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What if fashion and beauty became one? In the era of holistic beauty, clothing could also help heal the skin in many ways. That’s what a Hong Kong-based brand is offering with a range of T-shirts designed entirely for people suffering from atopic dermatitis, a chronic, itchy skin condition.
We already know smart textiles that help regulate body temperature, or have breathable, antibacterial properties, or even UV protection to fight against the harmful effects of the sun. But they could now (also) take care of your skin. Cosmetic clothes, or skincare, in a way, which would protect the skin from certain harmful effects, would help it to fight against external aggressions, and would even relieve the symptoms of certain skin diseases.
Fashion to the rescue of health
While skincare is increasingly popular, as is the concept of holistic beauty, which essentially revolves around prevention, it seems relevant to ask whether the fabrics we wear every day are really good for the skin. And it would not only be a question of banishing allergens and other chemicals from our clothes, but of ensuring that they bring, just like our cosmetics, multiple benefits.
This is the challenge that the Comfiknit brand is trying to take up with a first T-shirt intended for people suffering from atopic dermatitis, a chronic skin disease most often causing redness and itching. Based in Hong Kong, the company, which for several years has been committed to “improving the role of fabrics in areas such as health care”, has designed a T-shirt with multiple properties to significantly reduce the risk of skin irritations related to the wearing of certain clothes.
The fabric features technology to manage sweat and moisture levels, among the causes of itching, to maintain the balance of skin pH levels, to prevent the formation of salt residue to prevent allergic reactions, and to keep skin dry while maintaining its level of hydration. The objective being to create a kind of “microclimate” for the wearer of the fabric in order to protect him from external misdeeds.
The boom in smart and functional clothing
Comfiknit is not the only company to have entered this niche. Since 2014, Pyratex has been committed to developing natural materials with multiple powers for major fashion brands. All intended to offer clothing guaranteeing natural UV protection, and antioxidant, antibacterial, breathable, or quick-drying properties, without forgetting the eco-responsible aspect, from nettles, algae, or waste from the ‘food.
“What we do the most every day is eat, sleep and dress, and we believe that today we no longer eat just to eat but to enjoy the benefits of food. We believe that textiles should go in this direction, and that we should wear clothes that are good for the planet but also for our health.“, said Regina Polanco, founder of Pyratex, in 2021. A quest that is still in its infancy, but which could quickly become the norm in view of consumers’ desire to turn to products, whatever their quality. they are, as respectful of the planet as of human health.