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I can never seem to properly post a web address, so here is the story:
japantoday.com/e/?content=feature&id=509
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Clothing with dietary supplements a big hit
TOKYO — Japanese fabric and clothing makers are fiercely competing in the sale of T-shirts and other clothes containing popular dietary supplements.
Nutritive substances including amino acids, vitamins, xylitol and food additives are gaining the spotlight as ingredients in clothing.
People who wear garments containing such supplements are said to be able to maintain the PH balance in their skin or obtain cool comfort after perspiring.
Clothing makers have high expectations for nutritive substances that they believe will become highly promising revenue sources.
But a major department store official said it is difficult to understand the effect of the supplements in clothing.
Major sporting goods maker Mizuno Corp and Ajinomoto Co jointly developed the clothing material "Amino Veil" last year by combing an amino acid into fabric. They put tennis and golf clothes as well as T-shirts made with the fabric on sale in earnest in March.
They used mainly "arginine," made from about 20 kinds of amino acids, because it is said to help regenerate skin.
"It dissolves when someone perspires and enhances the material's ability to absorb moisture and helped keep the skin's PH level balanced," said a Mizuno public relations department official.
He said Mizuno plans to post 3 billion yen in sales of goods related to Amino Veil five years from now, or about six times the amount projected for the current fiscal year, adding that "sales are going almost according to our plans."
Jeans maker Teijin Wow Co of Osaka is selling "Wow Amino Jean" for women. The jeans incorporate amino acid in the material.
An official of the company said the jeans look no different than other jeans.
But "you get a soft sense when you touch them," the official said. "You don't feel the knee parts of the pants thrust out when you ride a bicycle or climb stairs."
Xylitol, used to sweeten chewing gum and candy, absorbs heat when it comes into contact with water.
Major sportswear maker Yonex Co marketed its "Very COOL" brand clothing, which incorporates xylitol, last year. It said the clothing is most effective for people playing sports under the sun or for a long time.
Fuji Spinning Co has developed a method to integrate ingredients such as caffeine and seaweed essence into fabrics in a stable form, preventing them from dissolving when the fabrics are washed.
Fuji Spinning officials said it is believed people wearing clothing made from the fabric could absorb the ingredients through their skin, but cautioned wearing the clothing could not function as an alternative to nutrition in food.
Makers said they will keep the price of supplement-enhanced clothing at the level of regular clothing. But they said they hope new products will become a source of profits in the future as sportswear is priced higher than ordinary clothing and brings high profit ratios.
Ajinomoto has been supplying amino acids to other companies and is active in research into using the substances in areas other than foodstuffs.
"The volume of supply to nonfood areas has been growing by more than 10% a year over the past several years," an official of the company's public relations department said.
"The amount of supply to the clothing area is still small but will grow considerably in the future." (Kyodo News)
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