Superdry teams up with Versarien to make graphene-enhanced garments

Engineering materials group Versarien has announced a commercial collaboration agreement with DKH Retail Limited, the worldwide wholesale distribution subsidiary of fashion brand Superdry, to produce graphene-enhanced clothes.

Through the partnership, Superdry will pioneer the production of graphene-enhanced garments, using Versarien's GRAPHENE-WEARTM technology, with a view to importing graphene's thermal and moisture management properties into its garments.

Superdry believes that using Versarien's graphene technology will result in product lines with improved performance and extended product lifespan, with lower environmental impact in their creation, while at the same time reducing the need to add any virgin material during recycling .

Superdry will have access to Versarien's scientists and laboratories in Manchester and Cambridge. The company said this should accelerate the brand's innovation platform, enabling it and Versarien to create garments "unlike any others on the market".

Versarien chief executive Neill Ricketts said: "We are delighted that Superdry has publicly announced our collaboration. Since we started working with Superdry we have developed a number of sample garments and its decision to announce the collaboration and the future launch of the products we are developing together is, I believe, testament to the benefits they see in utilising Versarien's graphene technology.

"We look forward to continuing to work with Superdry to bring these innovative garment ranges to the market as soon as possible."

At 1310 GMT, Versarien shares were up 13% at 34.74p.