Industry Leaders Unveil SuperCharged Noir Performance Denim Collection
Jeans are losing their weekend wardrobe status as the industry continues to develop performance denim that is functional, durable and suitable for everyday wear.
At the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam, Invista’s CORDURA® brand, Artistic Milliners and Lenzing debuted a new SuperCharged Noir collection. The collection by Artistic Milliners features a bold black performance denim portfolio that leverages “5S” performance attributes powered by TENCEL™ Modal with Eco Color technology and CORDURA® brand technologies. The collection aims to provide individuals with stronger, softer, darker and more sustainable black denim apparel. 
“By integrating our latest state-of-the art Invista nylon 6,6 BLACK SDN® fiber technology we’re able to bring a new dimension in stay true color and enhanced strength and abrasion resistance to the collection, while TENCEL™ Modal fibers and Artistic Milliners complement those attributes with added color fastness, softness, sustainability and stretch,” Cindy McNaull, global CORDURA® brand and marketing director, said. “Through our continued collaboration, we’re able to bring together our collective strengths and challenge ourselves to offer the innovative and eco-efficient solutions of tomorrow.”
The collection is focused on five core benefits and features that combine performance, style and sustainability for consumers’ black denim.
A combination of Invista’s new nylon 6,6 BLACK SDN® fiber innovation and spun dyed TENCEL™ Modal fibers with Eco Color technology engineers STAY TRUE Color for advanced color performance. The collection features color fastness at the fiber level, which enforces long lasting vibrancy and shade consistency.
SuperCharged Noir marks the first denim application of INVISTA T420HT, a patent pending staple fiber technology for Extreme Resistance Strength. According to previous testing, the collection offers more than four times the abrasion resistance of equivalent weight 100 percent cotton denim. This performance feature enables the collection to have functionality without losing the authentic feel associated with conventional jeans.
The collection’s denims aim to provide consumers with next-to-skin ease and softness. TENCEL™ Modal fibers with Eco Color technology, which are produced with adding the color during the production process, make up 60 percent of the collection’s fabric composition.
Sustainable Innovation remains an important theme of the collection, since Invista BLACK SDN® and TENCEL™ Modal fibers with Eco Color technology help minimize water use in the textile production process and TENCEL™ Modal fibers are produced from raw material and beech wood sourced from sustainable European forests.
Lastly, the collection also provides Performance Stretch, enabling consumers’ denim garments to stay durable and flexible throughout the day. 
“For this collection, it’s really about having value and versatility – especially since these features are important for both men’s and women’s offerings,” Tricia Carey, director of global business development at Lenzing, said. “Over the past several seasons, we’ve seen more interest in black denim, whether it’s for trucker jackets, dresses, or regular five-pocket jeans.”
The collection comes on the heels of Artistic Milliners’ SuperCharged Performance Denim fabrics. Fabric science, durability, lightweight strength and freedom of movement are some of the performance capabilities of these denim fabrics also introduced this year. SuperCharged Performance Denim varieties also leverage performance technologies, including Schoeller ceraspace technology for abrasion resistance and Schoeller PCM technology, a material that is set to a certain temperature range and changes from a solid to liquid to help regulate body temperature.