Humans lose around 60% of their body heat through thermal radiation. In order to stay warm, insulation made from down, synthetic or fleece is typically used in outerwear. The thicker the insulation, the less heat loss and the warmer the person is. For the active person or traveller, the goal is to find the same warmth without all the bulk.
HeiQ XReflex reportedly does just that – the innovative radiant barrier technology allows outerwear, midlayers or sleeping bags etc to maintain the required level of warmth while reducing bulk by as much as 50%. With an ultra-thin reflective surface applied through a high-tech vapour deposition process, HeiQ XReflex reflects the body’s radiant heat, increasing the thermal resistance and allowing maximum breathability, according to the company.
Matched with a specific insulation, this combination is said to create the optimal heat retention required for the product. By using one layer of HeiQ XReflex, a saving of 25% in bulk can be expected. And with two layers, the bulk can be reduced by up to 50% while maintaining the same level of thermal resistance. The technology is also beneficial in terms of environmental footprint savings – one insulated jacket will save 6L of water, 280 g of CO2 and 10MJ of energy, according to HeiQ.
HeiQ XReflex has been created through a collaboration between HeiQ and Xefco, an Australian textile technology company that is a partner of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Deakin University. “Warmth without bulk is the best of both worlds for the active consumer,” says Christian von Uthmann, chief sales officer at HeiQ Materials AG. “This technology reduces insulation bulk to create thin, lightweight, breathable products, which in turn consume fewer raw materials for more sustainable products,” he adds.
HeiQ XReflex offers multiple options of fabrics and insulations to create the ideal warmth needed for various activities, says HeiQ who will present the new technology at ISPO Munich on 3-6 February (Hall C5, Booth 402).
According to ISPO organisers, the enthusiasm for winter sports remains unbroken, with skiing set to prove particularly popular at this year’s exhibition. Around 15 million people in Germany alone go skiing and snowboarding. Nearly 75% of skiers own all or some of the equipment they use on the slopes. More than 540,000 winter sports enthusiasts are members of the German Ski Association. Trendsetters continuously come up with new ideas that excite friends of winter sport and create a successive intake.
