To the delight of workout warriors everywhere, Elemental Essentials—a native NYC brand—has announced a Kickstarter campaign for a new line of intimates that claims to kill off odor and bacteria naturally, thanks to the zinc woven right into its sustainably made fabric.
Elemental Essentials will be rolling out three new product lines as a part of its Kickstarter campaign: a classic fit crew neck tee, bikini and boxer briefs, and both ankle and crew socks.
All three lines will be produced using Zincore Technology, a patented fabric production method which involves weaving zinc directly into the polymer fiber to maximize the mineral’s anti-microbial properties, according to the brand.
Elemental Essentials says zinc can play a role in strengthening immune systems, promoting cell replication and healing and can even treat acne and eczema. The brand even suggested that wearers donn’t necessarily have to launder the garments “even if you wear [them] for days without washing,” due to zinc’s odor-fighting properties.
The fiber’s unique clover shape is also said to assist with moisture-wicking and breathability. Additionally, the only polyester used in Elemental Essential products is collected from recycled plastic bottles and added to a mix of cotton, modal and zinc.
“We started work on this project three years ago with a single pair of socks that has evolved into a line of essentials that we are truly proud of,” Timothy Brittain, Elemental Essentials co-founder, said in a statement. “You don’t need to look far to see the impact of single-use plastic on the environment. We want to do our part by closing the loop on single-use plastics for good.”
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Elemental Essentials says its products are ethically made in New York City according to the Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex, a certification that ensures rigorous testing to weed out harmful or environmentally damaging materials from consumer products. The brand says its Zincore fibers were independently tested in labs in both the United States and China to meet these standards—adding that the zinc-infused fabric retained its anti-microbial properties after 100 washes.
“Our ultimate goal with Elemental Essentials is to create a full circle program that not only reuses recycled plastic bottles, but whole recycled garments,” Brittain said. “We think fast-fashion companies are producing garments at an alarming rate, creating clothing that is not only made quickly but tossed away just as fast.”
As a part of the Kickstarter program, consumers and supporters of the brand can invest in the fundraiser, which is seeking to raise $50,000. If the goal is met, the plan is to begin production in November and start packing and shipping in February for an expected March delivery date.
If the fund reaches $75,000 in donations, Elemental Essentials will add two more color options to the production line beyond black and white. The colors will be chosen in a survey of the campaign’s Kickstarter backers.