New textile silicone technologies from Dow Corning Corp. are keeping athletes looking and
feeling good.

For athletes in football, soccer, and other high-impact sports, equipment is everything. For maximum performance, professional equipment buyers know that products incorporating silicone technology offer the highest level of quality, aesthetics and safety.

    "Modern athletes demand equipment, like athletic apparel, that combines protection with the latest looks," explained Charlie Zimmer, Dow Corning senior product marketing specialist. "New developments in silicone technology allow athletic apparel manufacturers to deliver maximum performance, offering advanced protection while enhancing the aesthetic appeal and comfort of their products."

    Brighter, more durable printed textiles

    For years, retailers and consumers have asked for brightly colored, printed spandex garments, especially for T-shirts and gym shorts. Athletic sponsors like to put their logos on team uniforms, but traditional inks lack color fastness and durability on garments made from elastic fabrics.

    Dow Corning has developed a breakthrough technology for screen printing inks that allows manufacturers to print on a wide range of high-performance garments. These new silicone-based inks offer improved durability, a non- tacky finish, and high elongation on elastic fabrics in addition to better durability and color fastness.

    Protecting athletes in high-impact sports

    Until recently, protection for athletes meant heavy padding, which can reduce speed and agility. The Dow Corning(R) Active Protection System, a "smart" impact protection textile, provides protection without impeding freedom of movement and flexibility.

    The smart impact protection system uses a silicone coating that remains soft and flexible under normal conditions. When struck by a high-impact force, the material hardens instantly to help protect the wearer against injury. When the impact force is removed, the material immediately returns to a flexible state.

    Since its introduction last year, the high-performance sports apparel market has responded enthusiastically to this new innovation in protective fabric. Rukka, a Finland-based manufacturer of sports apparel, offered a motorcycle riding suit, which was the first commercially available product to use the patented Dow Corning Active Protection System fabric.

    Dow Corning (http://www.dowcorning.com) provides performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in silicon-based technology and innovation, offering more than 7,000 products and services. Dow Corning is equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning's annual sales are outside the United States.