ARTICLE FROM SPORTS TEXTILES PUBLISHED 04/07/2024
APRÍ SPORTSWEAR LAUNCHES WITH PLANT-BASED FINISHES
A new eco-minded and premium sportswear brand out of Scandinavia, APRÍ Sportswear was launched last month by Evelina Boström, in charge of product development, and Amelie Enström, CEO. They have chosen two innovative plant-based anti-odour technologies as a key differentiating point. The leisure/loungewear range, made from a cotton/lyocell blend knit, is treated with Nordshield’s Crisp, which is derived from pine-tree derived resin. “This is a ground-breaking anti-odour technology,” Ms Boström tells sportstextiles. “It forms an imperceptible film on the fabric to which bacteria cannot adhere, and will therefore not produce odours.” The activewear range, made from polyamide, is given a mint-based anti-odour finish developed by HeiQ, which is also plant-based, she points out.
Quality and longevity are essential to the two founders of APRÍ Sportswear. The anti-odour finishes were chosen to enable users to wash the clothes less often, save energy and water, and thus reduce their environmental footprint and help garments last longer.
The two founders of the new brand seek to fill what they have identified as a gap in the market: “we were looking for a brand that is durable, sustainable in its make and in its use, as well as socially minded,” says Ms Boström. The products are manufactured in Portugal, and new products will be released in drops on their e-shop. “This business model allows us to control sales and adapt to market demand, and will serve as a launch pad to a wider distribution, in time,” adds the designer who studied fashion in Milan and has worked for a number of brands, including a 14-year stint at Gant.
“With APRÍ, we are not cutting any corners. We want to be fully transparent, as we have nothing to hide. We also want to challenge the industry and consumers’ buying behaviours,” she says.
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ANTI-ODOUR TREATMENT FROM NORDSHIELD
“Our mission at Nordshield has from the very beginning been to harness the power of nature to improve everyday life. By collaborating with the APRÍ team, we can bring our state-of-the-art anti-odour technology to a broader audience, enhancing the longevity of their already exceptional high-quality apparel. APRÍ shares the same values and attitude that our company wants to be associated with, making this partnership a perfect fit,” commented Nordshield co-founder Kristoffer Ekman.