Cycling in the rain wearing jeans used to be unthinkable, but not any more thanks to innovations in fabric technology.

The new Commuter range from Levi's, designed specifically for the urban cyclist, is water resistant and dirt repellent, while offering just the right amount of stretch for mobility.

Coming in a work shirt, trousers, jeans and trucker jacket, they are an example of the growing trend for performance apparel a blend of function and fashion, where outdoor functionality meets urban style.

One of the key components of the Commuter range is NanoSphere Technology, invented by Swiss textile company Schoeller, which allows water to simply run off the surface of the denim. This also works for ketchup, honey, coffee or red wine. If they don't run off, they can easily be rinsed off. NanoSphere textiles require less frequent washing and can be washed at lower temperatures.

As fashion brands like Levi's make their garments more functional, the trend is reciprocated with streetwear style influencing outdoor and ski products.

Outdoor brand Icebreaker is already on the mark. This winter, two new innovations to be added to its range are Realfleece Nano and merino-insulated soft shell jackets, designed to be worn both in the city and in the outdoors. Icebreaker creative director Rob Achten says the jackets were designed in response to customer demand for stylish, water-resistant merino jackets.

The Realfleece Nano jackets contain tiny nanoparticles that attach themselves to the merino fibre during the textile finishing process, leaving tiny pockets of air to maintain breathability. And while most fabrics have a large surface area for water droplets and dirt particles to cling to, nano particles have a ridged surface that reduces contact area. Water, oil and mud simply run off.

Nanoparticles are also the focus of Victoria University chemistry professor Jim Johnston and his former PhD student and now colleague Dr Kerstin Lucas, who last year pioneered a way of embedding tiny nanoparticles of gold and silver in New Zealand wool, resulting in colourful textiles that have functional and aesthetic benefits.

Together they have formed company Noble Bond Ltd and are part of Creative HQ, Wellington's business incubator. They're now working in partnership with Wools of New Zealand to develop the technology into a business.

Luxury fashion brands and textile companies are now the target of their glittering yarn, which they've named AuLana (Au is the symbol for gold and Lana is Latin for wool). Benefits of AuLana include the ability to create coloured textiles without using traditional synthetic dyes, and the gold can also be reclaimed from the garment.

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Nanotechnology and style unite