Synthetic fibers continue to fuel innovation within the outdoor, work and tactical industries at an unprecedented rate. The value of U.S. man-made fiber and filament, textile and apparel shipments totaled an estimated $74.4 billion in 2016, an increase of 11% since 2009. Consumers are demanding more out of their apparel, footwear and accessories than ever before. Meant to function in a variety of environments for an assortment of end uses, products with descriptions like “light and fast” are quickly outpacing phrases like “tried and true.”
CORDURA® is at the forefront of this multifunction movement and throughout the last 50 years, they’ve provided customers with a diverse portfolio of responsive, innovative textile solutions. Dedicated to finding best-in-class durable solutions for those that value long-lasting performance, their close-knit technical development team works with their authorized mills and designers across multiple categories from the concept stage through to fabric adoption. Built on a foundation of durability, solving old school problems with new school solutions drives this collaborative creative process.
Passionately leading the charge for fresh thinking is Global CORDURA® Brand and Marketing Director Cindy McNaull. She joined the INVISTA team a little over 10 years ago and has become the very definition of durability. Her brain always works at lightning speed while she rises with the sun in a new time zone virtually every week. With her notebook in one hand and phone in the other, Cindy is already busy connecting the dots for CORDURA® brand customers before you’ve had a chance to hit snooze on the alarm clock. “We’re always on the move, collaborating with mill and brand partners to help keep our finger on the pulse of consumer unmet needs that enable us to craft next generation products. Our company’s strong focus on performance fabric technologies helps us to innovate and stay true to our brand heritage while building durable solutions our customers depend on.”
But setting the standard for durability is only the beginning. In 2018 with their newly minted “Live Durable™” launch, CORDURA® is taking a fully integrated 360-degree approach to storytelling and product. Cindy says this initiative is rooted in the fact that “we know people Live Durable™, but no matter how they do it—whether it’s working on the job, adventuring in the mountains, or navigating their daily commute—CORDURA® fabrics are designed to enhance and enable whatever journey they’re on by providing best-in-class, built-to-last fabric solutions.” In addition to expanding these 360-degree narratives, CORDURA® will also utilize market insight trends to inform their development process. Quite literally moving the needle for brand customers and partners from motorsports to military, CORDURA® fabrics will be curated into functional categories highlighting user-friendly attributes like “Performance Naturals” and “Light Yet Strong.” Not only will this help humanize the world of performance textiles and man-made fibers, but it’ll also provide customers with clear, informed options for expanding the potential of their product lines.
Whenever we talk textiles with Cindy, she goes into a transcendental state of focus. Whether she’s identifying unique currents influencing the industry or talking shop about the latest trends, she’s always giving a uniquely prescient assessment of where we’re headed. “Work-wear and outdoor are influencing each other in new and unexpected ways. We’re seeing the built-in performance attributes typically associated with outdoor product adding value and versatility to everyday workwear. Increased range of motion, moisture management, and enhanced durability are all important attributes for the job site. It’s a two-way street where the fast-paced lifestyles we’re living today demand functional and wearable pieces that deliver when it counts.”
When it comes to the evolution of the CORDURA® brand story, Cindy is personally passionate about their initiative for sustainability. In 2018, CORDURA® is rolling out some pretty cool projects focused on eco-efficiency improvements, such as their recent collaboration with Dupont Tate and Lyle Susterra® bio-based coatings and membranes, and expanding their solution dyeing capabilities with a significant new investment in their Camden, South Carolina facility. Explaining the thinking behind these projects, Cindy points out that “today’s consumers are all about social consciousness in the world around them. This means developing fabrics that are in it for the long haul, or as we at CORDURA® like to say, fabrics based on our belief that ‛Sustainability Begins With Products That Last™.’”
Cindy McNaull and the CORDURA® brand team will continue to exemplify the cutting edge of breakthrough textile technologies. When heritage meets innovation, future generations of CORDURA® fabrics will ultimately combine the comfort and aesthetics of familiarity with the “hidden science” of tomorrow.
Images courtesy of CORDURA®.
xx Jeanine
This article was originally published in RANGE Magazine Issue Eight.