Sounds weird right? It is, but it works and it’s all about those marginal gains in performance after all.
Australian cycle clothing brand, OORR (Out Of the Rat Race), have been hard at work developing the ultimate cycling kit. They’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign in order to secure funding for their latest creation: coffee and frog skin enhanced jerseys and bibshorts.
You did read that right. So let’s explain…
Unbeknown to us, coffee has many more hidden secrets than just a quick energy boost. In fact, ground coffee used in textiles is not as uncommon as you think. There’s a number of properties which enhances fabric, especially in performance wear:
- Increases SPF sun protection by 26% over other fabrics
- Dries up to 50% quicker than competitor apparel
- Up to 250% greater odour resistance
Creating coffee infused cycling wear involves polyester yarn that is infused with coffee in a patented process. It’s then blended with recycled polyester (from PET bottles) during fabric knitting, boosting the eco credibility of the garments.
And the frog skin technology…
Scientists found that a healthy frog living in filthy conditions secreted peptides that actively, and instantly killed bacteria, keeping it safe. They mimicked the microbes, creating a nano-particle to do the same thing. Originally intended for use in the medical industry, it claims a kill rate of 99.99% of harmful bacteria and microbes – far superior to the more commonly used silver ion nanotechnology used in most active-wear.
OORR incorporates these nano-particles in their bib shorts, labelling the fabric ‘frog skin’. The biggest benefit here is odour control. Thanks to the clever use of recycled post industrial nylon, bearing a surprisingly soft skin feel and superior abrasion resistance to polyester, the bibshorts are designed to last whist remaining permanently odour free, and eco friendly.
In addition to cycling jerseys and bibshorts, OORR have a range of running apparel, cycling caps and socks so you can get a full kit with your pledge.
The company is looking to secure $35,000 AUD over the next 4 weeks via their Kickstarter page. For ways to make a donation, and find out more about the kit and technology, head over to their website here.
You may also enjoy:
