Milliken & Company, one of the world’s largest privately-held textile and chemical manufacturers, announced that, starting fall 2008, Browning will offer a new retail line of scent-control hunting apparel powered by VisaEndurance Shield.
Branded under Browning’s new ScentSmart line, the new clothing will feature VisaEndurance Shield, Milliken’s newest odor-adsorption fabric technology that fights odors, wicks moisture, dries quickly and repels-and-releases stains to deliver superior comfort and enhanced performance for hunters.
Browning will showcase the new ScentSmart brand, powered by VisaEndurance, during the SHOT Show, February 2-5, 2008 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
VisaEndurance Shield is a patent-pending technology that adsorbs and suppresses most body odor molecules in fabrics, then releases the odors during traditional home-machine laundering with unscented detergents. VisaEndurance Shield fabrics are more breathable, flexible, and less bulky than activated carbon-containing fabrics. The technology works wet or dry, garments can be drip-dried or tumble-dried, and the scent-control technology is effective for the life of the garment.
The new Browning line will be available at retail fall 2008 under the company’s brand and will include a shirt, a pant and a performance t-shirt.
For added protection and comfort hunters can wear the new clothing over Browning’s NTS (Next to Skin) base layers – shirts and pants - that are powered by VisaEndurance Ion, Milliken’s patented silver-ion based technology that prevents the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
“We recognize scent control is one of the most important success factors for hunters, and it’s one of the most difficult to manage,” said Tom Leopard, general manager for Milliken’s Performance Fabrics. “At Milliken we’re committed to developing fabric technologies that provide hunters with the best scent control and we’re pleased to have Browning be the first partner to bring both VisaEndurance Ion and VisaEndurance Shield to market.”
Milliken’s set of VisaEndurance scent control technologies - VisaEndurance Ion and VisaEndurance Shield -- work independently and effectively on their respective fabrics, but when worn together they deliver a complete scent control system that is effective, comfortable, lightweight and durable.
“Demand for our NTS base layers made with VisaEndurance has been excellent since the line’s introduction in 2006. We’re thrilled to extend the benefits of VisaEndurance to our mid-layer and woven outerwear lines with Milliken’s adsorption technology,” said Rafe Nielsen, product manager at Browning. “We’re also excited to offer the market an effective alternative to carbon-based garments without compromising performance or comfort.”
VisaEndurance is available to apparel and other product manufacturers through two offerings: VisaEndurance Ion, a silver ion-based antimicrobial fabric technology that is ideal for base layer garments and products that come in contact with human perspiration; and VisaEndurance Shield, an odor adsorption technology that is ideal for woven mid-layer and outer layer garments.
The technologies are available in comfortable and durable fabrics, in numerous constructions and weights. They are used in a wide range of base layer and outer layer garments including technical long-and-short sleeved t-shirts, mock turtlenecks, men’s briefs and boxers, gloves, skull caps and balaclavas, as well as camouflage items such as performance t-shirts and long underwear in popular patterns from Mossy Oak and Realtree. VisaEndurance technology is now also available in socks made by Harriss & Covington
