HanesBrands Inc.’s is rolling out a major marketing push in time for the holiday shopping season of its latest product innovation – FreshIQ, an odour protection technology used in men’s underwear, socks, T-shirts and fleece products for its Hanes brand and for Champion outerwear T-shirts and boxer briefs.
The company conducted a soft retail launch in late September for what it is calling ‘advanced odour protection technology’ featuring an antimicrobial finish. Textiles, such as cotton, naturally aid in the growth of bacteria by providing nutrients with odour, an unpleasant by-product as the apparel is worn. The antimicrobial finish in FreshIQ products physically inhibits bacteria growth.
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Gerald Evans Jr., Chief Executive, Hanesbrands commented, “FreshIQ will differentiate Hanes and be a competitive advantage in the marketplace. We are the first mainstream brand to include odour-control technology in everyday underwear and socks. Research among consumers indicates that this benefit will generate organic core growth in our basics line.”
The core products being upgraded with FreshIQ – men’s underwear and socks – represent more than US $ 1 billion in annual sales while HanesBrands’ innerwear sales totalled US $ 2.6 billion last year.
The company emphasizes on innovations – such as Tagless T-shirts, X-Temp underwear, ComfortFlex Bras, ComfortBlend fabrics, temperature control products and odour protection – that can be made at a lower cost primarily through in-house global production.
