Cylk Bamboo-Based Shapewear

Mar 23rd, 2010 | By admin | Category: shapeware, shapewear, support undergarment, womens shapewear

Cylk Bamboo-Based Shapewear

I was contacted from a representative at Cylk to talk about their shapewear line. Here’s what I found out in my question and answer session with Keshia Abeysekera, product representative.

Question: Who are the founders of your company?
Answer: Cylk’s Australian based holding company has been in the industry for 15 years and is a major supplier to Australia’s high end department stores, national chains, mass merchants and specialty stores. Some of these include Witchery, Sportgirl, Saba, Target and FCUK. LM has also expanded its brand portfolio internationally to include RipCurl, Billabong and Peek and Cloppenburg.

Question: How long have you been in business?

Answer: Cylk began in the Summer of 2006 with a small capsule collection of 100% silk garments. After participating in Coterie and securing a number of high profile accounts around the globe including Henri Bendels New York, Fred Segal, Mitsukoshi Japan and Gio Moretti Milan, cylk expanded into a full collection of contemporary basics, essentials and ready-to-wear pieces using luxury blends including super fine bamboo, silk and modal.

Question: When did you start offering shapewear products?

Answer: Now in our 4^th season, we have branched out into the shapewear market, launching the cylk Body collection of eco-luxe shapewear. We identified a need to introduce a shapewear line made from natural fibres, as we noticed that the market was flooded with brands offering synthetic, man-made materials.

Question: Where did the idea to use bamboo for shapewear come from?
Answer: Bamboo was chosen due to its range of remarkable characteristics. Bamboo is environmentally friendly, taking up more greenhouse gasses, releasing more oxygen and consuming 60% less water than cotton, without the need for harmful pesticides. With a hand feel similar to silk, bamboo fibres are also naturally antibacterial, hypoallergenic and have deodorizing properties, perfectly suited to shape and body wear. Bamboo also is 12 times more effective than cotton when it comes to being anti-static and has insulating properties and will keep the wearer cooler in summer and warmer in winter. As cylk had already developed and specialized in bamboo blends, we thought this would be a perfect fit.

Question: What sizes do you offer?
Answer: We currently offer XS, S, M and L.

Question: Are there any new shapewear products being created for future release?
Answer: Cylk are know for being innovators in the industry, and so we are currently working on new designs with improved jacquard placement and construction in ensure the ultimate in comfort and control for the wearer. We are constantly looking at feedback from the wearers of our products to see how we can cater for their changing needs.

Question: How does bamboo hold up when compared to Lastex and Spandex and other compression shapewear materials?
Answer: Our bamboo blend is made up of 70% bamboo, with the other 30% comprising of a Polyamide/Elastane blend. In this way, we are able to predominantly offer the natural characteristics of the bamboo fibre such and breathability and its antibacterial properties, while also retaining the stretch and durability of the synthetic fibres.

Question: I know some people have allergic reactions to latex-based materials. Will bamboo materials cause allergic reactions in some customers?
Answer: As bamboo is a natural fibre and makes up 70$ of our bamboo blend, it is less likely to cause irritation to the skin when compared to synthetic fibres such as Spandex. Bamboo also has excellent moisture wicking abilities, absorbing 60% more water than cotton and polyester. Because Bamboo fibre is filled with various micro-holes which are more effective in moisture absorption and ventilation when compared to cotton, this also reduces the chance of skin irritation or discomfort for the wearer.

Well, that’s all for my question and answer session with Keshia Abeysekera, product representative, at Cylk. If you enjoy eco-friendly clothing and apparel, then take a look at their website listed below.