PrimaLoft, Inc., a global leader in advanced material technology, is increasing the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content in its high-performance PrimaLoft® Cross Core™ Series, which now includes a stretch version for freedom of movement. The Cross Core™ platform fuses existing PrimaLoft® fibres with next-generation materials.
The initial line of products utilises aerogel, a highly porous, lightweight structure that acts as one of the world’s best insulators. Beginning Fall ’21, products in the Cross Core Series will contain up to 90% PCR content, while maintaining their performance attributes.
President and CEO Mike Joyce said, “Our Relentlessly Responsible mission places equal focus on innovation, performance, and sustainability. Our Cross Core series of technologies includes some of our highest-performing products, to date. It’s important that we marry that performance with an increased emphasis on the sustainability component. We’ve been able to include much higher ratios of recycled content and will continue to innovate on additional sustainable materials and processes.”
The current products in the PrimaLoft Cross Core Series use aerogel for increased thermal performance. Originally developed by NASA for use in aeronautical applications, silica aerogel is composed of more than 95% air and is the lightest solid material known to man and one of the most effective insulation materials.
PrimaLoft engineers found a way to integrate aerogel material into the fibres, allowing the development of apparel insulation that withstands the extreme challenges of outdoor garments. When aerogel is fused with PrimaLoft Insulation, it provides a significant boost in warmth without increasing weight. This enables brands to achieve both enhanced warmth and decreased weight, allowing for the freedom to design both highly technical apparel and fashionable pieces with a variety of silhouettes.
Vanessa Mason, PrimaLoft SVP of Engineering, Insulation and Polymers, added, “When we first began experimenting with the idea of using aerogel in insulation fibers, our focus was on getting the formula right so that we were delivering a new level of thermal performance. Once we became the first to crack that code, we knew we needed to continue to innovate on the sustainability side and find a way to use as much recycled content as possible, while maintaining that performance.”
This unique use of aerogel technology can be found in several PrimaLoft products:
PrimaLoft Gold Insulation with Cross Core technology blends the long-standing pinnacle PrimaLoft Gold Insulation with aerogel to deliver unprecedented lightweight warmth, all while using 90% post-consumer recycled material, up from 35% in the previous version. It’s also now available in a stretch version that maintains the same thermal performance characteristics while also introducing 5% stretch to allow for greater freedom of movement. This version has 70% post-consumer recycled content.
PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Hi-Loft Ultra with Cross Core has a distinctive accordion-like construction that enables unending loft and quick compression recovery for long-lasting, lightweight warmth. Great for use in puffier jacket silhouettes and sleeping bags, this product now offers 74% post-consumer recycled material.
PrimaLoft Silver Insulation ThermoPlume® with Cross Core Technology is the next level of warmth in loose-fill synthetic insulations. By blending each individual fibre of the small, silky plumes with aerogel technology, this insulation delivers the aesthetic and performance of natural down with up to 12% more warmth compared to previous ThermoPlume insulations. This loose-fill insulation has excellent compressibility for long-lasting durability and a water-repellent finish to ensure wet weather protection.
Products in the PrimaLoft Cross Core Series have been adopted by more than 50 brands including Maloja, Mammut, Vaude, Dynafit, La Sportiva, Millet, Bergans, Haglöfs, Norröna, Montane, RAB, L.L.Bean, Sitka, Black Diamond, Patagonia and Strafe.
