Editing Hypercolor (section)

{{Short description|Clothing brand that changes color}}
{{about|a clothing brand|the particle physics concept|hypercolor (physics)|the CamelPhat song|Hypercolour (song)}}
[[Image:Generra Hypercolor.jpg|right|thumb|Example of a Hypercolor T-shirt. A [[hair dryer]] was used to change the [[blue]] to [[turquoise (color)|turquoise]].]]
[[Image:Generra Hypercolor 2.jpg|right|thumb|Another example of a Hypercolor T-shirt.]]

'''Hypercolor''' was a line of clothing, mainly [[T-shirt]]s and [[shorts]], that changed [[color]] with heat.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch3J6mFxBKs Hypercolor TV commercial], youtube.com, last accessed: 1 September 2010</ref>

They were manufactured by Generra Sportswear Company of [[Seattle]] and marketed in the [[United States]] as '''Generra Hypercolor''' or '''Generra Hypergrafix''' and elsewhere as '''Global Hypercolor'''. They contained a [[Thermochromism|thermochromic]] pigment made by [[Matsui Shikiso Chemical]] of [[Japan]], that changed between two colors—one when cold, one when warm. The shirts were produced with several color change choices beginning in 1991.<ref name="latimes">{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-hypercolor6-2008jul06,0,2927488.story |title=Hypercolor is hot again |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=6 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19910424/1279344/to-dye-for----hypercolor-clothes-heating-up-market-for-maker-generra |title=To Dye For – Hypercolor Clothes Heating Up Market For Maker Generra |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=24 April 1991}}</ref> The effect could easily be permanently damaged, particularly when the clothing was washed in hotter than recommended water, [[ironing|ironed]], [[bleach]]ed, or [[Clothes dryer|tumble-dried]].<ref name="latimes"/>

Generra Sportswear Co. had originally been founded as a men's sportswear [[Distribution (business)|distributor]] and [[importer]] in Seattle in 1980. The company was sold to [[Texas]]-based Farah Manufacturing Co. in 1984 and bought back by its founders in 1989. In 1986, the company added childrenswear and womenswear items to their portfolio. They struggled to meet the overwhelming demand for Hypercolor products.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-11004669/hyper-demand-hypercolor-generra.html |title=Hyper demand for Hypercolor |magazine=[[Puget Sound Business Journal]] |date=24 June 1991}}</ref> Between February and May&nbsp;1991 they sold $50&nbsp;million in Hypercolor garments.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920703/1500288/generra-hot-start-then-cold-reality----company-reflects-industrys-woes |title=Generra: Hot Start, Then Cold Reality – Company Reflects Industry's Woes |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=3 July 1992}}</ref> Generra went [[bankruptcy|bankrupt]] due to mismanagement and fading demand in 1992.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GENERRA+SPORTSWEAR+SEEKS+CHAPTER+11+PROTECTION-a012300680 |title=Generra Sportswear seeks Chapter 11 protection |agency=[[PR Newswire]] |date=2 July 1992 |access-date=1 September 2010 |archive-date=21 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021020337/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GENERRA+SPORTSWEAR+SEEKS+CHAPTER+11+PROTECTION-a012300680 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Hypercolor business for the U.S. market was sold to The Seattle T-shirt Company in 1993; Generra kept the rights for the international market.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-13434073.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104170523/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-13434073.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 November 2012 |title=Generra sells Hypercolor plant to Seattle T-shirt |newspaper=Daily News Record |date=4 February 1993}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19930114/1680021/generra-sells-hypercolor-plant-to-new-company |title=Generra Sells Hypercolor Plant to New Company |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=14 January 1993}}</ref> The company emerged from bankruptcy in 1995 as a licensing business.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing/apparel-other-finished-products-made/4399498-1.html |title=Generra Brand Acquired by Public Clothing |magazine=Bobbin |date=1 June 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-18532307/reinventing-generra.html |title=Reinventing Generra |magazine=[[Women's Wear Daily]] |date=31 July 1996}}</ref> The Generra name was acquired by Public Clothing Co. of New York in 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-84730564.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104170531/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-84730564.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 November 2012 |title=Public Clothing buys Generra trademark |magazine=[[Women's Wear Daily]] |date=29 March 2002}}</ref> Today, Generra Co. is a contemporary women's and men's apparel brand headquartered in New York City.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.style.com/stylefile/2010/02/generras-new-girl/ |title=Generra's new girl |website=style.co |date=1 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://nymag.com/listings/stores/generra/ |title=Generra |website=[[nymag.com]] |access-date=1 September 2010}}</ref>

In the early 2000s, the technique was revived by a number of apparel brands.<ref name="latimes"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mslk.com/reactions/hypercolor-is-the-new-old-fashion-trend/ |title=Hypercolor is the new old fashion trend |website=mslk.com |date=7 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://de-de.colourlovers.com/fashion/blog/2008/07/19/super-hyper-awesome-nostalgia-hypercolor |title=Super Hyper Awesome Nostalgia! : Hypercolor |website=colourlovers.com |date=19 July 2008}}</ref> In mid-2020, the color-changing clothing trend was revived yet again by several online retailers selling color-changing swim trunks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.thenewsuniverse.com/story/439607/splash-swimwear-brings-back-bestselling-hypercolor-water-activated-colorchanging-swim-trunks-for-2023-season.html|title=Splash™ Swimwear Brings Back Best-Selling Hypercolor Water Activated Color-Changing Swim Trunks for 2023 Season |website=thenewsuniverse.com |access-date=2 July 2020}}</ref>