Acabada Launches CBD-Infused Activewear

There’s been a lot of publicity of late about cannabidiol (CBD) and its health benefits. Although CBD can be derived from the marijuana, or cannabis, plant, it is not psychoactive—that is reserved for the THC component of the plant.

November 11, 2019
20190930Cs Acabada1Lores

There’s been a lot of publicity of late about cannabidiol (CBD) and its health benefits. Although CBD can be derived from the marijuana, or cannabis, plant, it is not psychoactive—that is reserved for the THC component of the plant. Another source of CBD is commercial hemp, where CBD is extracted from the flower of the plant. While the U.S. FDA has reservations about CBD, I have personally been using it for a couple years to prevent arthritis, and it’s also a good substitute for cortisone to stop itching from insect bites. I’m sure there are other benefits as well. And although it may turn out that it has side effects—seems like almost everything does!—I’d rather bet on this natural product than the prednisone I was using before.

So that’s why I was interested to see a news report about Acabada’s CBD-infused activewear. Interesting fact: Take out all the As in the company name and voila! You have CBD!

I reached out to co-founder and CEO Seth Baum to learn more about their product, and here’s what he told me:

WhatTheyThink: First, tell us a little bit about the company.

Seth Baum:  Launched in 2019, Acabada ProActiveWear is the world’s first and only CBD-infused activewear brand, committed to creating innovative, luxury apparel for the proactive woman. Designed in New York and made in Portugal, Acabada infuses luxe fabrics with the highest quality, organic CBD, to ensure that women will look, feel. and perform at their best.

WTT:  What was the driver behind selecting CBD?

SB:  With the fast-growing popularity and increased public awareness of CBD, we recognized the natural connection between the reported positive effects that CBD has on pain and inflammation within the fitness and overall personal wellness categories. In addition to the life-changing testimonials being told about the benefits of CBD, top athletes and global sporting organizations are increasingly embracing CBD and have made it a part of their training and recovery programs.

WTT:  Are there any specific test results you have had?

SB:  The microencapsulation process has been around for several years, successfully infusing ingredients such as aloe vera and fragrances into fabrics, to be released upon friction and absorbed into the skin. What’s special about Acabada’s use of microencapsulation is the use of CBD. A handful of studies have begun looking into the benefits of CBD, and over the next few years we will see more science and proof of the benefits of CBD.

WTT:  What fabrics are being used? Natural fibers, polyester, blends?

SB:  We are using a super soft, high-performance blend of recycled poly (85%) and elastane (15%).

WTT:  Where are your products manufactured?

SB:  Acabada utilizes a high-tech and fully sustainable manufacturing partner in Portugal—one of the only manufacturers in the world who has experience with microencapsulation—to oversee the production process. By the way, Acabada incorporates CBD in the name, but it also means “finished” in Portuguese, a nod to our manufacturing partner.

WTT:  At what point is the microencapsulation applied/embedded? I ask this question because of the growing use of digital printing (including heat-transfer sublimation) that would likely apply too much pressure and/or heat to pretreated fabric, breaking the microcapsules. I’m also curious about the effect of other pre-/post-treatment processes on the microcapsules.

SB:  The CBD filled microcapsules are added as a finish to the fabric, prior to the garment manufacturing process. Based on the current technology, once the microencapsulation has been infused into the fabric, no other treatments (printing or additional chemicals) can be added. As we continue to move forward, we anticipate being able to engineer ways to incorporate some of these treatments in the near future.

WTT:  Explain your recycling program and your overall approach to helping the textile industry (and/or your company) improve its sustainability.

SB:  As customers approach 40 wears and washes, they can choose to sustainably recycle their CBD-infused garments through Acabada’s upcycling program, where the recycled, synthetic fabrics will be repurposed where needed as commercial materials. With this program customers will also receive a 30% exclusive discount on their next Acabada ProActiveWear purchase.

WTT:  Will you be adding menswear to your line?

SB:  We plan to expand Acabada into additional categories of CBD infused products including menswear, accessories and more in future drops.

WTT:  Beyond that, can you tell me about any other future strategies and your vision of the future of the industry, especially as it relates to the various digital technologies now being incorporated?

SB:  As a new-to-market business, we look to technology as an integral part of our sales, marketing, manufacturing, and management processes. As Acabada grows, our plans include embracing the most up-to-date technological innovations available. We will always be looking for ways to use the latest technologies to keep Acabada ahead of the curve. We are already working closely with the microencapsulation supplier on different ways to apply to the fabric that will extend the lifespan of the CBD, beyond current levels. We’re also in the process of developing new blended combinations of active ingredients that can be added to the CBD in order to provide additional benefits to the wearer. Stay tuned in 2020 for more specifics on this.