A polo shirt has been a staple in the menswear universe for well, ever. Seriously—we’re talking since it first appeared during polo matches in the mid-1800s and reinvented by both John E. Brooks in 1896 and Jean René Lacoste (yes, that one) in 1933, who reimagined the pique cotton short-sleeve style as we know it today for tennis matches.
But turns out, even now in 2022, the polo shirt is the gift that keeps giving – this time specifically regarding performance.
In a new innovation for the company, and the fashion industry, Ralph Lauren has announce the release of their new LX CLARUS® Polo Shirt in Australia: a polo made with the world’s first high-performance cotton fabric.
Utilising a first-to-market patented platform to transform virgin and recycled cotton in ways that were never before possible, the technology creates enhanced cotton fibres with high performance attributes, like quick-drying and moisture management, while still retaining the comfort and breathability of cotton. What this means is that the material performs like synthetic fabrics, but achieves the results in a much more sustainable way.
“Ralph Lauren is known for timelessness – and for more than 50 years being timeless has meant both leaning into our heritage and fostering pioneering innovation. With the introduction of the RLX CLARUS® Polo Shirt, we are using our most iconic product as a canvas to launch an industry-changing and scalable textile technology –a high-performance apparel product that is created with natural fibres for the first time. We’re proud to build on the brand’s legacy of signature and authentic style, reinvented for the future,” said David Lauren, Chief Branding and Innovation Officer.
The textile innovation was developed by Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. (NFW), a leading sustainable material science startup – one who Rach Lauren invested in to expand its use of recycled cotton, helping to advance the Company’s progress toward sustainably sourcing 100 percent of its key materials, including cotton, by 2025 and integrating zero-waste principles across its business.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Ralph Lauren. Through this collaboration, we are paving the way for complete circularity with resulting materials that perform similarly to plastic-based synthetic fabrics,” said Luke Haverhals, CEO at NFW. “We are pioneering an entirely new system that simultaneously enables all-natural performance fabrics while reducing waste and eliminating the need for synthetic plastics.”
During the 2022 Australian Open Tournament, Ralph Lauren hosted an exhibition tennis clinic with tennis legend, Sam Groth, and Josh Cavallo, professional Australian football player and avid tennis fan. Groth and Cavallo wore the new RLX CLARUS® Polo Shirt during the clinic, proving the polo’s performance features during the height of the Australian summer heat.
“I’ve been a longtime fan of Ralph Lauren – they’re a classic brand with incredible style and are always pushing boundaries to make really innovative, new products,” says professional Australian football player Josh Cavallo. “As a professional athlete who trains every day, it’s incredible to be able to wear a 100% cotton shirt that is stylish, has superior performance qualities and keeps me comfortable even on the hottest of days – all made with a sustainable spirit.”
The RLX CLARUS® Polo Shirt will be available in 6 colours at select Ralph Lauren stores nationally from 24th July, 2022.
