PrimaLoft Next. Insulation meets fabrics.

By Silvia Galliani

Last June PrimaLoft introduced Next, a brand new, innovative textile platform that combines the thermal advantages of insulation with the versatility of fabric, resulting in all-season garments that deliver lightweight warmth when at rest, and extreme breathability when active.

PrimaLoft, for years a leader in advanced material technology, is worldwide known as a benchmark in the outdoor industry.
Now, thanks to Next, it is able to offer an unmatched freedom for the design of garments that deliver lightweight, warmth and breathability, without the bulk. Aesthetically, this clothing will allow consumers to choose from a much wider range of unique styles, while providing high levels of performance.
“PrimaLoft Next was created to meet the demands of designers and consumers striving for individuality within a sea of sameness,” said Mike Joyce, president and CEO of PrimaLoft. “It is a hybrid solution that leverages the benefits of insulation with the flexibility of fabric, inviting experimentation by designers seeking to break away from the standard look of insulated apparel.”
Next’s main features are an increased resistance to fibre migration that enables greater flexibility to pair with open structure fabrics, and a durability allowing dyed options and providing unique colour opportunities. Uninhibited by restrictions in fabric pairings or quilting requirements, designers can experiment with colours, textures and silhouettes to create distinct designs. In addition to pairing with shell and liner fabrics, next-to-skin and stand-alone applications are also possible.
PrimaLoft has always prioritised reducing environmental impact and consistently strives to diminish its footprint through partnership with bluesign system, International OEKO-TEX Association and Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Index.
One of the priorities of the brand is indeed the reduction of its environmental impact, therefore, the Next Evolve series includes options utilising 58-71% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content without sacrificing performance.
Made of 100% polyester, it may be chemically recycled for use in a circular economy in order to minimise waste and re-capturing usable resources for reuse within the system, thus eliminating the need to introduce fresh, natural resources and creating a closed loop. The chemical recycling process breaks down polyester to its basic components so that it can be rejuvenated into a new high-performance material without compromising its original integrity.
These features and many more immediately convinced ISPO Textrends Panel jury which awarded Next by including it in the “Top 5” in the fiber and insulation category.
PrimaLoft Next Evolve Series is the first collection that includes this technology and will be exposed at Outdoor by ISPO, stand B5 107. A pioneer in using this innovation is the German outdoor brand Schöffel.
“For our customers, we are always looking for functional innovations that meet our high standards as a quality leader” commented Günther Herrmann, Head of Product, Marketing and Sales at Schöffel Sportbekleidung GmbH. “The features of PrimaLoft Next Series immediately convinced us, and we are pleased to bring this novelty to the market in sophisticated products as the first global brand,”
The PrimaLoft Evolve Series, available beginning summer 2020, is the first product family under the PrimaLoft Next platform. Modelled after the structural benefits found in nature, the Evolve Series leverages biomimicry to engineer a unique series of products that emulate biological processes. Mimicking properties found in animal fur, the products in this series are constructed with fibres of differing lengths and thickness to create natural highs and lows in the material.
This produces open structures designed to maximise airflow when on the move, and air entrapment when at rest, for optimal thermal performance. The result is a thermoregulating system that behaves like multiple layers, without the need for layering. The Evolve Series will be available in both natural or dyed options, as well as in four different constructions of varying weights and textures.