Kolon Sport to Outfit National Archery Team with Technology for Paris Olympics

▷ Developed Korea's first archery-specific shoes - field-tested by KOLON X10 BOY'Z

▷ Reflected national athletes' opinions on lapel details, and developed 3D patterns optimized for arms and shoulders

▷ Different inside and outside functionalities - fast drying gives comfort leaving no sweat marks

Heat-optimized functional materials provide cooling, ventilation as well as UV screening.

Kolon Sport, an outdoor brand developed by Kolon Industries & Commerce (Kolon FnC), is supporting the national archery team's uniforms for the 33rd Summer Olympics in Paris.

It has endeavored to develop technologies to improve the performance of the national archery team over the years. This time, as a first in Korea, it has developed shoes specifically designed for archers. Since stability is paramount in archery shoes, the sole should support both feet firmly for accurate aiming while preventing slippage. The instep, on the other hand, must be flexible so that archers can move their feet comfortably. The outsole features Vibram Megagrip, which has an improved grip to provide stability. The instep has a polyurethane coating that is strong, yet lightweight and flexible. The shoes are lined with Gore-Tex for rainy weather. Also, the BOA® Fit system is used to customize the fit for each athlete. To optimize the shoes for archery, the toes are lowered to improve overall stability and balance. The shoes were then field-tested by the KOLON X10 BOY'Z, Kolon's archery team.

Kolon Sport has also put all-out efforts into apparel, prioritizing the opinions of national athletes. Long and short sleeve tops, long pants and shorts, sweatshirt tops and bottoms, inner t-shirts, and headwear are all available to support the athletes in their training and preparation.

The inner T-shirt is made from a cooling material and is designed to minimize friction at the seams, the first point of contact with the skin. The top features an absorbent material on the inside to diffuse and dry sweat quickly, and an outer material that vaporizes sweat quickly to prevent sweat marks. The garments are also about 10% lighter than the previous uniforms, making them more comfortable to wear. The center of the collar is reinforced to make it easier to adjust according to personal preference, and the neckline is designed to prevent the collar from slipping out when folded inward. Since arm and shoulder movements are very important in archery, a 3D pattern technology has been applied to reflect the movement of those parts involved in pulling the bowstring and loosing an arrow.

It's also worth noting that the garments are all made from materials that can withstand the hot summer weather in Paris. In addition to the cooling effect, the garments are perforated at the most sweat-prone areas such as the bottom of the neck, the back of the top and behind the knees to facilitate ventilation and prolong the comfort.

“We are honored to be working with the national archery team for the Olympics,” said Yang Sun-mi, Director of Planning and Marketing at Kolon Sport. ”We have developed apparel, equipment, and footwear that are specialized for archery to help the national archers perform at their best. Not only the material properties, but also the pattern development and the seamlines are all designed to help them perform at their best.”