Lumenfield New Zealand: Dance and Movement Studio Field Test Report
Lumenfield is a New Zealand-based brand whose dance and movement studio is one of its most demanding programmes. Lumenfield runs its dance and movement studio across New Zealand and asked us to prove the fabric in the field rather than in a brochure. This report covers a full season of real use with recycled nylon interlock.
Lumenfield: Recycled Nylon Interlock in use during rehearsal and performance schedules
Evaluation background
The programme covers unitards, wrap tops and leggings, used for rehearsal and performance schedules. The environment is close body contact with high movement range and the requirement written into the brief was four-way stretch with a smooth, quiet surface. Fabric was selected on that basis rather than on price alone.
Fabric under evaluation
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Recycled Nylon Interlock |
| Composition | 78% GRS recycled nylon / 22% spandex |
| Weight | 280 GSM |
| Width | 165 cm |
| Primary function | stays fully opaque under tension while carrying a recycled claim |
| Target | opacity above 96% at 30% extension |
| Test method | AATCC 183 |
| Additional note | GRS chain of custody documents |
| Certification | OEKO-TEX Standard 100 |
Recycled Nylon Interlock close-up showing the fabric surface
Test scope
Twenty garments were issued to regular participants and tracked for eight weeks. Every item was used for rehearsal and performance schedules and laundered under the same domestic conditions, so the only real variable was wear.
Conditions covered
The programme ran through close body contact with high movement range. That is the environment the fabric has to survive, and it is harsher than any laboratory chamber we could have built.
Evaluation session with the Lumenfield team
What we measured
Garments were inspected every two weeks for surface wear, seam condition, dimensional change and retained hand. Fabric was retested at the end of the period against AATCC 183.
What users reported
Participants logged comfort, drying behaviour and any irritation. The recurring comment was that the recycled nylon interlock stayed comfortable at the point where four-way stretch with a smooth, quiet surface would normally be lost.
Test records and inspection notes for the Dance and Movement Studio
Scorecard
| Criterion | Result |
|---|---|
| Comfort in use | 4.6 / 5 |
| Drying behaviour | 4.8 / 5 |
| Surface wear | 4.3 / 5 |
| Dimensional stability | 4.5 / 5 |
| Value | 4.6 / 5 |
“Fifty washes later the fabric still performs. That is what convinced our buying team.” — Lumenfield Technical Team
Packed bulk rolls before shipment to New Zealand
Verdict and recommendation
Field testing confirmed the laboratory picture. The recycled nylon interlock held its opacity above 96% at 30% extension across the whole season and we recommend it for the next programme without change. For Lumenfield the practical next steps are to keep the current specification for the repeat, retain the shade standard, and issue AATCC 183 results with every lot so any claim can be supported with data.
