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At ISPO Munich 2020, which took place from 26 to 29 January 2020, the Japanese materials company I.S.T Corporation presented its new materials and technologies to the international sports and outdoor industry for the first time.

These included Imidetex, billed as the world’s first polyimide super fibre, as well as patented Karl Karl yarn spinning technology.

Imidetex is extremely heat-resistant at temperatures up to 400°C, with a tensile strength of 3GPa, low water absorption and excellent UV resistance.

Fabrics, membranes and ropes have already been made from the fibre to withstand extreme space environments of –121°C in the shade and as high as +121°C, with unforgiving rays coming directly from the sun.

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Some leading outdoor brands were so enthusiastic about it that discussions about R&D partnerships and contracts are already at an advanced stage, the company reports.

The garments of nine Japanese knitting companies made with Karl Karl technology were displayed to show the bulk, softness and easy-care properties that can be achieved with it.

The technology, which is based on modified worsted spinning, allows the production of commonly used wool, polyester and wool/PES blended yarns that are 30% lighter as well as being 20% warmer, by creating larger numbers of air layers inside the structure of the yarns.

More than 1,700 trade visitors attended the I.S.T. ISPO stand and were inspired by the application areas of these innovations via an augmented reality (AR) display and a 3D installation in the centre of the booth.

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The installation, made from vertical Imidetex fibres and horizontal Karl Karl grid structures, could be scanned with a tablet to show facets of the technologies and products made from them, in addition to many physical samples.

“ISPO Munich 2020 was a great success for us,” said Toshiko Sakane, CEO of I.S.T Corporation. “The interest shown by trade visitors in I.S.T and its innovations exceeded our expectations. We had some promising business talks and we are looking forward to new partnerships in the outdoor and sports industry.”

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