For top athletes, clothing is the “equipment” closest to their body. Naturally, they have particularly high criteria, and when it comes to equipment, there is no room for compromise. The same is true for Sani Brown, who is aiming reach the pinnacle of the sprinting world. “The ideal piece of clothing is not only functional, but ultimately, you forget you’re even wearing it,” he says. As a global company for the development of materials, and as a partner alongside him, Toray wants to give shape to this ideal.
Toray and Sani Brown have launched a project to jointly develop athletic wear.
Toray × Sani Brown Joint Development Project
The role of clothing in a world where 0.1 seconds makes the difference.
Sportswear that maximizes performance
Sani Brown has been training in Florida since 2017. The image of Florida is a warm and comfortable climate throughout the year, but hot and humid summer temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius are the norm for at least half the year. Sani Brown practices six times a week in such an environment. From the start technique to weight training, his preparation for upcoming big races was in full swing this April. The clothing from the joint development project was completed, and we went to Florida to deliver it to him.
――What inspired you to develop this wear?
I wanted to be involved in development of sportswear from the beginning of the partnership agreement with Toray. I think it was at the end of last summer that we started discussing the project in earnest. While preparing for the kick-off meeting, I happened to have the opportunity to visit the Shiga Plant. I was only there for a site tour of material development, but they had already created several material samples based on comments that I had made. It was a complete surprise, but I was pleased at the thought everyone had put into it, including the sense of speed. When I was actually able to touch the first sample, it felt really good. The team listened carefully to the functionality that I wanted to improve. At that point, the development team said confidently that they had a better material.
Originally, PUMA had given me support with athletic wear, but then Toray also became involved, providing further backup in terms of materials.
――What qualities do you look for in athletic wear?
Florida is not only hot, it’s also humid like Japan, so you sweat a lot. No matter how much I try to concentrate on practice, sweating increases the discomfort. Time is limited, so I can’t afford to change clothes many times. That’s why moisture absorption and quick drying are the top priority features. The next thing I need is UV protection. I practice for two or three hours on a field out in the open under a scorching sun, and I worry about the damage that does to my skin. I would like the garment itself to be treated for UV protection. Other than that, I have no shortage of wants, such as lightness, texture, and less noticeable sweat stains. For track and field athletes, clothing is the only equipment they can wear. My ideals are high, but I am reassured by the fact that Toray is my partner.
――How well-made is the wear from the joint development project?
The feature I was most anticipating was even better moisture absorption and quick-drying performance. When I visited the factory in Shiga, I was shown an experiment in which water was dropped on a sample of the fabric, and I saw what it could do. The finished product does not disappoint and dries quickly, so it remains light and comfortable to wear, maintaining a smooth feel. I'm extremely pleased that we were able to create a garment that combines functionality and comfort. This lineup includes everything from racewear to practice T-shirts and shorts, and even long tights and pants, for which I'm grateful. Summer is about to begin in Florida. I'm looking forward to wearing these items every day and seeing how they perform.
――What is the relationship between clothing and daily athletic condition?
I'm often asked what I think about at the start of a race, but I don't think it's good if you seem to be thinking about it. Keep your mind clear, and when the gun goes off, your body reacts immediately and just runs on its own. That's the ideal, anyway. To get to that point it's important to be in the state that is most comfortable for you, a state where you feel free and relaxed. I'm not exaggerating when I say that my racewear is part of my body, and I don't want to take it for granted.
If you're wearing something that doesn't fit, you'll be distracted before the competition starts. In a world where every second counts, to concentrate on the competition body and soul, you need to have control over even those small details. In that respect, this wear is extremely comfortable, so I feel that it will help bring out my maximum performance.
――What are your immediate goals, and your aims for the future?
This is an Olympic year. I wasn't able to achieve the result I wanted during the last Olympics, but I am undeterred, and have held on to that frustration. My immediate goal is to make a strong recovery this year.
Reaching the finals and winning a medal at the Olympics is a very high hurdle, but I want to break through that barrier and reach the top. I want to win a medal and give back to the people who support me.
And I want to reach the end with a smile. In addition, the World Athletics Championships will be held in Tokyo next year. If I can run well in my home country and be successful, I think many people will be happy, so I want to do my best in that competition as well.
Betting on the tenacity and pride of material specialists
How best to make Sani Brown's desire a reality? We also spoke with three key persons in the joint development project. The development was led by Jun Otsuka, general manager of the Sportswear fabrics & Clothing Material Department, Toray. A long-time veteran at Toray, during his 30 years since joining the company he has overseen the development and sales of textiles, and was also involved in the development of UNIQLO's Ultra Light Down. He appointed two people to handle on-site operations. The first is Masaaki Mori, the developer of FIELDSENSOR™, Toray's leading moisture-absorbing quick-drying material, and KARUISHI™, a lightweight material with extremely high heat retention. The other is Hideaki Matsuoka, the long-term manager for garment manufacture in the area of fashion apparel. As developers of athletic wear that requires precision and detail, this was the ideal team, but in fact it was the first time that any of them, including Otsuka, had collaborated with a top athlete.
――How do you prepare for clothing development?
Narrowing down the material to use, knitting the yarn, and finishing—there are variations in each of these three processes, and in clothing development, it is important to first narrow down what to choose and what to try. There are hundreds or even thousands of options for “moisture absorption and quick drying” functionality, and combination with other functions could reduce the performance. Therefore, based on our experience, we started with materials that had a certain degree of proven performance, such as FIELDSENSOR™ BYOKAN and BODYSHELL™ EX, and produced several initial samples.
After that, we had Sani Brown feel the material himself and give us feedback, which was the start of full-scale joint development. We decided to approach development with the highest priority on Sani Brown's primary request for moisture absorption and quick drying functionality, and UV protection.
(Masaaki Mori, Sportswear fabrics & Clothing Material Department and Textile Trade Department, Toray)
――What aspect was most subject to trial and error?
I would have to say the thorough review of every detail to lower the stress on the body as much as possible. For example, since the specifications required bonding for the folding or joining of fabric sections rather than sewing, we selected bonding sheets to match the material, and used backstitching rather than bar tacking for the part that fastens the pocket. The fabric used in all the items is dense and extremely delicate, making it difficult to sew in any case.
Nevertheless, we worked with pattern makers and production staff to turn this high-spec material into wear that would support Sani Brown's running performance. We made many prototypes before reaching the final sample, but this was more about our determination to see the project through than a struggle.
(Hideaki Matsuoka, Assistant Manager, Overseas Operation Sect, Apparel Department 2, Toray International, Inc.)
――What is the significance of this joint development project for Toray?
When I met Sani Brown at the Shiga Plant, the first thing that surprised me was his detailed perspective. In addition to moisture absorption and quick drying functionality, he focused on such aspects as the feel on the skin, breathability, UV protection, and preventing sweat stains, and I realized just how particular a top athlete is about each item of clothing. I have been involved in the development of materials for sportswear for many years, but I have not had many opportunities to receive direct feedback from athletes, so it was really encouraging. He listened attentively to the explanations about each material, and talked with each technician in turn. Even though he is a top athlete, I was struck by his humility and sincere nature. Needless to say, everyone involved in the development was inspired to support such an athlete. Nothing would please me more than if Toray's technology contributed to his future victories, even if only a little.
(Jun Otsuka, General Manager, Sportswear fabrics & Clothing Material Department, Toray)
What kind of clothing brings out the best performance of top athletes? Through this joint development project, Sani Brown offered one answer, that of “wear that naturally becomes a part of the body, and you forget you're even wearing it,” which is sure to be a great hint for future material development. Sani Brown also responded positively, saying, “I didn't expect the feel between ready-made and custom-made to be so different. I'm dreaming even bigger now.”
The joint development of new wear elicited a shared feeling at Toray of wanting to fulfill desire. Toray and Sani Brown have deepened the bond in their global partnership agreement, and it will be even more exciting to see what happens next.
Sani Brown Collaboration Items
Racing wear (shirt) material: FIELDSENSOR™ BYOKAN, BODYSHELL™ EX to protect the body
Racing wear (pants) material: Primeflex™
Training shirt (short sleeve) material: FIELDSENSOR™ BYOKAN, BODYSHELL™ EX
Training pants material: Primeflex™
Training shirt (short sleeve) material: FIELDSENSOR™ BYOKAN, BODYSHELL™ EX
Training pants (long) material: LYCRA™
Training shirt (long sleeve) material: FIELDSENSOR™ BYOKAN, BODYSHELL™ EX
FIELDSENSOR™ BYOKAN
Moisture-absorbing quick-drying material with advanced sweat handling performance. The bridge structure on the skin side makes the movement of moisture smoother, maintaining a smooth feel and dry touch sensation.
BODYSHELL™ EX
A high level of anti-transparency is achieved while maintaining fiber strength, protecting the body from heat, ultraviolet rays, and transparency. The heat resistance and UV protection reduces physical exhaustion.
Primeflex™
The application of heat gives the yarn a spring-like structure, providing stretchability. The responsive stretching and recovery properties support smooth movement.
LYCRA™
A fabric with a strength and flexibility like rubber. When pulled it immediately returns to its original shape, responding flexibly to intense movement.
Toray Sports Fabrics
https://www.sportstextiles.toray/en/
