Senscommon and Uchino Japan launch “self-purifying” charcoal clothing

Amsterdam-based clothing brand Senscommon has collaborated with textiles company Uchino Japan to launch a clothing collection made using activated charcoal.

The On-Journey Wear collection of minimalist clothing features a T-shirt, shorts, a shirt, a cardigan, a robe and trousers. The pieces have clean silhouettes with pockets and metal detailing.

The clothing is made using an active charcoal fibre technology developed by Uchino Japan, where Ubame oak charcoal is ground into a powder and kneaded into loose cotton and rayon fibres, before being spun into a yarn.

For the collection, which focuses on the “wellbeing and comfort” of the wearer, Senscommon selected a double-sided charcoal fibre which has a natural dark grey colour and a texture similar to “sweatshirt material”.

“It has a crisp and matte, loosely woven gauze exterior and a soft pile inside layer that feels like a second skin. Naturally greyed by the charcoal, the process uses no chemicals,” Senscommon told Dezeen.

Self-purifying qualities within the charcoal eliminate excess odour, moisture, bacteria and environmental chemicals.

“Moisture, chemical substances and odour are absorbed and eliminated via numerous small pores found within the charcoal,” said Senscommon.

“Because of its self-purifying qualities and porous ability to eliminate certain impurities and elements, On Journey Wear is the perfect wardrobe for daily journeys long or short,” explained the brand.

According to Senscommon, the charcoal enmeshed in the clothing also helps to regulate body temperature.

“Impressively, active charcoal emits far-infrared rays and negative ions,” said the brand.

“Far-infrared rays are waves of energy, totally invisible to the naked eye, penetrating the surface of the skin and gently elevating the body’s surface temperature while positively affecting bodily systems and functions,” explained the brand.

Also creating innovative clothing is Vollebak, which has produced a jacket made with graphene that can conduct power, store body heat and repel bacteria.

Ministry of Supply has also made a self-heating smart jacket that is able to react to shifts in temperature and create an individual “microclimate” for its wearer.

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