Textile Insight

TECHNOLOGY | INSULATION textileinsight.com The Season Ahead Signals Slimmer, Smarter & Sustainable Options. By Debra Cobb Warming Trends utdoorsman Eddie Bauer invented his goose down jacket back in 1936; and since then insulated outerwear has become an iconic item for the outdoor industry. The years have brought us insulation innovations ranging from synthetic batting and microfiber plumes to waterproof down, wool, and other natural fibers; and few apparel categories continue to focus more intensely on textile innova- tion than the cold weather active outdoors space. Sustainability has become a must in the insulation game, with syn- thetic category leaders PrimaLoft and Polartec touting increasingly high percentages of post-consumer recycled fibers in their products, and European leader Thermore offering PeTA-approved vegan certi- fication for their insulation. DuPont renewably-sourced Sorona brand and Unifi Repreve recycled fibers are teaming up to innovate a range of high-performance, eco- efficient insulation solutions. "As we have engaged more mills for the insulation product we are seeing new information around the per- formance optimization for this renewable and recycle story," reveals Renee Henze, marketing director for DuPont Industrial Biosciences. "Once fully commercialized, we feel there will be a collection of performance insulation wadding products," she promises. A number of outdoor brands are creating their own eco-insulation with unusual ingredients. For example, Australia's Mountain Designs' Seawool is an insulating functional fabric made from a blend of recycled oyster shells and recycled polyester. And United by Blue's B100 Fill combines sustainably sourced bison hair with recycled polyester. Thin Is In Recent trends have seen insula- tion materials trending thinner, lighter, and more adaptable to both active and static activities. The quest for "thinsulation" is driving advances in both synthetic and down insulation via innovative form factors and additives. Over three years in devel- opment, PrimaLoft Gold Insulation with Cross Core features a substance called aerogel, developed by NASA to provide thermal regula- tion. L.L. Bean is launching the product in its spring 2018 line. Aerogel is a porous, low- density, ultra-light material derived from substances such as silica or carbon gels, created by replacing the gel's liquid with air or gas. "It's a rock-solid thermal barrier for hot and cold," reveals Vanessa Mason, director of engineer- ing and technology at PrimaLoft. The aerogel particles boost the CLO value of PrimaLoft Gold insula- tion from 0.92 oz/yd2 to over 1 -- the highest warmth-to-weight ratio of any synthetic insulation, according to Mason. In other words, PrimaLoft Gold Insulation with Cross Core creates more warmth at the same weight -- or meets the need for lighter, thin- ner insulation that provides warmth equivalent to a loftier fill. "We think this is a technology that will do well not only in our space, but in other apparel applications as well," Mason feels. Polartec, having paved the path to thin, adaptive insulation with its Polartec Alpha product a few years back, is now offering Polartec Power Fill, a product that ups the warmth factor for "less active environments," according to Karen Whittier, the company's insula- tion product manager. "Power Fill is a little loftier, but soft and compressible, with a higher warmth to weight ratio," she explains. The material is a matrix of spun 80 percent post-consumer recycled polyester fibers with a hollow geometry, held together with a controlled melt process. This eliminates the need for a scrim, improving breathability and moisture transfer. With multiple weights available, Whittier emphasizes the product's ability to be combo-engineered in a garment to meet customer needs. Thermore focuses on comfort and freedom of movement in its stretch insulation innovation, Freedom. Andrea Delachi from the Thermore O L.L.Bean Primaloft Packaway Hooded Jacket 20 • Textile Insight ~ January/February 2018

• Cover