Need Help Finding Ribbed Fabric - TDK Batman

[Neon Sentry]

I keep Googling and Googling and Googling, and I'm not getting anywhere.

Beneath the mesh of the Dark Knight suit is a ribbed undersuit, as seen here:

Now, I'm having the hardest time finding this stuff. BOTB is still trying to source the mesh, and awaiting contact from a few manufacturers, so I figure we can help with the quest by trying to tackle the undersuit.

From what I can tell it's simply black poly or poly-blend ribbing, but I can't track down anything similar.

Have any of you run across this fabric before, or have a hunch where it may be located?

 

[Harmonic_Distortion]

Over on LoH I saw someone (Dark Talon) use a fishnet bodysuit over a black bodysuit to approximate the look. Looked damn good, but of course it's not canon.

 

[Ramiel]

Searching for "rib fabric" I came up with these option:
http://www.fabric.com/CategoryDetail.aspx?CategoryID=fb7d473a-d3a6-4658-96d5-8bcfefa73b4f

While a search for "corduroy" came up with this:
http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-48015105577255_2013_17742080
http://images.netshops.com/mgen/swatch:ELP050_15_Smoke.jpg

I know, not a close match, but it could be a start...

-EDIT-
I think this is the kind of fishnet mesh used there, but I can't find it in black, but maybe it can be dyed...
http://www.spandexhouse.com/Admin/product_simg/bhFn-45r.jpg

 

[IndyFanChuck]

This is a fabric that we are discussing like crazy over on the BOTB forum. I don't think we know yet 100% what fabric it was. It clearly looks like many different athletic fabrics. I don't think it will remain a mystery too much longer. In fact, I would guess that a few people already know exactly what it was made from and are being secretive!

Anyway, if you use the SEARCH over at the BOTB, you will find like 9 different topics about this fabric. Very interesting stuff in my opinion. There are several that would work nicely. And most are not too expensive!

 

[Neon Sentry]

Everyone on BOTB is trying to find the mesh like crazy, but I just started a thread a couple of hours ago specifically for the under-mesh-bodysuit.

This thing's insane... ribbed poly undersuit, athletic/motocross meshing on top with what appears to be mesh-look spandex on the knees, groin, underarms and neck, and carbon fiber backed translucent urethane & foam urethane armor atop that, with elastic webbing between the pieces....

And people are still trying to find the proper fabrics for a movie that came out in 1977. :lol

It's gonna get done, though, we're determined and the filmmakers don't have much access to materials that we don't nowadays.

 

[Ramiel]

The mesh is the easy part, the undersuit is hard to find...

 

[ItsThatGuy]

The mesh looks like the back of those mesh office chairs...For example:

 

[Ramiel]

Actually the one I posted in my first post I think it's the same kind of mesh fabric, just the wrong color(s)

I found it on spandexhouse.com on the "Big Fishnet" section... Maybe you could ask for a sample...

Or something like the black mesh in this pic: http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50311765/Mesh_Fabrics.jpg
Or this: http://www.seattlefabrics.com/Med Polyester.jpg
(there is also in black and white)

 

[roboprop]

The military uses Nomex Mesh fabric in their SRU-21 survival vests which looks surprisingly similar to the mesh on the TDK suit.

Some sites that may be of interest...

http://www.ahh.biz/products/nylon mesh fabric FHM003.htm

http://www.complast.com/mesh/polyesterknits.htm

 

[darthgordon]

The mesh is very close to the mesh on the sneakers I'm wearing right now... the ribbed fabric... well couldn't you just sew fabric that way?

 

[roboprop]

I think Ramiel found a great source for ribbed fabric. No telling what the real stuff was but what he found is a great alternative! :thumbsup

 

[BRRogers]

The proper material has been found. Hudson82 (BOTB) nailed it down a while back.

It's made by a company called Cordura (under DuPonte), and it's referred to as Cordura Mesh. He's contacted the makers and is still waiting to hear back a response in respect to distributors/ manufacturers.
Basically the material is mostly found in military, or more so in motorcycle apparell applications. *seen here*

It's a lightweight, abrasion resistent, wicking fabric... In this case, the mesh and the underlying material are apart of the same fabric. They're not separate (unless i am mis-informed).

Like Neon Sentry said, the undersuit IS made out of different types of material.
I believe the material at the neck is called air mesh. Whish is generally used for adidas/nike shoes, or the undersite of backpack straps.

I found a company that makes this type of fabric (Chinese).
http://www.texwell.com.cn/en/product.htm
I haven't tried contacting them yet. here is a picture of (one of the types of) air mesh that they make.

and another of the stretch sports fabrics that they make. Similar to the material at the knees/underarms.

 

[Westies14]

Wow, perfect materials! Great job to whoever tracked them down!

- Douglas

 

[roboprop]

Ooooohhh, you guys are good!!!

Well done!! :thumbsup

 

[Ramiel]

Good find Tsuyosa!
The only "problem" is that Neon Sentry with this thread was looking for the ribbed fabric under the mesh!:lol

But still, that is a good find!

 

[BRRogers]

Good find Tsuyosa!
The only "problem" is that Neon Sentry with this thread was looking for the ribbed fabric under the mesh!:lol

But still, that is a good find!

That's what I was saying though.
I believe that the way that 'mesh' is produced, it is a part of the same material as what appears to be the 'ribbed' fabric underneath. I'm not so sure it's 'ribbed', so much as it is 'porous' anyway.

Much like the 'air mesh' above, where you can see that the 'mesh' on top is actually a part of the same fabric as what appears to be the fabric underneath. I think the cordura mesh works the same way.
This unique property could be the very reason this fabric is proving so hard to get a hold of.

Mesh alone is Easy easy easy easy to find. I could've made a full undersuit out of mesh last week if i thought that was only the case.

 

[roboprop]

I totally get it. The "ribbed" sections appear to be the same open air mesh only rolled into piping.

Same material, 2 different textures.

Makes sense to me.

 

[Ramiel]

That's what I was saying though.
I believe that the way that 'mesh' is produced, it is a part of the same material as what appears to be the 'ribbed' fabric underneath. I'm not so sure it's 'ribbed', so much as it is 'porous' anyway.

Much like the 'air mesh' above, where you can see that the 'mesh' on top is actually a part of the same fabric as what appears to be the fabric underneath. I think the cordura mesh works the same way.
This unique property could be the very reason this fabric is proving so hard to get a hold of.

Mesh alone is Easy easy easy easy to find. I could've made a full undersuit out of mesh last week if i thought that was only the case.

Sorry, I totally overlooked that part I guess... My bad!
And yes the mesh alone it's indeed easy.
I don't know yet if the fabric underneath is the air mesh or ribbed fabric, surely the shadows of the mesh could be "tricky" on the eyes, but I see a sort of "volume" there (the shadow of the mesh looks "curved" when projected on the material underneath), and sew the air mesh into a series of small pipes seems too much work sor something that is almost invisible in the movie... I don't know... Air mesh would be a great idea, to keep yourself "fresh" while wearing all that stuff (especially if you compare it to a neoprene suit with latex armor a la "Begins"...)

But yes, I think it could be that "double layer" cordura mesh you posted... Afterall if it's used also for motorcycle jackets, why it couldn't be used for a Batman suit?!?

 

[TMP]

To me it looks like the mesh just shadows the area bellow making it look like its ribbed. I dont see it on that photo.

 

[roboprop]

Oh, TMP...what do YOU know about armor and under suits? :lol