A Library Without Books

Material ConneXion Creates a Card Catalog of Innovative Textiles.

George Beylerian may have created a recession-proof business. “People who assist companies tend to lose their jobs now,” said chief executive and founder of Material ConneXion. “But now architects and designers come here.” With a library of 5000 materials, including 40 new swatches each month, employees of the firm clamor for innovative materials to show consumer packaged goods, apparel, aerospace, military and interior design clients. The company acts as a connector between material manufacturers and textile mills, linking the buyer to the seller. “Innovation has to be applicable to the mass. Otherwise it’s a work of art,” said Beylerian.

Adidas, Calvin Klein, Under Armour and Polo Ralph Lauren are all clients. A $15,000 subscription allows for unlimited access to the physical library on Madison Avenue in New York City, along with online catalog access. Online-only membership is $250/year and provides mill contact information for each material in the database. A twelve-person jury panel decides each month what materials too add, based on the best fit for its clients. The library is arranged according to chemistry, with examples including synthetic leather and suede, recycled textures, light-emitting and fiber-reinforced. Materials are kept until they are no longer in production. “People use the library as a think tank,” said Beatrice Ramnarine, materials specialist at Material ConneXion. The company also has offices in Bangkok, Milan, Cologne and Daegu, Korea.

Adidas outfitted Olympic athlete Jeremy Wariner in a revolutionary new shoe for his 400m race at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Material ConneXion presented a material called SuperFabric that emulated the sleek look of metal while being flexible and lightweight enough to achieve maximum speed. Adidas worked with manufacturer HDM, Inc. to mold it to their exact specifications.

Material ConneXion also worked on the Nike Air Jordan XIX sneaker, sourcing a monofilament sleeving normally used in architectural applications to protect PVC pipes from bursting. The sleeving’s braid allowed it to flex and hug the wearer’s foot, thus eliminating the need for laces.

“Clients like Calvin Klein and Polo are always looking for high-abrasion, lighter weight substrates that are waterproof and wick,” said Ramnarine. “Our challenge is finding those properties, but in materials that are naturally-based, use low energy techniques and are made locally.”

Ramnarine acts as gatekeeper for the library and keeps the database up to date. Mills often contact Material ConneXion directly with new innovations. Here are some of the noteworthy textiles for apparel Ramnarine has seen lately:

Germanium alloy yarn: Good for intimate apparel, this element is a gray-white metalloid with semi-conductive properties. It works as a natural deodorizer and is high-performance, yet soft. Evidence exists that germanium enhances cells’ ability to generate energy by increasing oxygen supply.

Hand-woven, vegan alternative silk: The worms escape the cocoon prior to silk harvesting so that they are not killed. Moths are allowed to emerge and live their full life cycle. The rare textile is woven in India.

Low micron Merino wool: This textile is organic, chlorine-free and washable. It meets Oeko-Tex standards and retains softness after laundering. It is also colorfast.

Milk protein: It has a silky appearance and holds many of the same properties as wool, says Ramnarine. It maintains the skin’s moisture and can be blended with cotton, silk, wool, cashmere, hemp, modal, Tencel and bamboo.

Salmon skin: This byproduct from Brazil creates the illusion of premium leather. It has a high level of quality to it and a uniform appearance. Salmon skin is considered environmentally-conscious because it is an industrial waste product from the farmed salmon industry.

Translucent wood veneer: 3000-year old Cedar trees live on in apparel. This wood is soft and flexible, and can be woven into geometric designs. “There is a certain aesthetic when it wears,” says Ramnarine. “It ties into the Japanese aesthetic of imperfection and time.” DDCLAB, a Material ConneXion client, created jackets for men and women from the wood.

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