now, prepare to scale massive design heights with these fabrics. Oratex Oratex was founded in 1989 as a commission knitter serving the garment industry in Canada. Over the past twenty years, it has proven innovative and consistent in quality with the changing times, growing from a knit supplier to a maker of performance materials - with an eco-twist. Today, Oratex's knit-based knowledge is put to the test with activewear. Produced on-site, every aspect of the manufacturing process is heavily controlled, ensuring the high compression fabrics and apparel knit clothes are colorfast and consistent in hue.
We love Oratex's Eco-Stretch materials. Made from organic cotton, recycled nylons, and polyester, the firm uses yarns from Repreve - a recycled fiber that contains post-industrial waste and used plastic bottles. Owned by Unifi, Repreve is recognized across the globe for putting plastic landfills to good use and is already adopted by brands such as Volcom and Patagonia. Oratex uses 70% less water and 70% less energy to produce their outlandishly colorful polyester and spandex fabrics too, which you can custom-make. And not forgetting their woolly roots, check out the mill's baby jersey, rib knits, heavy fleeces, and interlocks: because every sports collection needs those comfy, outerwear pieces to wear post-workout. Toray Industries Japanese-made, Toray Industries make textile products that serve practical and tech functions. Founded in 1986, Toray is rooted in organic synthetic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and biotechnology. With a sustainable element at its core, the company also works in water treatment and environmental engineering. From New York, Toray International America was born as a subsidiary of Toray. The company is known today as the inventor of the first ultra-micro fiber, an invention that opened the door to the manufacturing of new, technologically advanced textiles.
Prevailing as the world’s innovator in high-tech materials, we love the Ultrasuede collection for a little bit of luxury, while working up a sweat. Toray is exploring swimwear now, too. Ultra-fine polyester in a high loft is woven with special textured stretch Lycra. By combining the two, it's function-meets-comfort for bikinis and one-pieces with stretch retention to withstand repetitive wear. There's a UV SPF50 + protection while swimming and you can custom print your intimates, designing your own or taking inspiration from Toray's current colors and patterns. With the diversification of consumer lifestyles, more outdoor festivals, and the growing trend to incorporate sports items into everyday clothes, Toray helps unblur the fuzzy lines between fashion and practicalities.