Italian warp-knitted fabric specialist Eurojersey and Portugal's Petratex have launched Optical Motion, a cycling performance capsule that develops fabric and garment in a single process rather than in sequence. The partners, with a combined 102 years of experience, position the project as a template for a full service offering to sportswear and performance apparel brands.

The collaboration, developed under the concept 'Engineered Together', starts from a simple mechanism: material selection, garment construction and fit are decided at the same time, not handed off from mill to factory. Eurojersey supplies technical warp-knitted fabrics from its fully integrated Italian production, including its Sensitive Fabrics range, which combines stretch, breathability and durability. Petratex contributes garment design, body mapping, 3D prototyping and manufacturing, with development based in Portugal and production available in Portugal or Tunisia through certified Industry 4.0 facilities.

How does the integrated process work?

Optical Motion places different textile structures according to what the body demands during movement. The partners describe three functional zones in the garments:

• Mesh fabrics enhance ventilation where heat builds up.
• Structured surfaces target aerodynamic drag.
• High-density materials deliver support and stability.

The development cycle runs from research into cycling performance requirements, through fabric selection, garment architecture and 3D prototyping, to performance validation and industrial production. Each stage informs the next, so the partners can refine materials and construction together instead of correcting problems late in the cycle.

The capsule also carries an Op Art-inspired visual identity — three-dimensional textures, contrasting surfaces and reflective elements built to suggest movement. The partners developed these features alongside the technical specifications, not as a final-stage design add-on.

Who is the offering aimed at?

Eurojersey, founded more than 65 years ago, and Petratex, with 37 years in technical garment development, see the cycling collection as a proof of concept. The intended product is a broader collaborative service for sportswear and performance apparel brands, covering the chain from definition of performance objectives through to finished garment production.

The partners argue that the model gives brands greater flexibility in developing tailored performance solutions, because fabric functionality, garment construction and end-use requirements stay linked throughout development. Production split between Portugal and Tunisia, backed by Industry 4.0 certification, gives buyers a nearshore European option with an African backup site.

For sourcing teams at sportswear brands, the decision this raises is whether to move performance programmes from a two-tier supplier chain — mill plus CMT factory — to a single coordinated development partner. Early-stage buyers now have a European test case that promises shorter iteration loops between fabric and finished garment.