When You’re Cycling, Follow the Right Path - With Megmeister

Did you know that 60% of all textile landfill is polyester! We’re all part of the problem and need to be part of a solution. And here at Megmeister we want to play our part!

 

The cycling world generally has something to answer for, because most cycle jerseys are made of polyester. What’s more, virtually all cycling jerseys are sublimation printed. This is the process of applying colours to a white polyester base fabric. This process can only be done on white polyester base fabric. So, the fact that cycling clubs rely on sponsors, who obviously require their names on the shirt for promotional reasons, decides the base fabric for all these shirts, especially Polyester. Hardly ideal for cycling’s eco-credentials. 

 

On the face of it, sublimation printing is considered environmentally friendly, but everything is relative. First of all the printed paper which delivers the design is, of course, derived from wood, which is derived from trees. The paper, once it is used, cannot be used again. More importantly, the inks used contaminate the air when they sublimate, and the substrates that are used are hazardous too. Sublimation printing can only be done on polyester which is the biggest contributor to textile landfill. So you get the picture?

 

When we created our cycling jerseys we were keen to stay away from sublimation printing. We went for the traditional weaving process to create our jerseys. Not just because it is more eco-friendly, it also has other, significant benefits.

 

1. Megmeister fibers and filaments are coloured (dope-dying) before we start weaving our fabric, so dye sublimation is not required
2.  Less water is used in this dying process and less waste water is generated
3.  By adopting dope-dying, less chemicals and energy are needed

 

For our woven jerseys, the measures we take ensure a substantial reduction on our environmental footprint, and they create a more technological jersey, better supporting the performance of the athlete. 

 

Breathability:

 

Cycling jerseys should allow for breathability of the fabric on your chest and your back. These are the two main places where people start to sweat when cycling fast. Air is a good insulator, so if we trap air between our skin and the jersey it acts as a layer of insulation. An athlete might start to feel hot and starts to sweat more than he otherwise would. If the hot air can easily escape and is replaced with fresh, colder air, the process of heating up takes longer and overheating is less likely to occur. Breathability is important, particularly if you wear a baselayer underneath. Remember, your body is producing moisture, and all of that needs somewhere to go. Ultimately, our weaves are also designed to better utilise the moisture from your body. 

 

Exclusivity:

 

When we created our jersey range, going down the woven route offered an interesting advantage, namely to produce very small batches of fabric to keep our designs exclusive. We opted to create only 100 meters of each design/colour. Out of every one hundred meters of fabric, we make 150 jerseys. That’s it! Even at Versace they cannot match these numbers. Talk about exclusivity! We’d also like to think that our designs are kind of stylish too!

 

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Here at Megmeister, our goal is to create the Next Generation in cycling attire. It's a philosophy we apply whatever we are creating. The jerseys are coming soon, but in the meantime why not check out our game changing base layers? Click here.