Swiss textile innovator HeiQ partners with Speedo on their new Fastskin line of suits with a drag reduction technology by modifying the surface of the fabric at a microscopic level.
Founded in 1914, Speedo, the world’s leading swimwear brand, has a long heritage and dominance in competitive swimming. Competitive swimmers are always looking to break their own personal records, as well as beat their competitors. In order to win, swimmers need to create the least resistance possible to obtain maximum speed in the water. Speedo’s newest and most advanced Fastskin range does just that. “We are proud to combine our in-depth knowledge in textiles with Speedo’s expertise in swimwear to develop a differentiating innovation. This is the outcome of the close collaboration between Speedo and HeiQ’s research hubs in Australia and Switzerland” says Carlo Centonze, HeiQ CEO.
Speedo’s LZR Pure Intent features unique triple-fabric construction designed to enhance compression and flexibility. To reduce drag, Speedo and HeiQ developed a shark skin-inspired fabric technology. This combination creates pure speed for the sprinter, in what is Speedo’s smartest suit to date. Speedo’s LZR Pure Valor is designed to be light and flexible to allow the racer to increase their power and reduce drag through streamlining. The fabric was co-developed with HeiQ to give the racer a greater range of motion and core stability to help swimmers feel lifted in the water and stay strong into the finishes. “With almost two decades of improvements in our Faskskin technology, we are excited to partner with HeiQ to give our racers the ultimate advantage with drag reduction technology to improve their speed. We’ve worked very closely with our athletes and taken all their feedback on board to help them get the suit they need to perform at their absolute best” says Rebecca Bennett, Materials Specialist at Speedo.
