Functional performance is being engineered into yarn structures as regulations tighten on chemicals and UV protection.
Japanese fibre producer Teijin Frontier is introducing a new functional textile designed to keep the skin drier, cooler and less exposed to sunlight—without relying on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The fabric will be launched globally for the Spring/Summer 2027 season in both woven and knitted formats.
At the core of the innovation is yarn engineering rather than chemical finishing. Teijin Frontier has applied its core-sheath conjugate spinning technology and proprietary fibre processing to produce high-crimp, false-twist textured yarns with a full-dull finish. The structure limits light transmission, enhances softness and blocks ultraviolet radiation through a high titanium-dioxide content embedded in the fibre itself.
The textile’s construction deliberately combines water-repellent and water-absorbent yarns on the skin-facing side. According to the company, this configuration allows perspiration to be absorbed rapidly and transported to the outer surface, while preventing moisture from migrating back toward the skin. By reducing differences in light reflectance between wet and dry areas, the fabric also minimises visible sweat marks—an increasingly valued aesthetic feature in light-coloured sports and summer garments.
Cooling performance is further enhanced through heat-shielding properties, while reduced transparency addresses both comfort and modesty concerns in activewear and innerwear applications. Importantly, Teijin Frontier emphasises that these functions are achieved without PFAS, aligning the product with tightening chemical regulations in markets such as Europe and parts of Asia.
The company is initially targeting sports and outdoor apparel, but plans to extend the textile into broader lifestyle categories, including fashion and innerwear. Sales targets are set at 150,000 metres in fiscal 2027, rising to 400,000 metres by fiscal 2029.
The strategic significance lies less in the volumes than in the method. As regulators and brands push to eliminate hazardous substances, performance textiles are being redesigned from the fibre up. Teijin Frontier’s approach suggests that future differentiation in functional fabrics may depend as much on structural ingenuity as on surface chemistry.
