In fashion for centuries
Woven artificial grass, self-cleaning materials, fabrics protecting against fire or viruses, a perfect bra... what do all these concepts have in common? Łódź – the Polish capital of the textile industry where modern textile and fashion sectors combine innovation with long-standing tradition.
In the south of Scotland, in the town of Dumfries, the players of a team called Queen of the South, who have been in existence since 1919, play on a pitch produced by a Łódź-based company by the name of Dywilan. Why did they choose a product from Łódź, a city located more than 2,000 km away? Perhaps because the woven grass made by Dywilan drains water better than other artificial surfaces, which is not without significance in rainy Scotland? Perhaps the aesthetic and environmental issues decided or, perhaps, the durability of such turf? Probably all of these elements make the artificial and hybrid surfaces are sent out from Łódź to Scotland, the Netherlands and all of Poland, not only to stadiums or courts but also to gardens, terraces, roofs and balconies.
Dywilan, established in the 19th century, today is a modern undertaking known mainly for its machine-woven wool carpets. A decade ago, a decision was made to start a new and innovative activity. In cooperation with the European Research Centre for Artificial Turf in Ghent and a Belgian manufacturer of weaving machines, the production of artificial turf using new technology began.
Since then, we have prided ourselves on being the first manufacturer of woven artificial grass for training pitches, tennis courts and golf courses as well as mats for hybrid surfaces, we read on the company's website.
Corin, a company which produces lingerie and was established in the Łódź agglomeration, has also outdone its industry. The company's ambition has always been to create the perfect bra. The 'Perfect Bra' programme was launched not only for comfort but above all for women's health. That is why engineers from the Technical University of Łódź and doctors from the Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute in Łódź were invited to cooperate. Thanks to financial support from EU funds, multistage tests were carried out, among others with the usage temperature-sensitive thermal imaging cameras. The results were analysed by engineers and doctors. Professor Marek Zadrożny, a breast specialist and oncologist, confirmed the thesis that choosing the right size and shape of a bra allows to prevent possible complications such as lymph circulation disorders, inflammation, swelling to be prevented. The researches result in bra models, presented by Corin at international fairs and exported to many countries around the world, are created.
Owing to the cooperation between business and science, modern textile industry solutions – which can be used in medicine, construction or defences – are born in Łódź. Coordinated by the Textile Research Institute in Łódź, the Nanomitex programme has resulted in the creation of extraordinary textile materials, among others, tthrough the use of the encapsulation technology. What does this technology involve?
Małgorzata Cieślak, PhD Eng., leading the project, explained it this way in an interview with the Science in Poland service of the Polish Press Agency: The microcapsules contain the active substance which is released in a controlled manner. Materials enriched with such capsules may have thermoregulatory properties. The substance in the microcapsule absorbs the thermal energy, so you can regulate the thermal comfort of clothes – even up to 37 degrees Celsius.
The Nanomitex project has also developed flexible coatings to protect against fire or materials that are a barrier to viruses. Other nanoparticles, when exposed to light, are able to accelerate the decomposition of polluants by removing stains.
More than one hundred patents have been developed by the Institute of Security Technologies MORATEX, who have been operating on the research market for over 60 years. The Institute provides the equipment for the police and the army, such as bulletproof vests, helmets and shields, rescue cushions and haemostatic dressings.
Other Łódź-based textile company – Texpol specialises in something completely different i.e. the most delicate fabrics. The company enriches its products with bamboo and seaweed. Bamboo fibres have hypoallergenic, antibacterial, antifungal and hygroscopic properties; in turn, seaweed accelerates the healing of damaged skin structures and soothes skin irritation. It is a perfect combination for the delicate skin of children.
The modern textile industry needs qualified staff – such as the graduates of the Technical University of Łódź. The Technical University runs a unique in Poland course called Textile and Fashion Industry, covering innovative textile technologies used in the production of clothing and medical materials, composites, textiles dedicated to the army as well as textronic materials. Moreover, the Technical University of Łódź educates students, among other things, in the following courses: Pattern Designing, Material Engineering, Education of Technology and Information Engineering, Textile Engineering, and Science of Commodities. The Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź offers the following courses: Pattern Designing and Textile and Clothing. Future employees of the textile industry are also trained at numerous technical and vocational schools.
Łódź is undoubtedly the Polish textile capital. Is it also the capital of fashion? Although it is not the only city with such aspirations but the name is increasingly associated with Łódź. Various events hosted or organised by the city have helped to build such an image.
One of them is the finals of the Polish edition of the prestigious modelling competition THE LOOK OF THE YEAR, which was the beginning of great careers of fashion icons, such as Cindy Crawford, Gisele Bundchen or Kasia Smutniak. The local government puts a lot of energy into events promoting beginner designers and brands. The Łódź Young Fashion Festival, organised since 2017, is a few-day event with fashion shows lasts for a few days with fashion shows, workshops and accompanying events (including the Złota Nitka competition addressed to both professional and beginner designers). The Central Museum of Textiles hosts the Brand Supports Brand show or the Polish Fashion Forum Modopolis, which gathers designers, producers and experts in Łódź. There are also many other fashion, modelling and related events for which Łódź is a hospitable venue.
There is also something else in Łódź – an unique atmosphere of this textile city. Two hundred years have passed since the decision that shaped the character of this place was made. In 1820, Łódź was incorporated into the group of industrial settlements with the role of a weaving and clothmaking centre. Two centuries later, the modern textile and fashion industries are eager to draw on this tradition. In 2014, the symbol of this symbiosis – the former weaving and spinning mill of Franciszek Ramisch, and today the OFF Piotrkowska centre with studios of architects and fashion designers, restaurants and clubs – was named one of the seven new wonders of Poland by the National Geographic Traveler.
