SKINION X (R) Becomes Official IBU Supplying Partner of the International Biathlon Union

Bolzano / Anif, May 12, 2026 - SKINION X (R) has officially launched its partnership with the International Biathlon Union and is now authorized to use the title "Official IBU Supplying Partner."

SKINION X (R) represents a new category in sports: textile skin protection worn directly on the skin.

The idea is simple.
The impact is significant.
The first layer should do more than just keep you warm and wick away moisture. It should support the skin where stress is first felt: from friction, pressure, speed, contact with equipment, and the risk of falls.

_SKINION X (R) is the Protective First Layer._
_A technical protective layer directly on the skin. Developed for sports and applications where the skin is not just a comfort zone, but a stress zone._

The pain point is clear: In elite sports, every detail is optimized. Material, aerodynamics, recovery, warmth, nutrition, sleep. But the skin is often only noticed when it is irritated, chafed, or injured. SKINION X (R) starts earlier.

_The skin is not a wear-and-tear part._
_It is the first point of contact between the body, equipment, and stress. That is exactly where protection begins._

SKINION X (R) has its roots in the medtech and dermatology-driven textile development at Heppner Apparel. For years, the company has been developing specialty textiles for sensitive, stressed, and vulnerable skin. With SKINION X (R), this expertise is now being applied to sports.

The proof comes from real-world use. SKINION X (R) has already been tested and worn by Olympic champions and World Cup athletes under real high-performance conditions. During their Olympic victory in the two-man and four-man bobsled events in Cortina, the Lochner bobsled team wore SKINION X (R) under their racing suits. Its practical benefits were also evident in World Cup luge: After a crash by Leon Felderer in St. Moritz, the skin remained unharmed with no significant impact.

"We aren't developing SKINION X (R) based on a marketing idea," says Leif Heppner, founder of SKINION X (R). "Our roots lie in working with specialized textiles that come into direct contact with the skin. Our goal is clear: We want to rethink the first layer. Not as underwear. But as a functional protective layer for the skin."

Biathlon is a logical next step for this approach. The sport combines endurance, cold, sweat, friction, material pressure, high dynamics, and the risk of falls. Athletes must be able to rely on their bodies, equipment, and performance under maximum stress.

This is exactly where SKINION X (R) comes in:
A base layer that combines comfort, performance, and textile skin protection.

The partnership with the IBU follows an intensive development and validation phase in international competitive sports. Through its own Skin Performance Lab, SKINION X (R) collaborates with athletes, coaches, and sports organizations. The goal is not to leave skin-contact protective textiles in the lab, but to further develop them under real-world conditions.

In parallel with the IBU partnership, SKINION X (R) has welcomed additional top national federations into the Skin Performance Lab. There, functional development is being advanced in collaboration with World Cup athletes and expert partners. A separate announcement regarding this will follow shortly.

"We don't promise that a single textile will eliminate every risk," says Heppner. "But we know this: When skin is under stress, the first layer needs to do more. It must protect, function, and be understood. That's exactly what we're building SKINION X (R) for."

As an Official IBU Supplying Partner, SKINION X (R) leverages the international biathlon platform to raise the profile of textile skin protection in elite sports and to further develop it in collaboration with athletes, teams, and expert partners.

SKINION X (R) - Protective First Layer.
Textile skin protection directly on the skin.

Heppner Apparel
Leonardo da Vinci Str. 12
39100 Bozen
Italien

https://www.skinion-x.com

Herr Helmut Hanus

helmut@skinion-x.com

SKINION X (R) is a protective textile brand of Heppner GmbH under the umbrella of Heppner Apparel. The brand develops technical first-layer clothing for sports, motorcycling, and work. Anywhere skin is at risk from friction, pressure, speed, or impact.

SKINION X (R) stands for textile skin protection worn directly against the skin and combines medically inspired textile development, technical knitting expertise, and functional performance.

This release was published on openPR.