PRIMALOFT material. Polyester Fiber Insulation

Over the past few years, the clothing market for active recreation has experienced a real boom on the emergence of new insulation technologies. In the fall of 2013, the first products from Polartec alpha., in winter, 2013-2014 - things from the company appeared in stores The North Face. With insulation Primaloft Thermoball, and companies Columbia. and Arcteryx. Released jackets that combine fluff and synthetic insulation. At the same time, attempts are not terminated to create clothes and accessories with electro-heating and the use of materials that accumulate heat of the human body.

The reason for this lies not only in the manufacturers attempts to increase the functionality of their products. The emergence of new insulation technologies based on microfiber synthetic heaters is associated with a noticeable rise in price of the raw goose fluff over the past five years. According to the American magazine "Outside", the pound of raw white goose fluff in 2009 cost $ 10, in 2014 - about $ 50.

Hence the demand for the latest technologies of insulation that could be equal to compete with down products, from developers and manufacturers of clothing and equipment for outdoor activities. Moreover, this demand in the near future will only grow, which implies the expansion of collections based, primarily on the synthetic heaters in most manufacturers. We will get acquainted with the properties of the newest of them.

Polartec® Alpha.

Unlike other manufacturers of insulation and technological fabrics, Polartec approached the pricing crisis on the downstream raw materials. Newest Material Polartec alpha. It was designed for military special forces in accordance with the requirements of the General Directorate of the Special Forces of the US Department of Defense (U. S. Special Operations Forces - SOF) long before his announcement in the civil market in 2012. The first products with its use appeared in September 2013 from companies Rab, The North Face, Mountain Equipment, Montane and 66 North.

The SOF requirements were to create a lightweight, quick-drying, well breathable material for clothing, which gives high thermal insulation and having an acceptable wind protection. According to the results of field and laboratory tests, the leader has become Polartec alpha..

While creating Alpha.The developers were repelled from the main thing, in their opinion, the lack of existing insulation. For example, the fluff and a significant portion of microfiber synthetic insulation that imitating its structure can penetrate out through the seams and fibers of the fabric. And this circumstance requires the manufacturer to use materials with a very dense weaving fibers, in order to avoid migration of the insulation inside the product and its penetration. So dense tissue, unfortunately, have a lot of weight and do not contribute to the rapid place of sweat and excess heat from the body. All this can lead to overheating during active loads and, as a result, the risk of wetting insulation from sweat.

Therefore, the rate was made to develop a comprehensive solution - a kind of "sandwich" from a durable outer layer, improved insulation based on POLARTEC® POWER SHIELD® HIGH LOFT and the most well-discharge moisture material lining. Like I. POWER SHIELD® HIGH LOFT, insulation Alpha. It is a wear-resistant long-fiber fleece, with the only difference that it is laminated not to the outer surface of the product, but is the filling of the tissue "sandwich". Such developer measures led to the fact that the product will dry up much faster, about twice as fast as the closest competitors, and has a low weight.

Supplement to this was a very flexible approach. Polartec in relation to manufacturers - facial tissue they will be able to choose independently, from ultra-light materials, such as Pertex., before Softshell.. All this has determined the main scaffolding of the material Polartec alpha. - Jackets used as an intermediate or top layer of clothing. Compromise in this decision was the ratio of heat / weight. According to the most testers and outdoor publications in this Alpha. still inferior to the fluff and the latest development from Primaloft - Thermoball.

Polartec Alpha - Marmot Isotherm Hoody Jacket, Jacket and Rab Strata Jacket.

Primaloft® Thermoball ™

The newest synthetic insulation from Primaloft.which very accurately copies the strip structure. Externally, a novelty resembles a stranded cotton ball, which served as the title - Thermoball. Up to this development, all synthetic insulation was a mixture of hollow fibers like the fluff outwardly and only partly repeated its properties. In the release of the new technology, The North Face announced that the new insulation would generally repeat according to the properties Primaloft One.But it will be 15% warmer per unit weight, corresponding to a fluff with an indicator of Fill Power 600. This means an equivalent pointer. The ability to restore its volume after compression and hold the equivalent amount of air between the fibers, which serves as thermal insulator. The North Face. currently belongs to exclusive use Thermoball In their products up to 2015, since the company provided an active assistance in its development.

As in the case of Primaloft One.The developers made a special emphasis on the preservation of heat insulating properties Thermoball When wetting, which was confirmed by numerous tests in the field. Particularly distinguished tester Sean McCoy - Gearjunkie.com resource editor, thoroughly wet her jacket THERMOBALL FULL ZIP JACKET And going to her for a walk at an air temperature just below zero. The new material was tested with glitter, surprising even such a sophisticated user. The editors of the OUTSIDE magazine came to high grade, calling Thermoball "The most heat insulating synthetic insulation of everyone is ever tested."

Examples of products using Primaloft Thermoball - Jackets and vests THE NORTH FACE THERMOBALL FULL ZIP, Bivar and city TNF shoes, in which the Pooh 600 F.P. was previously used.

PRIMALOFT® DOWN BEND.

Despite explicit successes in the field of improving synthetic insulation, the use of fluff do not want to refuse even Primaloft Inc.. However, all experts are well aware of its main disadvantages - low thermal insulation during wetting and slow drying, to which mentioned above disadvantage - high price for the manufacturer, and, as a result, for the end user. Creature PRIMALOFT DOWN BEND. It was designed to overcome these shortcomings.

The essence of the technology is reduced to mixing a natural fluff and artificial fibers. Primaloft Ultra-FineClose to it by property to restore its volume after compression and hold the maximum amount of air between the fibers. The addition to this fluff is treated with water repellent composition. These measures have allowed to reduce the hybrid insulation without loss of quality, ensure the acceptable thermal insulation properties of the wet mixture, as well as increase the speed of its drying in comparison with the usual Pooh 4 times!

PRIMALOFT ® Performance Down is presented in two versions:

– PRIMALOFT GOLD INSULATIONS DOWN BEND - Goose Pooh 70% (Poh Pen 90/10) - Synthetic fibers 30%. 1.23 CLO in a dry state against 1,18 CLO in a wet state.
– PRIMALOFT SILVER INSULATIONS DOWN BEND - Utin fluff 60% (Poh Pen 85/15) - Synthetic fibers 40%. 1.14 CLO in a dry state against 1.07 CLO in a wet state.

Thus, the new combined insulation corresponds to its heat-insulating properties to a high-quality fluff with an indicator FP 750 and FP 600, respectively. At the same time, thanks to the inclusion of synthetics and moisture-repellent impregnation of the fluff, it continues to work even in a wet state with almost lossless.

Examples of products using PRIMALOFT DOWN BEND. - Jacket Black Diamond Hot Forge (will go on sale in the spring of 2015), jacket Adidas Outdoor Terrex Climaheat Ice Jacket.

"Infrared" insulation

Primaloft Kodenshi.

Perhaps the most exotic way of insulation of clothing from all presented. Attempts to pick up or create from scratch the right material that could accumulate the heat of the human body, and then slowly return it back like a stone heated in the sun, made up by manufacturers repeatedly. So far, no one company has reached unequivocal success, although the development is conducted as the giants of the industry - The North Face.and not as well-known brands, such as American clothing manufacturer and accessories for mountain skis Powderhorn..

The closest to the implementation of this idea was approached by experts from Picture Organic., French manufacturer of eco-friendly clothes for skiers and snowboarders, with technology Bioceramic. - Ceramic particles contained in the membrane material accumulate heat and slowly emit it to the user of the equipment. However, this development itself is positioned not as an element of insulation, but as a technology that improves muscle tone.

Lamination of the membrane with ceramic particles actively uses a young manufacturer of premium class ski clothing Mountain Force. Their exclusive development Ceramic Membrane. It has high thermal insulation properties, which makes it possible to provide additional comfort on the frosty slope without the need to use the additional layer of the insulation, which increases not only the weight of the product, but also its volume.

Ceramics are used by the way for several years and in Primaloft.. Their insulation Primaloft Ceramic. and Primaloft Kodenshi. Made with the addition of ceramic microfiber, helping to reflect heat back to the body. Such a heater is significantly more efficient. His main consumer is the company GoldWin.. However, now you can meet the products of other brands using Primaloft Kodenshi. Among them Black Diamond. and Reusch.Using the insulation in ski gloves and mittens.

Elasticity. In relation to insulation, this ability to restore the initial structure, in fact volume. The structure of synthetic fibers is most often restored faster than the fluff. In part, therefore, in the down jackets, there are not rarely inserts with a synthetic insulation in the shoulder area and on the sides of the jacket, where the greatest pressure turns out.

But, in spite of technical progress, the best insulation still remains down. Most often in the manufacture of down jackets, a goose fluff is used - it is more durable than duck, and also cheaper than the Pooh Gagachi. The High Pooh Pooh Pooh has high Fill Power and is optimal in price-quality ratio.

Review prepared store specialists

There are a large number of insulation that are used as a filler to winter jackets and other products. The best characteristics endowed with a goose fluff, but its cost is very large, and in the point of view, he is sufficiently arrogant. It is compared with this natural insulation can only one artificial material primaloft. Only it has the structure of the fibers very similar to the Pup, has almost identical indicators in heating and moisture-resistant. And how to wash the primaloft, so not to ruin the laid characteristics?

Primaloft is the only artificial fiber, which is very similar in the main characteristics with goose down, special constant processing against moisture is not flushed throughout the product. This allows cleaning of jackets and other goods with such a filler by usual washing both manual type and machine machine.

To clean the products with such a type of filler worth knowing some rules:

Like any synthetic fibers, the washing is carried out at a temperature not higher than 40 degrees.
The use of powdered washing agents is not welcome.
The use of bleach is strictly prohibited.
Pre-climb places with strong pollution, the stain remover is not necessarily applied. It is enough to treat the sleeves, the gate, the area around the pockets of the household soap.
It is better to erase with liquid means, they are better washed out of the fibers and do not clog the holes between them.
When manual washing, it is impossible to unscrew the products, it is allowed to simply drive the water with your hands and give a track of excess moisture yourself.

Preliminary soaking of the product is allowed, it is carried out in warm water with the addition of economic soap.

Preparatory process

Before holding washing, you need to spend some preparatory work. It is necessary for that the product is not damaged and not deformed.

To do this, it is desirable to remove or wind all the accessories that do not stick tightly to the product.

The cleaning process is desirable to conduct after the label has been studied with the manufacturer's recommendations. It is clearly indicated at what temperature to be washing, what means to apply than to display stains.

Before washing, you must check your pockets, pull out all the contents of them.

Carefully fasten the zippers and buttons, buttons are desirable on the contrary to unbuckle.

Handwash

For cleansing manually needed a large container with water, the bathroom is best for these purposes. The process of cleansing is carried out like this:

In warm water dissolve the required amount of washing agent, the product is placed.
Strong pollution is additionally processed by the economic soap, with very strong you can apply a soft brush.
Leave the product in water for a while.
Pull the thing and give a little drain the water.
Digure excess water.
Rinse in several waters.
Give a stance of water, but do not twist

Cleaning in a washing machine

The washing machine is faster and better to cope with the task. Cleaning the product with priclophold as a filler consists of such steps:

The drum loads the prepared product with declined stains.
Expose the delicate wash mode at a temperature not higher than 40 degrees.
Popper indicators should be about 600 revolutions.
In the powder compartment poured a liquid tool for washing.
Run the car.

Next, for some time you can do our affairs when it comes to rinsing it is better to press. It is advisable to set an extra rinse and add air conditioning to the water. This little trick will help get rid of electrification, save the volume, will allow the product to dry faster.

Drying

How to wash the primaloft figured out, and how to dry it, to keep a presentable type of product? Like other synthetic insulation, primaloft can be knocked out if it is simply hanging on a clothesline, a color casing can burn under straight sunlight, white can yellow.

So that the product retain all its parameters is desirable to carry out a drying in a horizontal position, away from direct sunlight and heating devices, including electrical heaters. The open primaloft will quickly give moisture, and there will be no chances and folds on the product.

The washing of the primoft is identical to the cleansing procedures of any artificial fiber. If you precisely follow the instructions, then the product will be happy to please the excellent appearance and will save your warming upstream.

Synthetic insulation Primaloft ©. Albany International was developed by the United States Army as a qualitative replacement of a fluff for workwear and sleeping bags. To date, Primaloft insulation reliably conquered the market not only army clothing, but outdoor market.

First of all, Primaloft © light and durable insulation, and also has excellent insulating properties. In addition, PRIMALOFT perfectly passes air, and its hygiene properties are much superior to the properties of the usual goose fluff. Such excellent results were obtained by the thermal properties of the new primaloft microfiber, whose structure was copied with a goose fluff microfiber. So the thermal resistance in the goose fluff is 2.18, and for the insulation PRIMALOFT - 2.15, which indicates the best thermal insulation of the synthetic insulation compared to the Pooh. Such indicators did not approach no widely used synthetic insulation.

The primaloft insulation is perfect as a filler for the outerwear or a bedroom, as it has a low weight and volume compared with the bulk. Compared to the goose Pup, the primaloft insulation has water-repellent properties and hypoallergen. Albany International researchers also achieved the excellent properties of the "breathiness" of the insulation due to microscopic aircrafts. On the surface of PRIMALOFT microfolocone, due to their very small sizes, air molecules accumulate, which provide high thermal insulation properties of the insulation with a relatively thin insulating layer. Thanks to these hollow fibers of large diameter and the so-called "loft" remains with long use, washing, compression and drying.

In the Outdoor industry, several varieties of primaloft insulation are used:

- Primaloft © One

- Primaloft® Sport

- Primaloft Eco.

- Primaloft Eco Footwear

- PRIMALOFT INFINITY

- Primaloft yarn.

- PRIMALOFT SYNERGY.

The following diagram shows R-Value - the magnitude of the thermal resistance of the heating layer. Points to CLO. The higher the value of R-VALUE, the better the thermal insulation properties of the material.

Primaloft One.

Insulation Primaloft © One. Most often used as insulation, both for urban clothing and for outerwear for outdoor activities. In the production of insulation PRIMALOFT © ONE, ultra-thin microfiber are used, which allow to maintain thermal insulation properties of the insulation at low weight and volume. Thermal insulation properties of Primaloft © One in a dry form are 0.92 CLO / OZ / YD2, and in wet - 0.9 CLO / OZ / YD2 (the heat insulation indicator is the higher, the higher the thermal insulation characteristic of the material). It is Primaloft © one that retains the greatest heat insulation and practically does not lose it in the wet state. It protects against wind and dries faster than goose down.

PRIMALOFT application © one:

Outerwear
Headwear (Men's Hat Outdoor Research Inversion Beanie)
Gloves (gloves Black Diamond Enforcer)
Accessories
Sleeping bags
Overalls
Footwear

Primaloft Sport

Insulation Primaloft® Sport It is used for the production of clothing and products for extreme conditions, since this type of insulation is thinner and easy. The thermal insulation properties of Primaloft © Sport in a dry form are 0.79 CLO / OZ / YD2, and in wet - 0.72 CLO / OZ / YD2 (the thermal insulation indicator is the higher, the higher the characteristic of the material thermal insulation itself).

PRIMALOFT® SPORT:

Outerwear (SPLAV "Quantum" pants, SPLAV "Highlander" pants)
Hats
Overalls (Jumpsuit Marmot 8000m Suit)
Sleeping Bags (Sleeping Bag Double SPLAV "Double 300", SPLAV Fantasy 233)
Military clothes

Primaloft Eco.

Primaloft Eco. - Insulation, created for environmental materials. It consists of 50% of recycled ultra-thin fibers and standard PRIMALOFT fibers. In combination, the fibers create an effective thermal insulation and moisture-resistant structure. Clothes made using Primaloft ECO will provide its owners dry, warm and comfort.

PRIMALOFT® ECO:

Outerwear

Primaloft Eco Footwear

The Environmental Option of PRIMALOFT® heat insulation contains at least 50% of the recycled material of ultra-thin fibers and in combination with standard PRIMALOFT® fibers creates a thermally efficient and water-resistant insulating structure. Due to the increased softness and ease of insulation, shoes in which is used Primaloft® Eco Footwear. will provide you dry and comfort

PRIMALOFT® ECO:

Shoes (shoes "Dickson", "Cobra" boots, leather boots SPLAV "England", shoes "Wolverine")

Primaloft Infinity

Primaloft Infinity - These are thermal insulation blocks that can be compressed by 20% more than similar insulating materials. This type of insulation has a sufficiently light and soft structure due to the use of ultrathin fibers. PRIMALOFT INFINITY has high thermal insulation and moisture resistance. The fibers, combined with each other, prevent the appearance of cold spots in the insulating material and ensure the uniformity of the insulation structure throughout its surface. Primaloft Infinity provides excellent protection from the cold even with full wetting. This material retains its form and quality even after numerous styrics and dryers.

Application Primaloft® Infinity:

Outerwear

Primaloft yarn.

Primaloft yarn. - These are the threads, which are a mixture of Primaloft fibers and sheep wool. Such a combination is most acceptable for the manufacture of outerwear. PRIMALOFT YARN fibers twice the Cashmere fibers, which allows you to give soft products. This material has the property of rapid absorption of moisture from the surface of the skin and withdrawing it to the surface of the fabric, and this provides additional dryness and comfort.

PRIMALOFT® YARN:

Outerwear
Socks (Termones Lorpen SPFL Ski Primaloft Lightweight (851))

PRIMALOFT SYNERGY.

PRIMALOFT SYNERGY. - This is an advanced thermal insulation material that is created on the basis of weave thin and ultra-thin fibers and combining them into a single thread. The insulation has excellent thermal insulation characteristics. Primaloft Synergy is a moisture-proof material that is used in the manufacture of sleeping bags and outerwear.

PRIMALOFT® SYNERGY:

Outerwear
Sleeping bags

Follow these customer care instructions made with Primaloft insulation. Machine washing and rinse in cold water in delicate mode. Dry in a washing machine at an average temperature in the delicate pressure mode. Dry cleaning, whitening, ironing or disappearing is prohibited.

Originally designed to equip the US Army, Primaloft insulation today is used by many brands. The company offers several variations of thermal insulation, from the maximum intended for harsh conditions, to a lightweight - for the city. The North Face one of the first drew attention to Primaloft Black technology. This is a waterproof synthetic alternative to a down filler. It is easy enough and suitable for casual wear, jackets and boots. The insulation also often uses the Helly Hansen brand.

PRIMALOFT BLACK

Primaloft manufactures microfiber synthetic insulation since the 1980s. Isolation is designed to imitate all the properties of the fluff, but have a smaller weight, volume and not lose their properties during wetting. Fibers do not hold water, so the owner of such equipment remains in dryness and warmth regardless of the weather. The essence of technology in creating a set of air pockets, which actually delay and maintain heat of the body.

Primaloft has three main types of insulation: GOLD, SILVER and BLACK. And if the first and second more relates to serious equipment for harsh conditions, the latter is applicable in everyday life.

Primaloft Black is most suitable for clothes for every day. It has a CLO 0.65 rating. This is a unit of measuring the thermal insulation properties of the product. For example, in a down filler with an indicator 550 rating will be 0.7. That is, the jacket with Primaloft Black is equivalent to a warm down jacket.

There are three types of black insulation. All of them are distinguished by breathable properties, resistant to moisture and provide heat without excess weight.

Primaloft Black Insulation Eco - Lining made of 60% recycled material. It is obtained as a result of recycling plastic bottles, packages and other raw materials.

Primaloft Black Down Blend It consists of 50% of synthetic fibers and 50% fluff. Due to this, the loss of heat-insulating properties during wetting is minimized, but the jacket is obtained more voluminous due to the fluff.

Primaloft Black Insulation Hi-Loft With fibers that provide high insulation, similar to the sensations with a down filler, but it is not. Insulation is more compact and soft, with all key properties, such as heat during wetting, are fully stored.

For the New Winter Season, the company announced Primaloft® Black Insulation Thermoplume. It is made using small silky beams of fibers that are combined together. This filler is suitable as an intermediate layer for climbing equipment, as well as for warm urban jackets.

PRIMALOFT Black clothes

The North Face brand, known for its collections of warm and reliable clothes, is quite often resorted to the use of synthetic filler. Their jackets are ease, but at the same time they retain heat in cold and wet weather. When choosing the outerwear should pay attention to the specified characteristics. The North Face Primaloft Black uses indicators mainly in 60, 80 and 100 grams. Of course, more often is encountered a more popular "silver" insulation, as it is equally good for active recreation and city. It is placed in the iconic back to Berkeley shoes and many jackets. However, Primaloft Black is even easier and is used in demi-season clothing during the period when winter is replaced by spring or warm autumn goes into frost.

Primaloft® Sport is a high-quality insulation made using technologies that combined ultra-thin fibers and variable-diameter fibers for maximum high thermal insulation efficiency.

PRIMALOFT® SPORT-TECHNOLOGY, with which PRIMALOFT® SPORT is made, combines ultra-thin fibers and fibers with a variable diameter to achieve these characteristics. Specially treated ultra-thin fibers provide the formation of a waterproof structure, while the fibers of the variable diameter helps to form material.

If, following the desire to spend the weekend perfectly, you spend them in nature, Primaloft ® Sport allows you to feel comfortable, as if you are at home, even if it becomes wet.

When creating "Primaloft®", Albany Interional has carefully studied the structure of the microwave of the goose fluff and copied it. Ultra-thin fibers of this material are similar to the structure of the goose fluff fibers greater than any other synthetic fiber. Similar to the goose plow gives this fiber thermal properties of the fluff. The thermal resistance factor for the fluff is 2.18, and for "Primaloft" 2.15. Other well-known synthetic materials do not even approach such indicators.

Due to its long-fibrous structure, similar to the fluff, the filler restores its volume better than other materials even after a variety of styrics and dryers. The water-repellent properties of the microfolocone contribute to the fact that any liquid flows or evaporates, which allows the user of products from Primaloft® to always be dry and warm.

Scientific tests have shown that PRIMALOFT® has the same softness as the fluff, and significantly softer other synthetic fibers. Due to the softness of this fiber, clothes made from it perfectly sits on the figure, and the blanket or sleeping bag fits the body of sleeping. Try the sample to the touch, and you yourself will feel like it is gorgeous! This wonderful material not only repulses water and retains the volume in the wet state, it breathes, which allows moisture to evaporate. Its air microscopic layers are too small for moisture penetration, but large enough to produce moisture evaporation from the inside. A small amount of "Primaloft®" to accumulate the heat of man is quite enough. It can be strongly squeezed, after which this material completely returns its initial volume. For these parameters, it exceeds both synthetic and natural materials.

From global brands - insulation only primaloft® has a property not to keep moisture due to silicone processing of fibers. As can be seen from the table, the greater the number of fibers, the more the insulation is gaining moisture:

Primaloft PL1 - 75%
Primaloft Sport - 400%
PolarGuard 3D - 500%
Thinsulate Liteloft - 995%
MicroLoft (DuPont) -1730%