PRIMALOFT^®

The better alternative to down?

Contents:

What is PrimaLoft^®?
Advantages in wet conditions
How is PrimaLoft^® different?
PrimaLoft^® ThermoPlume^® insulation
Grades
PrimaLoft^® and sustainability
Care
PrimaLoft^® environmental awareness

What is PrimaLoft^®?

PrimaLoft^® is an innovative, high-quality, man-made, polyester insulation material used in clothing, footwear and other outdoor gear to protect against the cold.
This “man-made down” is also increasingly being adopted for use in household textiles and work clothes, for hunting attire and by the military. PrimaLoft^® has been setting standards in the textile industry since 1983. This is the year when the PrimaLoft^® success story began with an order from the US Army to develop a water-repellent, man-made alternative to goose-down insulation.

In 2010, PrimaLoft Inc. received recognition in the form of the bluesign^® CRITERIA for environmental impact for being the first manufacturer of trademarked insulation. The bluesign^® standard is based on global consumer and environmental protection standards, covering the five areas of consumer protection, waste water, air pollution, occupational health and safety, and resource productivity.
The bluesign^® standard therefore creates transparency for the entire textile supply chain.

What exactly is insulation and how does it warm?

Which filling is better at warming is immaterial; the key factor is which one incorporates the largest amount of air.
Let’s take a closer look at the down feather. What stands out is the many fine little branches between which a large amount of air can be retained. This air is warmed up by the individual’s body heat and stored between the down.

In other words, it’s not the down itself that warms up, but the large volume of enclosed air trapped between the fine branches of the feathers.

So now let’s look at what happens with the warming, enclosed air in the man-made PrimaLoft^®.

The PrimaLoft^® fibres are 100% polyester. Each amazing, 9-kilometre long individual PrimaLoft^® microfibre weighs only one gram!

In a thermal process, these fibres adhere to one another at millions of various points of contact. This creates the countless necessary gaps, similar to those found in down. Air can be stored in these gaps so that the thermal retention of PrimaLoft^® almost mirrors that of goose down.

PrimaLoft^®: a clear advantage in wet conditions

Now we come to the most important and decisive point: water, or rather wet conditions. This is what causes the problem with down. Rain, heavy snowfall or even the individual’s own sweat – down is very sensitive to any form of moisture.
As soon as it becomes damp, it loses its resilience and is not able to enclose as much air. This results in it losing its thermal properties.

The main advantage of PrimaLoft^® products over down is that, when damp, the material retains its resilience and around 98 per cent of its insulating properties. As part of the manufacturing process, a water-repellent finish is anchored into the ultrafine microfibres. It is this special treatment that prevents the moisture from adhering to the fibres, allowing the water vapour to escape from the clothing unhindered.

What differentiates PrimaLoft^® from other man-made fibre insulation materials?

The PrimaLoft^® fibre has a linear mass density of less than one denier (one denier equates to one gram per 9000 metres) and is therefore the finest fibre in the entire textile industry.
Conventional fibres have a diameter of 2.5 to 6 denier. The fineness of this fibre gives the PrimaLoft^® insulation better thermal retention. This is because
the finer and more delicate the fibre, the softer, more filling and in particular lighter the resulting insulation material.

Compared to conventional man-made fibre insulation materials, these fibres enclose more air but are also capable of being compressed smaller.
This not only increases the wearing comfort, but also the resilience of the fibres and the long-lasting ability of the insulation to keep its shape. PrimaLoft^® scores in terms of dryness and moisture management as the finished fibres are water-repellent and absorb significantly less moisture than conventional polyester fibres.

Man-made down? Or what is PrimaLoft^® ThermoPlume^® insulation?

hermoPlume^® is a high-performance, man-made insulation material that mirrors the appearance, feel, aesthetics and movement of down. The small, silky bundles of water-repellent PrimaLoft^® fibres are blowable, meaning that the PrimaLoft^® “down” can be processed loose and blown into the outer cover. This results in a very soft, compressible and supple insulation filling – just like natural down.
PrimaLoft^® ThermoPlume^® insulation is comparable to a 550 down filling and therefore an ethical alternative to goose down.

Previously, PrimaLoft^® insulation was only processed as a flat jumble of fibres (image: PrimaLoft^® Gold). Photo: PrimaLoft®

The fine bundle of PrimaLoft^® ThermoPlume^® insulation fibres are now processed loose and blown in like down.
Photo: PrimaLoft®

Needless to say, with ThermoPlume®, the quality and the long life of the material remain a priority. This is in keeping with the principle of the longer a product can be used, the smaller its ecological footprint.

Gold, silver or black

PrimaLoft^® is available in an assortment of grades that can be used in fashion items, outdoor clothing and outdoor gear. The microfibres have been refined accordingly in a variety of ways. In the PrimaLoft^® Gold, PrimaLoft^® Silver and PrimaLoft^® Black product ranges, a mixture of fibre technologies and blends are used to create different grades.

Primaloft Gold: The best of the best. The PrimaLoft^® products with the greatest insulation capacity and the best warmth-to-weight ratio.

Primaloft Silver: The PrimaLoft^® Silver range encompasses a variety of highly functional fibre technologies and blends. PrimaLoft^® Silver is extremely compressible and is often used in activity-related products.

Primaloft Black: The basic version of the highly efficient warmth dispenser: a warm, soft and light-weight man-made fibre insulation material without the sophisticated extras.

In addition to the Gold, Silver and Black ranges, PrimaLoft^® has a range of fibre technologies that are subdivided into various “product platforms”. These are designed for specific applications and requirements and can be found in each of the three grades mentioned above.

PrimaLoft ACTIVE

Specially developed for demanding, aerobic, outdoor sporting activities. PrimaLoft^® Active offers an incomparably high level of warmth while being extremely breathable. Excess body heat and moisture are dissipated, while the fibre technology ensures the wearer remains dry.

Gold
Silver

PrimaLoft DOWN BLEND

This is a blend of water-repellent down and microfibres. The warmth, compressibility, lightness and fill power of the down combined with the water-repellent properties of a man-made insulation.

Gold: 70% down 30% man-made
Silver: 60% down 40% man-made
Gold: 50% down 50% man-made

PrimaLoft LUXE

The luxury option with the look and feel of down and the best insulating properties a man-made fibre can have.

Gold

PrimaLoft and sustainability

PrimaLoft^® has actually already been using recycled materials in its products since 1997. In recent years, the proportion of recycled materials has dramatically increased, which has led to several ground-breaking innovations, culminating in products comprising 100% recycled materials. Since 2015, more than 355 million plastic bottles have been collected from landfills and marine environments by PrimaLoft and transformed into PrimaLoft^® fibres.
In 2019, PrimaLoft formed a strategic partnership with Parley for the Oceans, making it the first manufacturer of insulation materials in the textile industry to produce insulation products out of recycled ocean plastics together with the environmental organisation.

PrimaLoft BIO

With the development of PrimaLoft^® Bio™, PrimaLoft has accomplished a major success. Thanks to this new technology, conventional synthetic fibres, which notably comprise 100% recycled materials, have been broken down* within a relatively short period for the first time ever. It has previously taken centuries.

* 93.8% of biodegradadation occurs within 646 days under ASTM D5511 conditions (landfill environments); 76.6% of biodegradadation within 973 days under ASTM D6691 conditions (ocean/waste-water environments). The stated speed and extent of the decomposition does not mean that the product continues to biodegrade.

PrimaLoft: How to care for the products

Unlike down, PrimaLoft^® is extremely easy to care for – but there are a couple of points to note.

Always read the manufacturer’s washing instructions! The washing instructions provide information on the recommended care.
Check and empty all pockets.
Close the zips and pockets and turn the item of clothing inside out. This protects the outer material, keeping it looking nice for longer.
Do not place too many items of clothing into the washing machine at the same time.
PrimaLoft recommends washing the insulation on a 30o delicates cycle – always check the washing instructions on the product label!
Using liquid mild detergent or special detergent for functional textiles is recommended. Conventional washing powders will damage the breathability of the outer material and are unsuitable.
Do not use fabric softener! Fabric softeners can damage the fibre structure of the insulation material.
Ensure that the item is rinsed thoroughly. A second rinse cycle can help remove any residual washing liquid which could damage the functional properties of the item of clothing.
Do not spin in order to avoid creasing.
Immediately after washing, turn the item of clothing the right way out and hang up to dry. Avoid drying in close proximity to heating systems.
Shaking out the item of clothing now and again is recommended, as this helps the PrimaLoft^® fibres to puff up, which speeds up the drying process.
If using a tumble dryer, dry the drip-dried item of clothing on a medium temperature and – when possible – use the drier’s delicates programme. Then immediately remove from the tumble drier and hang up. Adding two to three tennis balls to the tumble drier is recommended to puff up the insulation layer again after washing.
Do not iron, steam or apply direct heat.

PrimaLoft^® environmental awareness

As described above, no harmful chemicals have been used to manufacture PrimaLoft^® insulation. PrimaLoft^® is harmless to both produce and use, and is therefore OEKO-TEX^® Standard 100 and bluesign^® certified. The bluesign^® certification guarantees brands, retailers and users that the certified products are good for the environment and people, and that they always provide maximum performance.

PRIMALOFT®