Aether Apparel Divide Motorcycle Jacket, Pants Review - Gear Patrol |
- Aether Apparel Divide Motorcycle Jacket, Pants Review - Gear Patrol
- Rethreading How Apparel Gets Made - pymnts.com
- Grab-and-go salads, steak and apparel shops open at the Mercantile Hotel - ABC FOX Montana
- Function influences fashion as outdoor apparel takes off - Bizwomen - The Business Journals
- UNLV extends apparel contract with Nike - - Las Vegas Sun
| Aether Apparel Divide Motorcycle Jacket, Pants Review - Gear Patrol Posted: 24 Jul 2019 01:30 AM PDT Ah, the travails of finding decent motorcycle touring gear. While track day junkies manage to look like badass leatherbound ninjas from the future, long distance riders usually come off more like construction workers in a 1970s B-movie about asteroid miners. There's something intrinsically unsexy about jumpsuit-style ballistic nylon. To fill that troublesome void, Palmer West and Jonah Smith went from producing indie flicks like Requiem for a Dream to forming Aether Apparel, a Melrose Boulevard-based outerwear company that seeks to strike a sweet spot between strict function and sleek form. Aether's Divide motorcycle jacket ($995) and Divide motorcycle pants ($695) are the brand's latest salvo at the predominantly dreary motorcycle touring genre, so I spent several hundred miles road-testing the armored set to decide if they're worth the steep price of entry. The Good: Visually, Aether's understated ethos pays off in spades: there's no garishly contrasting outer panels or cheesy textures, and enough Velcro tab cinches on the jacket to ensure a trim fit. That sense of intrinsic cool puts them several steps ahead of competitors whose motorcycle gear looks, well, more like motorcycle gear than minimalist outerwear. Who It's For: Style-conscious long distance motorcycle riders who don't mind paying a premium for a functional jacket/pant combo equipped with abrasion resistance and proper, CE-certified armor.
Watch Out For: I'm 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, and I usually fit squarely into medium-sized moto gear. Aether's website describes the Divide jacket and pants as fitting "true to size," so I was surprised to find the mediums longer and baggier than expected, especially considering the brand's modern ethos. A friendly salesperson at Aether's LA flagship swapped those pieces for a small — one of the first times I've found myself scaling down for a proper fit. (At least the customer service was outstanding.) Alternatives: Aether's most direct competitor is Dainese, the Italian brand that also occupies the rarified, pricey space where functionality doesn't kill style; their Gran Turismo jacket ($1,100) and pants ($700) have a more colorful, technical look than the Aether Divide, but also offers a bit more climatological versatility due to the larger vented zippers. Klim's Adventure Rally jacket ($1,700–$1,800) and Badlands Pro pants ($700–$720) demand an even higher price of entry, but are considerably more complex, with a three-layer shell and built-in hydration system that make them worthy of round-the-world rides; subsequently, they look the part as well. Alpinestars' Revenant jacket ($950) and pants ($650) take the long-distance theme seriously, offering an available Tech-Air airbag system for an added $1,150; their Gordon Drystar Overcoat ($400) is more philosophically similar to Aether, though not quite as stylish. Review: Motorcycle touring gear is best evaluated under trying circumstances, hell-or-high-water extremes that make for stories you'll tell your grandkids. The winding backroads between Los Angeles and Solvang aren't exactly the stuff of Camel Trophy lore, but a rookie mistake did make for some unexpectedly challenging (and embarrassing) test conditions: pushing my borrowed Honda Africa Twin uphill for half a mile and waiting two hours for a roadside services to deliver a splash of fuel. (Note to self: Honda's onboard computer is eerily accurate at estimating range.) While waiting for help, I had plenty of time to ponder the fact that an unseasonably warm spring day isn't exactly the Divide's optimal environment: sturdily constructed with Gore-Tex Pro and fully seam-sealed for wind and water protection, the Divide lineup is best experienced in motion, perhaps in the rain — but most definitely not in warm conditions. Aether also sells the Mojave jacket ($550) and pants ($450), which are more breathable and incorporate considerably larger vents but lack waterproofing. While the Divide's zippered armpit and back vents offer some airflow at a stop, my attitude improved after I hit the road again and began soaking up the breeze along the heavenly twisties of Highway 33 which link Ventura, Ojai and the Santa Ynez Mountains. When night fell on the return ride, the wind insulation ensured comfortable climes despite the cool desert air. At speed, the jacket and pants offer enough roominess not to feel cramped or too snug — in fact, the pants are surprisingly spacious, considering Aether's fashion-forward sensibilities. There's not enough extra fabric to cause flapping at speed, though the fit also isn't as tailored as some of Dainese's offerings. The lamb leather lining at the jacket neck adds a bit of substance to the textile panels, as do the leather panels on the inner thigh for added grip. There's no shortage of pocket storage: I counted five compartments in the jacket, and another five in the pants. Though several are slickly integrated with folding flaps that snap shut, the waterproof setup feels like overkill when you're just trying to grab your cell phone to switch up your Spotify playlist. But devise a system for yourself — cell phone on zippered inside pocket, wallet in an outside pocket, house keys on the other side, snacks in one of the pant pockets– and the setup is versatile enough to accommodate most needs for long-haul riding, assuming you remember where you put everything.
It wouldn't be proper motorcycling gear without abrasion-resistant construction and armor, and Aether appears well-equipped to handle wrecks. (I didn't test that firsthand.) The Divide jacket ships with a stack of rubbery pads of CE-certified D3O polyurethane armor that fit to the chest, elbow, shoulder and back, while pants get the padding at the hips and knees; all of it is secured in place with sturdy Velcro tabs. According to Aether, the material is rate-sensitive, meaning it changes viscosity depending on the force exerted upon it. Translation: whack your knee hard against asphalt, and that soft orange padding will stiffen in an instant, absorbing a higher amount of energy. The good news is that the padding is pliable enough not to feel obtrusive and doesn't create pressure points, but offers good impact protection in the case of an unintended dismount. Verdict: There's no shortage of established apparel manufacturers offering hardcore motorcycle touring and adventure touring gear, and those core brands have done an admirable job combining layering, crash protection and ventilation. Aether, a relative newcomer in the space, brings a welcome breath of fresh air to the game by ditching the dorky graphics and focusing on clean, elegant designs that retain an element of usability and comfort. Though more focused on weatherproof construction than all-around versatility, the Divide jacket and pants do what they're intended to do well, all without the social liability of aesthetic uncoolness. While not inexpensive by any stretch of the imagination, the ensemble actually becomes a reasonable value when compared to some of the more technical offerings out there. Hardcore long distance riders interested in multi-week travel aren't likely to choose Aether over stalwarts like Aerostich or Klim, but for urban adventurists who might dabble in the occasional state-hopping getaway, the Divide jacket and pants deliver dapper looks with just enough functionality to justify their premium price. Aether Divide Jacket and Pants Key SpecsRemovable Impact-Absorption Pads: Chest, elbow, shoulder, back, knee and hip Aether provided this product for review. Read More Gear Patrol Reviews  Hot takes and in-depth reviews on noteworthy, relevant and interesting products. Read the Story Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team's mission. Learn more here. |
| Rethreading How Apparel Gets Made - pymnts.com Posted: 24 Jul 2019 08:45 AM PDT The apparel industry is famous, or perhaps more appropriately infamous, for its high and growing level of environmental impact. Globally, consumers purchased 60 percent more clothing as of the year 2018 than they did in the year 2000 – and are keeping the clothes they buy about half as long. Most of that clothing ends up in a landfill. Cotton, the most common natural fiber used in clothing, is a water-intensive crop to grow – a single shirt requires about the same amount of water that a human being drinks over the course of two years. It is also a pesticide-intensive crop: Cotton farming uses up about 3 percent of the world's arable land, and accounts for 25 percent of the world's insecticide use and 11 percent of its pesticides. And the situation only gets less green when the raw materials are harvested and it is time for the clothing to actually get produced. Worldwide, around 20 percent of water pollution comes from garment manufacturing, with five trillion liters (1.3 trillion gallons) of water being poured into each fabric dying alone. On top of all that, an awfully large volume of those threads will be wasted in the traditional apparel manufacturing process, noted Yariv Bustan, Twine's vice president of product and marketing. The process that turns white thread into colored thread, which will ultimately be turned into clothing, is often slow, since the production centers and dying factories aren't one and the same. Once the color is selected and ordered, it goes to the production facility to get turned an item of clothing (or detail on an item of clothing). But if for any reason the yarn isn't needed – due to orders that don't live up to expectations, changing trends, changes in direction or leadership – more likely than not, that thread will end up in a landfill. All in, about 40 percent of dyed thread meets that fate, Bustan said in an interview with Israel21c. Israel-based Twine was founded to fight apparel waste at this level, replacing the old water- and time-intensive thread-dying process with a cleaner, on-demand model that leverages 3D printing to create a less wasteful method. The concept is inspired by the print-on-demand model that has become popular in publishing over the last decade and a half, which has seen booksellers shift away from large mass printings in favor of custom printing in response to consumer orders. What Twine does, according to Bustan, is basically the same idea, but uses the 3D printing technology to create colored yarn instead of books. The process starts when a color is chosen by a firm. White spooled thread is then placed in the Twine digital printer and comes out in the proper shade. The process can also handle multi-colored orders, or dying projects that require a gradient of color. Most importantly, however, the process requires almost no water and can happen on demand, in contrast to mass-batched orders. "With Twine, each consumer will be able to have their own virtual inventory," Bustan said. "They can have all the threads and colors they can think about, without needing even one pre-dyed spool." It won't solve all the waste problems in the apparel industry – too much fabric is still getting shipped to landfills. Moreover, Twine has expansion to do. Polyester is the most common fabric used in apparel production, and nylon is next on the list. Cotton, the very thirsty and most common natural fabric on the market, is also on the list, but bringing it in will require a few more adjustments and tweaks to the process, as well as a completely different kind of ink. But, Bustan noted, it is possible for retail apparel players to look at their production process and make an impactful change. In turn, that can motivate a different line of thinking about the sales model in general, and about the value of over-producing versus just-right production goals. "Instead of producing a product first and then selling it, as in the past, today you first sell the product and then you need to produce it very quickly," Bustan noted.   |
| Grab-and-go salads, steak and apparel shops open at the Mercantile Hotel - ABC FOX Montana Posted: 24 Jul 2019 05:17 PM PDT  A grab-and-go salad, steak and two apparel shops are open at downtown Missoula's new Mercantile hotel. Basal, which currently sells grab-and-go salads, bone broth and coffee, moved into the historic pharmacy location, attached to the Mercantile hotel. "We're fortunate enough to be in the pharmacy space that they saved from the old Missoula mercantile," Basal Co-Owner Taylor Clayton said. Instead of using herbs for medicinal purposes, chefs at Basal will use herbs in their meals. Taylor adding his restaurant offers something downtown didn't have before. "We just noticed, one that was missing [in Missoula] was healthy, quick, grab- and-go, specifically in the downtown area,"Taylor said. Wanting to provide quick, whole foods to the community, Basal opened its doors on Monday. "Our main pillars are coffee and espresso, salads, bone broth and then we'll be flexing into grab-and-go breakfast, lunch and dinner all kinds of things down the road," Co-Owner Julie Clayton said. Basal's menu currently has five salads that feature locally-sourced seasonal ingredients. The cost ranging from $7 to $17. Right next door to Basal, a familiar Missoula apparel shop opened up -- in the same spot women decades ago used to buy handbags at the old Bon Marche. Olive and Iron used to be on Spruce Street, but decided to move into the historic area. They still sell the same beloved brands. "[The store sells] men's and women's clothing. Easy to wear, timeless. We try to do a broad range of price points," Olive and Iron owner Mandy Burns said. Since opening in the Mercantile hotel, Burns says business is doing well. It's been busy. The staff love it here, being in the building. Super excited the restaurants are opening," Burns said. Right now, only four of the eight business are open in the 20,000 square foot space. In addition to Basal and Olive and Iron being open, Montana Scene, which sells Treasure State-branded clothes and gifts, and 1889, which sells steak and seafood are also open.  |
| Function influences fashion as outdoor apparel takes off - Bizwomen - The Business Journals Posted: 24 Jul 2019 06:18 AM PDT [unable to retrieve full-text content]Function influences fashion as outdoor apparel takes off - Bizwomen The Business Journals Caitlin Mullen, Bizwomen contributor. Jul 24, 2019, 9:18am EDT. Sign up for our free newsletter. Sign Up. Facebook · LinkedIn · Twitter; Email; Print · Order ...  |
| UNLV extends apparel contract with Nike - - Las Vegas Sun Posted: 23 Jul 2019 12:30 PM PDT  Uniforms, helmets and shoes are displayed in an equipment room during the grand opening of the Anthony and Lyndy Marnell III Baseball Clubhouse at UNLV Monday, March 7, 2016. Tuesday, July 23, 2019 | 12:30 p.m. UNLV announced on Tuesday that it has extended its apparel contract with Nike for the next three years. The Rebels' previous deal ran for five years and expired at the end of May. Under the new contract, Nike will provide the school with up to $2 million worth of apparel per year. UNLV will not receive any cash from Nike as part of the agreement. Comparatively, the deal puts UNLV firmly near the top of the Mountain West. Colorado State's contract with Under Armour provides the school with $2.2 million in product per year, and Boise State's deal with Nike allots for $1.9 million in product. Hawaii has an Under Armour contract worth $1.75 million in apparel, and the company also pays the school $220,000 in cash per year. On a national scale, UNLV's contract with Nike barely makes a ripple. UCLA's 15-year contract with Under Armour pays the school $280 million total in cash and apparel, and last year Washington agreed to a pact with Adidas that will give the university $5.275 million in cash per year, as well as $5.58 million in product. Seven of the Mountain West's 12 members currently have apparel contracts with Nike: UNLV, Boise State, San Diego State, New Mexico, Fresno State, Air Force and Utah State. Colorado State and Hawaii are Under Armour schools, while UNR, Wyoming and San Jose State belong to Adidas. Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.  |
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