Leading denim producer Isko will enter a new market in the United States next month when it introduces Isko Vital, a four-way-stretch fabric that provides compression technology. After launching the fabric for European customers during the International Trade Fair for Sports Equipment and Fashion in Germany in February, Isko is currently in discussions with brands to integrate Isko Vital into their designs. At the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Denver June 18–20, the Inegöl, Turkey–headquartered Isko will unveil Isko Vital to the North American market.

The company says it is now ready to unveil Isko Vital stateside as the first woven fabric to offer a compression-technology system of this kind. Using its existing Blue Skin fabric, which has been used in the company’s denim, Isko created Isko Vital by blending this textile with polyester and Lycra. The material stretches in four different directions, giving 360-degree freedom of movement.

While Isko focused on developing a more technologically advanced performance fabric, the company remains committed to sustainable practices. A recipient of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and the EU Ecolabel for pieces in its Earth Fit denim collection, Isko is also a member of ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals), the Amsterdam-headquartered group that challenges companies to eliminate hazardous chemicals throughout the supply chain.

As a member of the global apparel-manufacturing community, the company recognises its responsibility to ensure that its fabric is created with sustainability in mind. Noting that consumers are demanding more from companies, in addition to the lack of brand loyalty among generations Y and Z, Cortazzi recognizes that her company must distinguish its products from the competition by offering eco-friendlier options.