Under Armour has announced plans to launch UA Rush, a new line of training apparel infused with thermo-reactive minerals. The fabric used for the collection is designed to trap body heat and recycle it into infrared energy, directing it back to the source so that athletes can train harder and longer.
This isn’t Under Armour’s first foray into infrared technology, but it is its most advanced. In 2017, the brand partnered with Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady on a recovery garment with an infrared lining. Responsive textile manufacturer Celliant worked with Under Armour to develop both projects. Celliant’s infrared textiles went through nine clinical trials on their way to being certified by the FDA as medical devices and general wellness products. The manufacturer also works with Lunya, a sleepwear company, and Juno, a mattress brand, on textiles for their sleep-related wares.
It’s taken two years of research and testing to develop the current iteration of Celliant technology for Under Armour, which promotes performance instead of restoration.
UA Rush’s new base layer garments are made to invigorate wearers, improving circulation and blood flow. A brand video starring NBA MVP and Under Armour spokesman Steph Curry illustrates the process by which active mineral particles are infused into the fibers that make up UA Rush’s high-performance fabrics. Sheathed within those fibers, the wearer won’t be able to feel the tiny particles as they work to convert body heat into infrared energy. That energy is then reflected back into the wearer’s tissues and muscles, while the heat that is emitted from the body is displaced.
The result, the brand claims, is increased endurance and strength.
When it launches next week, the UA Rush line will include base layer staples like shorts and leggings, as well as short and long-sleeved tops for both men and women. Items in the UA Rush collection, which will range in price from $45 to $100, will still have compression and moisture-wicking capabilities, and the brand says that the new technology should not affect the durability or longevity of the garments.