There are many elements in the development of ingredient brands but one that’s often overlooked is personality. Not of the brands but of the people who use them to make great products.
In 1978, 3M™ THINSULATE™ was created for outdoor sports in extreme cold. Since then, it has partnered with over 2000 clients, witnessed the development of top global fashion, outdoor, and protective gear brands, bringing warmth to individuals, families and communities.
Jerry Hess, founder of the ‘Lake of the Woods’ brand and one of the partners of 3M Thinsulate, states in this VIDEO, “I’ve been in the footwear business for almost 50 years. Grew up in Wisconsin, hunting with my older brothers as a little kid in a pair of leather, work boots, with no insulation, 2 pairs of socks and subzero temperatures, freezing miserably.”
It’s always fascinating to tour a production facility and gain more insight into what actually goes into design and manufacture but may not be seen in the finished product. The video showcases how 3M Thinsulate continues to provide thermal insulation by trapping air inside the shoe all over the foot and how Hess incorporated it in all of his products.
He added, “We’re able to utilize the testing facilities at 3M and use it in our marketing to show via thermography the performance of footwear with Thinsulate and footwear without Thinsulate.” He makes the point that the 3M Thinsulate brand on footwear enhances its value and the consumer recognition for the quality of that product.
After a long and varied career, Hess is now Vice President of Business Development at China-based HaiYu LLC. Its products are mainly exported to more than 30 countries and regions, such as the US, Europe, Canada, Middle East and South-East Asia.
HaiYu is a large footwear group and the SATRA International Class A Testing Center developed by the company is the only testing centre in the north of the Yangtze River that has been certified by the British SATRA organisation and has third-party testing qualifications.
