STYLEM TAKISADA-OSAKA CO., LTD. (Headquarters: Naniwa-ku, Osaka City; President: Ryuta Taki; hereinafter "Stylem") and Sony Group Corporation (hereinafter "Sony") have proposed and developed innerwear for the "Triporous: Space QOL Series" as a continuation of relaxing wear, applying Triporous, which is scheduled to be installed in the ISS in 2023, to textiles, in response to the "Second Call for Ideas for Common Challenges and Solutions in Space and Terrestrial Life" by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (hereinafter "JAXA"), an international research and development organization. As a result, it has been determined that the innerwear can be installed in the International Space Station (ISS) and is scheduled to be installed in the ISS after 2024.
Stylem has been working with Sony to develop and propose clothing materials and home textiles that apply Triporous, made from rice husks, to the fiber and apparel field, aiming to enrich people's lives and address social issues in various settings. As part of these efforts, they collaborated with Sony to apply Triporous to textiles for clothing and daily necessities, creating the "Triporous: Space QOL Series," for JAXA's "Second Call for Ideas for Common Challenges and Solutions in Space and Terrestrial Life." Their goal was to improve the quality of life in space, given its unique environment and limited resources, and to solve various problems in terrestrial life.
Subsequently, in November 2021, the "Triporous: Space QOL Series" was selected as an idea aiming for ISS installation. After development considering practical use in space, in July 2022, after a rigorous review by JAXA, relaxing wear (one of the items in the series) was approved for installation on the ISS and will be part of astronaut Satoshi Furukawa's long-term mission on the ISS. Additionally, the innerwear, which was under continuous development, has now been approved for installation on the ISS and is scheduled to be installed after 2024.
■ What is Triporous™? *Triporous is a trademark of Sony Group Corporation.
・ Sony Official Website: https://www.sony.com/ja/SonyInfo/triporous/
・ Stylem's initiatives for Triporous: https://www.stylem.co.jp/sustainability/initiative/triporous/
■ About "Triporous: Space QOL Series" Innerwear
With "comfort, pleasantness, and cleanliness" as keywords, we have developed innerwear T-shirts and boxer briefs.
・ Cleanliness: By applying Triporous to textiles, it exhibits deodorizing and antibacterial effects, keeping the wear clean and allowing for repeated use.
・ Comfort and wearability:
－ We adopted bare fleece, an optimal knit structure that naturally conforms to the body and provides comfort. It combines cotton, which has a natural feel, rayon, which has a soft texture, and polyurethane, which provides a moderate fit, in an ideal balance for innerwear. The body-hugging fit enhances deodorizing and antibacterial properties, while its quick-drying and moisture-absorbing properties absorb sweat and reduce uncomfortable stickiness. Additionally, some of the cotton used is recycled cotton fiber from textile waste generated during the manufacturing process, through the L∞PLUS® (※1) textile upcycling system.
※1 L∞PLUS® (Loop Plus) https://www.looplus-kurabo.com/
This is an initiative to re-resource collected textile products and waste generated during the production process using Kurabo Industries Ltd.'s unique opening and recycling technology, and to upcycle them into various textile products.
－ For the manufacturing of the innerwear, Gunze Limited (hereinafter "Gunze") was involved, incorporating Gunze's proprietary manufacturing method "CUT OFF®" (※2), which allows the fabric edges to be left raw. Furthermore, the body is made with a circular knitting method, and flat seams are used for the seams, minimizing skin irritation from stitching. In terms of design, raglan sleeves are adopted for a wide range of motion, making it easy to move the shoulders and arms, and easy to put on and take off.
※2 CUT OFF®
Clothes that can be cut raw, using a manufacturing method uniquely developed by Gunze. Since there are no seams at the collar, cuffs, or hem, it reduces the stress of seams rubbing against the skin.
■ Future Development
The "Triporous: Space QOL Series" innerwear is scheduled to be installed on the ISS after 2024, and will also be available for general sale for consumers to purchase and wear.
Stylem operates under the purpose of "Bringing excitement to people, solutions to industries, and sustainability to the environment and society" to achieve its vision of "Coloring the world with individuality." The development and proposal of products using Triporous align with our vision and purpose. We will continue to refine our creative capabilities and actively collaborate with other companies to enrich people's lives, contribute to solving social issues, reduce environmental impact, and create new markets and needs.
■ Reference URLs
・ Call for ideas on common themes and solutions for space life and terrestrial life
https://iss.jaxa.jp/med/partner/71532.html
・ "THINK SPACE LIFE" - a business co-creation platform that aims to improve both space and terrestrial life by addressing challenges in space life.
https://aerospacebiz.jaxa.jp/solution/j-sparc/projects/think-space-life/
[STYLEM TAKISADA-OSAKA CO., LTD.]
A textile trading company founded in 1864. Operates in four fields: textiles, raw materials, apparel products, and lifestyle. Expanding globally with its textile business, which has established a top share in the domestic market. In recent years, it has strongly emphasized sustainability and is challenging itself to develop new products and services. This initiative will be actively promoted as a sustainability effort that promotes collaboration with external parties. URL: https://www.stylem.co.jp/