Nordkraft Wear New Zealand: Medical Compression and Recovery Wear Field Test Report
Nordkraft Wear is a New Zealand-based brand whose medical compression and recovery wear is one of its most demanding programmes. Nordkraft Wear runs its medical compression and recovery wear 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 spacer knit.
Nordkraft Wear: Spacer Knit in use during recovery wear worn for long periods
Evaluation background
The programme covers recovery tights, sleeves and support tops, used for recovery wear worn for long periods. The environment is continuous graduated pressure against the skin and the requirement written into the brief was measured compression with skin-safe materials. Fabric was selected on that basis rather than on price alone.
Fabric under evaluation
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Spacer Knit |
| Composition | 100% polyester spacer construction |
| Weight | 320 GSM |
| Width | 170 cm |
| Primary function | cushions and ventilates in a single piece of fabric |
| Target | air permeability above 200 mm/s with usable thermal resistance |
| Test method | ISO 11092 |
| Additional note | compression set below 10% |
| Certification | OEKO-TEX Standard 100 |
Spacer Knit 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 recovery wear worn for long periods and laundered under the same domestic conditions, so the only real variable was wear.
Conditions covered
The programme ran through continuous graduated pressure against the skin. 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 Nordkraft Wear 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 ISO 11092.
What users reported
Participants logged comfort, drying behaviour and any irritation. The recurring comment was that the spacer knit stayed comfortable at the point where measured compression with skin-safe materials would normally be lost.
Test records and inspection notes for the Medical Compression and Recovery Wear
Scorecard
| Criterion | Result |
|---|---|
| Comfort in use | 4.8 / 5 |
| Drying behaviour | 4.6 / 5 |
| Surface wear | 4.5 / 5 |
| Dimensional stability | 4.7 / 5 |
| Value | 4.4 / 5 |
“Development was transparent from the first sample and bulk matched the approval exactly.” — Nordkraft Wear Technical Team
Packed bulk rolls before shipment to New Zealand
Verdict and recommendation
Field testing confirmed the laboratory picture. The spacer knit held its air permeability above 200 mm/s with usable thermal resistance across the whole season and we recommend it for the next programme without change. For Nordkraft Wear the practical next steps are to keep the current specification for the repeat, retain the shade standard, and issue ISO 11092 results with every lot so any claim can be supported with data.
