The name Olaf Benz stands for care and preciseness in craftsmanship and it is uncompromising in its quality standards. Unsurpassed fits, progressive cuts, precious materials and a puristic design provide the highest comfort for today's self-confident man.

Olaf Benz's unique feature are the first-class fabrics and yarns from which its underwear and swimwear are made of.

In order to always being able to offer our customers something unique, our design department staff are constantly looking for special fabrics that provide added value.

Natural fibres have a natural origin. They originate either from plants, animals or minerals and can be directly processed without chemical treatment. Fibres from organic sources are used the most.

Plant fibres are all textile fibres obtained from plants. These can be further divided into seed fibres (e.g. cotton), bast fibres (e.g. linen) and hard fibres (e.g. sisal).

These fibres are obtained from the seeds of the cotton plant. Fabrics made from cotton are very skin-friendly and sit lightly and very softly on the skin. Since cotton is of natural origin, it doesn’t carry an electrostatic charge. It can also absorb larger amounts of moisture. The underwear range RED1010 consists of 95 % cotton.

Organic cotton is cotton that is grown organically and in a controlled way. During the cultivation process, care is constantly taken to ensure that the ecosystem is left intact. Cutting-edge farming techniques ensure more humus and fertile soil. In addition, the number of pests and the need for water are reduced naturally. Clothing made of organic cotton contains no chemicals. Only natural fertilisers and pesticides are used, which in turn has a positive effect on the environment and the fabric’s tolerance. Modern agricultural management and high-tech machinery optimise the cultivation and processing of the cotton and create added value for farmers. Their gentle processing means that organic cotton textiles are of a higher quality. The fabric is softer and more tear-resistant compared with conventional cotton.

As the name suggests, these are fibres of animal origin. Since almost all animal hair can be processed into yarns or fabrics, there are countless animal fibres. You’re probably familiar with wool, from sheep or alpacas, and cashmere, from the cashmere goat.

Wool is the fibres from the sheep’s coat, or a mixture of sheep fleece and the coat of another animal (alpaca, llama, yak, ...). Wool is a very warming and water-repellent fibre. The softer the coat, the higher the quality.

Cashmere is the cashmere goat’s breast fluff and hair. Cashmere is a very high-quality and tear-resistant animal fibre. In addition to its fantastic insulating properties, it is also dirt, odour and moisture repellent and very easy to care for.

Silk is obtained exclusively from the cocoons of silk-spinning insects. It is the only naturally occurring endless fibre and consists primarily of protein. Silk fabrics are characterised by their special sheen. The fibres are relatively sensitive, but still have excellent properties. Silk insulates against both heat and cold, is very elastic and hardly creases.

The majority of synthetic fibres used today are polymers. Here again, there is a distinction between synthetic and natural polymers. Natural polymers include viscose, which is obtained from beech, bamboo, pine or eucalyptus wood. A more recent fibre is modal, which is firmer than viscose but is obtained through a similar process. Further examples of natural polymers are lyocell, cupro, rubber fibres, fibres made from soy protein, casein wool, acetate fibres and triacetate fibres. Synthetic polymers include polyester, elastane, polyamide, polyacrylic and others. Many of these are used in the textile industry.

In the textile sector, polyamide is a synthetic fibre made from linear polymers and amide bonds. Through so-called polymerisation or polycondensation, the molecules are connected to form chains – this is how the polyamide fibre is produced. Polyamide fibres are very elastic and stretchy. They are also highly resistant to tears and abrasion. Fabrics made of this material are very light, dry quickly and retain their shape regardless of whether they are wet or dry. One of the best known polyamide fibres is nylon.

When we refer to reclaimed polyamide in the textile sector, we mean old polyamide products or polyamide residues which are cleaned in a reclamation process and melted down again into polymers. Through polymerisation or polycondensation, the molecules are connected to form chains, so that a polyamide thread re forms. Regenerated polyamide has the same high-quality properties as newly manufactured polyamide. Olaf Benz is already part of the recycling economy and uses  regenerated fabrics like ECONYL® and Q-NOVA®.

Olaf Benz is taking a stand on the use of sustainable fabrics. Reclaimed ECONYL® nylon is a product by Aquafil, one of the world’s leading synthetic fibre companies and also a pioneer when it comes to quality, innovation and sustainability. Olaf Benz’s use of Aquafil ECONYL® yarn in the underwear ranges RED1903 and RED2004 makes it an active member of the recycling economy – a process in which materials are maximised and waste minimised. Regenerated ECONYL® nylon is 100% made from nylon waste that has been collected from landfills and oceans around the world. It is the same as newly manufactured nylon, but can be recycled, recreated and reshaped over and over again. In other words, it allows new products to be created and purchased without consuming fresh resources. ECONYL®-based underwear is an environmentally friendly alternative that demonstrates care for humanity and the environment. These collections contribute to the protection of our planet without sacrificing on design or quality.

Q-NOVA® is a 6.6 nylon fibre certified under the OEKO-TEX STD 100 CLASS I system and consisting of over 50% recycled material. This environmentally friendly material has been developed by the Fulgar company from Italy. The main focus during production is to be as environmentally conscious as possible. The manufacturing process aims to reduce CO² emissions, use renewable energies and minimise water consumption. The main component of Q-NOVA® is nylon waste from Fulgar’s production facilities, which is generated during the company’s main production cycle. This waste cannot be used directly in further processing and had to be disposed of as external waste.These waste materials are processed and reformed in a mechanical reclamation process, or MCS. They are then sent as new polymers for further processing into Q-NOVA® fiber. Q-NOVA® is a lightweight but robust fabric with the same properties as cotton or polyester. It is also very breathable and has a very good colour quality.

Polyester is one of the most popular synthetic fibres in the clothing industry. The polyester fibre is composed of linear macromolecules whose chain is held together by ester compounds. Polyester is three times as fine as silk and is thus a microfibre. The fibre is incredibly hard-wearing and tear-resistant. In contrast to cotton fabrics, polyester absorbs very little moisture, lets sweat evaporate effectively and dries quickly. In addition, it is a very easy-care material which hardly wrinkles.

Elastane is created by the fusion of the chemical substances polyurethane (for strength) and polyethylene glycol (for elasticity). The main characteristic of elastane is its high flexibility. Despite this elasticity, garments retain their shape, are hard-wearing and easy to care for. Another plus point: the fibre is very light and fine. Elastane is often used in sportswear, but it also plays an important role in everyday clothing. Socks, stockings and underwear rely on synthetic fibres to provide simultaneous support and comfort.

Although modal fibre is of natural origin as it is 100% obtained from cellulose, it is a synthetic fibre due to the further processing that it undergoes. To produce it, beech wood is debarked, shredded into small chips and placed in a sodium hydroxide solution. Through the addition of carbon disulphide and further chemical processing, the mixture is spun together via nozzles into a fibre material using a mechanical spinning process. Fabrics made of this fibre are very soft, comfortable, absorbent and breathable. Due to these special properties, modal is ideal for underwear. Its durability, shape retention and elasticity make this fabric particularly popular.

Like modal, viscose is a synthetic fibre of natural origin. The viscose fibre is also obtained from cellulose. Pine, beech, bamboo, spruce or eucalyptus wood is mainly used for this purpose. Similarly to the production of viscose, the raw wood material is reduced in size and placed in a sodium hydroxide solution to dissolve out the cellulose. After the addition of carbon disulphide, this mass is shot through nozzles to form a thread.     Viscose is a very skin-friendly fibre that has cooling properties and also goes by the name of artificial silk. Despite its high absorbency, no sweat odour is created on the fabric. Viscose has only low elasticity and creases easily.

Like modal and viscose, lyocell is a cellulosic man-made fibre. The basic material for this fibre is Asian eucalyptus wood, which is shredded and soaked in a solution of amine oxides to dissolve the cellulose out. The resulting lye is then pressed through nozzles and collected as an endless thread in a what is known as a spinning bath.     Lyocell is a very skin-friendly material as it is anti-allergenic and resistant to mites and bacteria. Lyocell fibre is highly breathable, temperature regulating and absorbent, which is why it is often used for sportswear. The fabric is also very durable and tear-resistant.

Resistex® Carbon is a special yarn with unique technical properties compared with conventional yarns due to its textile fibre and activated carbon filament composition. Until now, it has mainly been used in the production of sportswear. Activated carbon is obtained, in several chemical processes, from carboniferous raw materials such as wood, peat, brown coal, hard coal, fruit kernels etc. and is known for its absorbent properties, which are also useful to the textile industry. The conductive carbon contained in the activated carbon has a particularly positive effect on the performance of the human body, promotes blood circulation and regular oxygen supply to the cells. It also prevents the discharge of electrical energy in the body, which delays muscle fatigue and reduces lactic acid production.The high conductivity of the material distributes the resulting moisture better and promotes sweat evaporation. As a result, less moisture reaches the skin. The result is increased comfort, which is also very important for underwear. Olaf Benz uses Resistex® carbon in its RED2106 series.

The SZ knitting technology is used in the RED1601 series. Two differently twisted yarns give the fabric more stability so that it does not twist during washing.

Jacquard is a fabric with a large pattern, which was produced on a special loom.

Tactel is a synthetic fibre from the polyamide family. Compared to conventional polyamides, Tactel is even softer and silkier and is therefore particularly popular in the lingerie sector. Due to the lightness of the fiber, the soft texture and the excellent care properties, Tactel is an ideal fabric for fine underwear.


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