Snow of tomorrow | Is synthetic insulation the more environmentally friendly alternative?

Down used to be the ultimate in insulation. Whether it was a sleeping bag, bedding, jacket or gloves. If you owned a piece of clothing that was padded with down, you could be sure that you wouldn't have to worry about the cold in the near future. The natural fibers would take care of that. But the more you wore down products, the more you knew about the negative aspects of the fine feathers. Wetness, for example, is not necessarily down's friend. Rain on it once and the insulation is gone. Washing it is also rather awkward. And anyone who has taken a closer look at the origin of conventional down will also know that animal welfare is probably not at the top of the list.

Until the day synthetic insulation found its way into the closets of winter sports enthusiasts. For me, it was in the form of a red Haglöfs jacket with Primaloft insulation. Primaloft was originally developed as a water-repellent, synthetic alternative to down for the US army. Today, the company primarily stands for warm and, above all, water-repellent solutions in the outdoor industry. And is often synonymous with synthetic insulation. Although I still have down and synthetic fiber products today, over time synthetic fibers have overtaken down. It all started with this red jacket. Down could never have been so fluffy and uncomplicated at the same time. But what about the sustainability of synthetic fiber insulation?

Houdini Hoody made from Polartec Power Air material — Houdini hoody made from Polartec Power Air material

Houdini

Primaloft

Primaloft fibers consist of polyester microfibers. These store larger amounts of air, which means they offer greater thermal performance and feel softer. While the fibers were initially made from virgin polyester, Primaloft introduced insulation made from 100% recycled polyester for the first time in 2018. In 2019, the US manufacturer then extended the lifespan of the products even further: Primaloft Bio is the first synthetic fiber made from 100% recycled material that is fully biodegradable and renewable in the sense of a true circular economy. In the so-called circular economy, the focus is on minimizing waste and recycling raw materials and the model is considered a sustainable alternative to the classic linear economy. So far, no manufacturers have included the new insulation in their products, but it is set to be available for the next winter season.

Primaloft also recently announced its partnership with Parley for the Oceans. Parley for the Oceans is a global network that brings together manufacturers and decision-makers from a wide range of industries to raise awareness of the beauty of the oceans and the threats they face. The partnership between the two now aims to turn plastic waste collected from beaches and coastlines around the world into insulation materials. In addition, Primaloft says it intends to implement Parley's A.I.R. (Avoid. Reflect. Redesign.) strategy in the future to further reduce its own plastic footprint.

Polartec

Who didn't have one of those classic fleece sweaters as a child? Cozy and made purely from synthetic materials. Who invented it? That's right: Polartec. Polartec became famous thanks to its early collaboration with Patagonia. The US company is constantly working on new fabric technologies and was an early adopter of recycled materials. Today, Polartec mainly produces functional fabrics for base layers, insulation and weather protection. In 2019, the company also committed to using recycled and biodegradable materials across its entire product line as part of its Eco Engineering program. In collaboration with two material specialists, Unifi and Intrinsic Advanced Materials, Polartec wants to develop fully recycled and biodegradable fleece fabrics and breathable, waterproof membranes and insulation fillings.

In addition, Polartec is aware of the problem of microplastics and has therefore set about developing another fabric: Polartec Power Air. The functional fiber promises excellent heat retention and, above all, five times less fiber loss than other premium midlayer textiles. Polartec's aim was to develop a more environmentally friendly knitted construction. The first version is similar in construction to bubble wrap with a grid structure on the inside that provides heat retention and breathability. The smooth outer surface reduces resistance and prevents pilling. The fabric is also made from recycled materials such as PET bottles and is used by manufacturers such as Adidas, Mammut and Houdini.

The Primaloft Bio fibers do not differ in function from the well-known Primaloft

Primaloft

3M Thinsulate

In addition to Primaloft and Polartec, there are of course other manufacturers on the market that won't leave you standing alone in the cold on the chairlift. One of them, for example, is the US company Thinsulate. It belongs to the 3M company and its products have been used for insulation in ski clothing since the 1970s. Like Primaloft, Thinsulate is made from the finest polyester fibers and has also been available in a completely recycled version since 2019: 3M Thinsulate 100% Recycled Featherless Insulation. The structure and function of recycled Thinsulate materials have been reworked and reused for the new insulation.

Econyl

Although not an insulation material, if we're already talking about recycled synthetic fibers, I shouldn't deprive you of Econyl. The trend in the outdoor industry in recent years has been the use of so-called regenerated materials. First and foremost Econyl. This is a 100 percent regenerated and regenerative nylon fiber made from nylon waste, such as used fishing nets, by the Italian producer Aquafil. Partners from all over the world supply Aquafil with such waste from landfills and oceans through a specially introduced take-back program, which is then worked into new nylon fibres in several processing steps. There are no functional differences to new nylon fibers. However, they can be recycled and reshaped again and again. According to Aquafil, 10,000 tons of Econyl saves around 70,000 barrels of crude oil and 57,100 tons of CO2 emissions compared to new nylon. More and more manufacturers are turning to the Italian yarn, Prana for swimwear and Dachstein for footwear, for example.

The crux is in the detail

If you're wondering whether you really need to start reading the labels on every item of clothing you want to buy? Then unfortunately the answer is yes! If you buy from an online store, the product description should state what material the insulation is made of. It will also say whether it is made from recycled materials and, if so, what proportion. With more and more stores, you can also select the relevant filters in advance. Otherwise, you can find the details on the label.