The Legacy of Innovation

Patrick FC: Payen has a very long history, though talking about all of it might be beyond our scope today. How would you describe the company’s identity?

ND: We are a historical company, almost 200 years old, but we maintain a startup mindset. This allows us to keep the right products on the market through constant evolution and reinventing ourselves to share top-tier innovation.

HW: To add to that, the aim of Payen is always performance. The fabrics we develop must support athletes at their best; we focus on high-value, specialized quality rather than normal, profane fabrics.

Vertical Integration in Europe

Lisa FC: When we meet at trade shows like Performance Days, it’s easy to get lost in the forest of suppliers. What sets Payen apart from the competitors?

ND: The main difference is that we are a producer who manages everything from weaving to dyeing and finishing. We are probably the last vertically integrated producer in Europe. This is vital for the super-technical, high-stretch products we make. Because we manage every step—from the polymer suppliers to the chemical finishing—we can push innovation throughout the entire process.

The Technical Translator

Patrick FC: What do you expect from a successful working relationship, and what is particularly important to you when establishing new partnerships?

ND: Because of the specialized nature of our fabrics, we naturally gravitate towards customers who are strictly product-oriented. If a company is focused solely on marketing, working with our textiles doesn't make much sense.

You really have to be thinking about the product itself. We consider ourselves "technical translators" for our customers; they come to us with a wild idea, and we figure out how to make the impossible possible. Because of that, we need to work with people who live and breathe product development. It is often why it makes more sense for us to partner with smaller brands rather than the massive names—smaller brands are often more deeply invested in those details.

Developing the Companion Bib Fabric

Lisa FC: How long did the development take for the specific fabric we use in our Companion Bib?

ND: We are talking two years to reach a point where it could be repeated industrially. We don't go for easy topics. We focus on challenges like very fine yarns, high density, and super high stretch.

Lisa FC: You can feel the difference from the first touch and the first fitting.

HW: If you compare wovens to typical knitted fabrics, we have a much higher density—more yarns per square centimeter. For the consumer, this means less friction on the surface, better protection, and more natural compression due to the high Lycra component.

ND: It’s also about lightness and humidity management. Because of the density, there is less area for humidity to attach to, so you feel much drier on long rides.

Muscle Stabilization vs. Compression

Patrick FC: Performance is everything for cyclists. You mentioned compression—is that scientifically backed?

ND: We have done studies. We aren't talking about "medical" compression that accelerates blood flow. Instead, we call it a "muscle stabilizer." During a ride, your muscles undergo micro-oscillations; this fabric limits those. Field tests show that on a 3 to 10-hour ride, the fabric doesn't lose its behavior or elongation like classical fabrics do.

HW: A better name for it than compression might be "enveloping." It’s what athletes describe as feeling comfortable because the muscle gets pressure back as it expands.

The Final Verdict

Lisa FC: Everyone knows that feeling when bibs get loose after six hours of riding. That’s not the case here?

HW: Not at all. Because we have more yarns per square centimeter, every single yarn has its own power. In a knit, you have one yarn making many loops; here, the yarns work independently.

ND: If you are a casual cyclist, you might not need this. But if you are looking for something that will truly change your experience on the bike, just try it.

Patrick FC: How do you respond when someone tells you, "It’s just a fabric"?

ND: We both know that a basic watch and a Rolex both tell the time. If you don’t see the difference you just need to try it.