Techies Find a Home in Outdoor Apparel

It may appear gimmicky or novel to some, but technology-focused clothing is making inroads in the apparel market.

This time the technology isn’t just in the fabric—it’s in the function. This fall, companies such as Chicago-based SCOTTeVest and The Orvis Co. are joining more mainstream marketers, including Nike Inc. and Levi Strauss & Co., that have been using technology to produce clothing and footwear with a purpose other than fit and fashion.

SCOTTeVest is rolling out Version Three.0 of its outerwear line. The latest evolution of the clothing line targets tech-oriented consumers who need places to store their cellular phones, portable MP3 players, Apple IPods, PDAs and other devices that no well-dressed man or woman should be without.

The thrust behind the company’s marketing is its patent-pending Personal Area Network, which is a web-like channel of compartments within each product’s lining that allows users to connect to devices without exposing wiring or electronics to the elements. One pocket might house a GPS locator and another might store a cell phone and accommodate handsfree devices. Even the company’s Tec-Hat has two storage areas. Some of its jackets carry close to 30 hidden compartments.

“Clothing designers don’t generally think about these things when they’re putting their lines together,” said Scott Jordan, chief executive of SCOTTeVest. “And not everybody is ready for it. But I liken it to the ’70s, when Japanese and German auto makers came out with gadget-filled cars. People were skeptical at first. Then it caught on.”

SCOTTeVest has sold items, ranging from $19.99 to $400, primarily through its Web site, www.scottevest.com. The company recently struck a deal with the Neiman Marcus Group Inc. and is looking to license its products to other major retailers. Jordan said he anticipates the company will eventually bring the Personal Area Network to more layered clothing, including shirts and shorts.

Veteran outdoor retailer Orvis is also taking the tech route for its Fall clothing line. The Manchester, Vt.–based retailer is debuting a clothing collection called Buzz Off that has natural insect repellent Permethrin, registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, built into its fabric to ward off bugs that outdoorsy customers might encounter on jaunts in the wilderness. The odorless repellent, derived from the chrysanthemum, can fend off insects and ticks associated with diseases such as the West Nile Virus and Lyme disease. It stays effective through at least 25 washes, according to the company. Orvis is licensing the technology from Buzz Off Insect Shield LLC.

The initial rollout will hit select stores throughout the company’s 40-unit chain, as well as through its Ex Officio stores in Seattle. A major rollout is set for spring 2004.

“We compare the launch to the impact Gore-Tex had when it was first introduced,” said Orvis Brand Manager Ryan Shadrin. “It’s that kind of a seismic change in the way we think of performance clothing.”

Of course, embellishing clothing with some type of armor isn’t a new idea. Last year, Levi’s Dockers division introduced its Go Khaki pants, which are coated with DuPont’s stain-resistant Teflon. Levi’s is expanding the successful technology into women’s and children’s products, as well as into other styles of pants, ties and shorts.

Nike, which is often on the technology forefront, has also experimented with incorporating special features into its products. The Beaverton, Ore.–based company uses wireless speed sensors in its SDM Triax 100 running shoe that help measure speed and distance through a built-in accelerometer.

Gimmicky or not, technology-enabled clothing apparently is here to stay, said Jordan of SCOTTeVest.

“We’re producing wearable computers,” he said. “But really, you have to look at the functionality of it, and, of course, fashion.”