The new dimension in thermal insulation
Freudenberg Performance Materials will present the world’s first padding made from fiberballs at ISPO MUNICH 2017.
Weinheim, Germany, February 7, 2017. Winter holds Europe in a tight grip. Bitter cold and icy winds are keeping even the toughest fans of winter indoors. Only those who have the best winter clothing can take the weather as it comes. For sportswear and outdoor jackets this means ideally warm, light and breathable garments. Up to now, down has always been the first choice for thermal insulation. Now, however, Freudenberg Performance Materials is set to present a new dimension in thermal insulation: comfortemp® fiberball padding. This first ever padding made from fiberballs combines the advantages of loose down fillings and padding in a quality that has not previously been achieved. For example, thermal insulation is as much as 80 percent higher than conventional padding while the new material is as light and soft as down. Being focused on product innovation for solutions that improve others’ lives, lifestyle brand Napapijri will launch the “Superlight Parka” for the 2017 Fall/Winter season utilizing their owned THERMO-FIBRE® technology powered by comfortemp® fiberball padding.
Ulrich Scherbel, General Manager Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel, explains: “Padding made from loose fiberballs has been around for quite a while. Up to now, however, it has not been possible to produce a continuous padding from it. With the comfortemp® fiberball padding, we have succeeded in uniting the advantages of existing technologies and thermal insulation products while offsetting the disadvantages. The comfortemp® fiberball padding is the world’s first padding made from interconnected fiberballs.”
The advantages of comfortemp® fiberball padding for consumers:
Thermal insulation comparable to down
The thermal insulation of comfortemp® fiberball padding is 50 to 80 percent higher than conventional padding. The material consists of many small fiberballs, between which are many small air pockets. These generate the high thermal insulation.
Twice as breathable as conventional paddings
The many small air pockets give the material high permeability. The fiberballs result in a special pore structure that is decisive in achieving a high level of breathability.
Uniform structure even after washing
comfortemp® fiberball padding has a uniform structure that ensures no cold spots can occur in the padding. This structure is even maintained after washing.
100 percent animal protection
comfortemp® fiberball padding is a genuine alternative to down, meaning that athletes and other active people do not need to worry about animal protection.
The advantages of comfortemp® fiberball padding for garment manufacturers:
Increased design freedom
When processing down and loose fiberballs, many small pockets need to be stitched to hold the filling material. With comfortemp® fiberball padding this is either not the case at all or applies only to a limited extent. This offers significantly greater freedom in the design of jackets and pants.
Easier processing
Compared to down and individual fiberballs, processing for garment manufacturers is very simple. There is no need to blow loose materials into countless small pockets. In contrast, comfortemp® fiberball padding can be stitched like a conventional padding, saving considerable costs.
Lower transportation costs
Thanks to its almost 100% resilience, comfortemp® fiberball padding can be vacuum packed, resulting in lower transport costs.
Unique technology
comfortemp® technology from Freudenberg enables apparent opposites to be reconciled. For example, a padding that can compete with down needs to be both soft and washable. It must have a large volume while displaying high tensile strength. “In the successful development of comfortemp® fiberball padding, three aspects were decisive: our decades of knowledge in the field of fiber composites, the cooperation with our sister company Freudenberg Technology Innovation and the close collaboration with our longtime customer Napapijri”, Scherbel explains.
Napaprijri owned THERMO-FIBRE® technology is enabled by comfortemp®
The collaboration between Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel and Napapijri gave a boost to the development of the fiberball padding. The lifestyle brand focuses on product innovation for solutions that improve others’ lives: “From the beginning, they showed great interest in a padding made from fiberballs that would boost the performance of their parkas and winter jackets“. Napapijri’s already-owned THERMO-FIBRE® technology was therefore evolved from filling balls to a padding powered by comfortemp® fiberball padding. For our own part, we will begin marketing comfortemp® fiberball padding at ISPO MUNICH 2017”, says Scherbel.
comfortemp® thermal insulation
At ISPO MUNICH 2017, Freudenberg Performance Materials will also be presenting the entire comfortemp® product family. These innovative heat-insulating materials are suitable for a wide range of fashion, sports and outdoor clothing applications. comfortemp® thermal insulation enables the combination of creative design ideas with simple processing and combines performance with optimum comfort. comfortemp® products have been tested by independent institutes and in the coldest regions of Russia.
About Freudenberg Performance Materials
Freudenberg Performance Materials is a leading global supplier of innovative performance materials offering differentiated value propositions to a broad range of markets and applications such as Automotive Interiors, Apparel, Building Materials, Filtration, Hygiene, Medical, Shoe Components and Specialties. In 2016, the company generated sales of over €900 million and has more than 20 manufacturing sites in 14 countries and more than 3.800 associates. Freudenberg Performance Materials has many years of experience in technical textiles and applications. The company attaches great importance to social and ecological responsibility.
The company is part of the Freudenberg Group. In 2013, the Freudenberg Group with its Seals and Vibration Control Technology, Nonwovens, Filtration, Household Products, Specialties and Others Business Areas generated sales of over €6.6 billion and employed approximately 40,000 people in around 60 countries. For further information please go to www.freudenberg-pm.com
About Napapijri
Napapijri, founded in 1987 in Italy, is a brand that embraces the unexpected journey. We represent a global mindset through the intersection of boundaries, culture, nature and art. The Napapijri brand is distributed in over 40 countries through a network of over 200 monobrand stores and over 2200 multibrand retailers. For more information, visit www.napapijri.com
About VF
VF Corporation is a global leader in the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories. The company’s diversified portfolio of powerful brands spans numerous geographies, product categories, consumer demographics and sales channels, giving VF a unique industry position and the ability to create sustainable, long-term growth for our customers and shareholders. The company’s largest brands are The North Face®, Vans®, Timberland®, Wrangler®, Lee® and Nautica®. For more information, visit www.vfc.com
