PRIMALOFT®
The better alternative to down?
What is PrimaLoft?
PrimaLoft® is an innovative, high-quality synthetic insulation material made from polyester that provides reliable protection against the cold in clothing, Shoes and other outdoor equipment.
The "synthetic down" is also being used more and more in home textiles, workwear and in the Hunting and Military sector. PrimaLoft® has been setting standards in the textile industry since 1983. The success story of PrimaLoft® began that year with a contract from the US Army to develop a water-repellent, synthetic alternative to goose down insulation.
In 2010, the company was recognised as the first manufacturer of branded insulation to meet the bluesign criteria for environmental impact. The bluesign standard is based on global consumer and environmental protection standards and covers the five areas of consumer protection, waste water, exhaust air, occupational safety and resource productivity.
The bluesign standard thus creates transparency for the entire textile supply chain.
What does insulation actually mean and what warms?
It doesn't matter which filler warms better, the important thing is which one traps more air.
So let's take a closer look at the down feather: What stands out are the many fine ramifications, between which quantities of air can be trapped. This air is warmed by your own body heat and stored between the down.
So it is not the down itself that warms, but the large quantity of air trapped between the fine branches of its feathers.
So what about the warming air trapped in the PrimaLoft synthetic fibre?
PrimaLoft fibres are made of 100 percent polyester. The weight of each individual PrimaLoft microfibre is just one gram with a length of an incredible 9 kilometres!
In a thermal process, these fibres are bonded together millions of times at various points of contact. In this way, countless spaces are created, similar to down. Air can be stored in these spaces, so that PrimaLoft is almost on a par with goose down in terms of heat retention.
PrimaLoft: clear advantage in wet conditions
And that brings us to the most important and decisive point: water or wetness. This is what causes the down to struggle. Be it rain, heavy snowfall or even your own perspiration - down reacts very sensitively to any kind of wetness.
As soon as it gets wet, it loses its resilience and can no longer trap as much air. As a result, it loses its thermal properties.
The main advantage of PrimaLoft products over down: when wet, the material retains its resilience and around 98 per cent of its insulating properties. When the ultra-fine microfibres are manufactured, they are treated with a special water-repellent finish that is anchored in the fibre. Thanks to this special treatment, moisture does not adhere to the fibres and water vapour can escape from the garment unhindered.
How does PrimaLoft differ from other synthetic fibre insulations?
With a fibre thickness of less than one denier (one denier corresponds to one gram per 9,000 metres), PrimaLoft fibre is the thinnest fibre in the entire textile industry.
Conventional fibres are between two and a half and six denier in diameter, and this fineness of the fibre means that PrimaLoft insulation achieves better heat retention. The following applies here:
The finer and more filigree the fibre, the softer, bulkier and, above all, lighter the insulation material made from it.
Compared to conventional synthetic fibre insulation, the fibres trap more air for the same volume, but can also be compressed smaller.
On the one hand, this enables significantly increased wearing comfort, as well as a high resilience of the fibres and long-lasting dimensional stability of the insulation. PrimaLoft scores highly in terms of dryness and moisture management: the refined fibres are water-repellent and absorb significantly less moisture than conventional polyester fibres.
Synthetic down? Or what is PrimaLoft® Insulation ThermoPlume®?
ThermoPlume® is a high-performance synthetic insulation material that mimics the look, feel, aesthetics and mobility of down. The small, silky tufts of water-repellent PrimaLoft fibres are blowable. This means that the "PrimaLoft down" can be loosely processed or blown into the outer shell. As a result, the insulation filling is very soft, compressible and cosy - just like natural down.
PrimaLoft® Insulation ThermoPlume® is comparable to a 550 down filling and is therefore an ethically correct replacement for goose down.
Until now, PrimaLoft insulation (PrimaLoft Gold in the picture) has only been processed as a flat tangle of fibres. Photo: PrimaLoft
The fine fibre tufts of PrimaLoft® Insulation ThermoPlume® are now processed loosely or blown in like down.
Photo: PrimaLoft
Of course, ThermoPlume® continues to focus on the quality and long service life of the fabrics. According to the motto: the longer a product can be used, the smaller its ecological footprint.
Gold, Silver or Black
PrimaLoft is available in many different qualities, which are used in fashion, outdoor clothing and outdoor equipment. The microfibres have been refined in various ways. The PrimaLoft® Gold , Primaloft® Silver and Primaloft® Black product series each combine several different fibre technologies and blends in quality groups.
PrimaLoft Gold: The best of the best: Primaloft products with the highest insulation performance and the best warmth-to-weight ratio.
PrimaLoft Silver: PrimaLoft combines a wide range of highly functional fibre technologies and blends under the umbrella of the Silver series. PrimaLoft Silver is highly compressible and is often used in activity-orientated products.
PrimaLoft Black: The basic version of the highly effective warmers: warm, soft and lightweight synthetic fibre insulation, but without complex extras.
In addition to the Gold, Silver and Black product series, PrimaLoft differentiates between various fibre technologies, which are divided into so-called "product platforms". These are tailored to specific areas of application and requirements and can in turn be found in the three quality groups mentioned above.
PrimaLoft ACTIVE
Specially developed for demanding, aerobic outdoor sports activities, PrimaLoft Active offers unrivalled warmth and breathability. Excess body heat and moisture are wicked away and the fibre technology ensures a dry feel.
- Gold
- Silver
PrimaLoft DOWN BLEND
This is a blend of water-repellent down and microfibres. This combines the warmth, compressibility, lightness and bulkiness of down with the water-repellent properties of synthetic insulation.
- Gold 70% down 30% synthetic
- Silver 60% down 40% synthetic
- Black 50% down 50% synthetic
PrimaLoft LUXE
The luxury version with the look and feel of down and the best insulating properties of a synthetic fibre.
- Gold
PrimaLoft and sustainability
PrimaLoft has been using recycled materials in its products since 1997. In recent years, the amount of recycled material has been dramatically increased, resulting in several groundbreaking innovations that have culminated in products made from 100% recycled material. Since 2015, more than 355 million plastic bottles have been collected by PrimaLoft from landfills and the marine environment and transformed into PrimaLoft® fibres.
In 2019, a strategic partnership was formed with Parley for the Oceans, making PrimaLoft the first insulation Manufacturer in the textile industry to work with the environmental organisation to produce insulation products made from recycled ocean plastic.
PrimaLoft BIO
PrimaLoft has achieved a major breakthrough with the development of PrimaLoft® Bio™ . Thanks to the new technology, conventional synthetic fibres, which are also made from 100% recycled material, can be biodegraded* in a relatively short period of time for the first time. Previously, this took centuries.
* 93.8% biodegradation in 646 days under ASTM D5511 conditions (landfill environment); 76.6% biodegradation in 973 days under ASTM D6691 conditions (marine/wastewater environment). The stated rate and extent of biodegradation do not imply that the product will continue to biodegrade.
PrimaLoft: What should I bear in mind when caring for it?
- Always read the Manufacturer's washing instructions! The washing instructions provide information on the recommended care.
- Check and empty all Bags.
- Close the zips and Bags and turn the garment inside out. This protects the outer material and keeps it looking good for longer.
- Do not put too many items of clothing in the washing machine at the same time.
- PrimaLoft recommends washing the insulation at 30 degrees on a gentle cycle - always follow the washing instructions sewn into the garment!
- It is recommended to use liquid mild detergent or special detergent for functional textiles. Conventional washing powder impairs the breathability of the outer material and is not suitable.
- Do not use fabric softener! Fabric softener can damage the fibre structure of the insulation material.
- It is important to rinse sufficiently. A second rinse cycle is helpful against detergent residues, which can impair the functional properties of the garment.
- Avoid spinning to prevent creasing.
- Turn garments inside out immediately after washing and hang dry. Avoid drying in the direct vicinity of the heater.
- Recommendation: Shake the garment every now and then to help the PrimaLoft fibres puff up and speed up the drying process.
- When tumble drying, dry the drained garment at a medium temperature and - if possible - on the gentle programme in the tumble dryer. Then remove from the tumble dryer immediately and hang up. We recommend putting two to three tennis balls in the tumble dryer to fluff up the insulation layer after washing.
- Avoid ironing, steaming and direct exposure to heat.
In contrast to down, PrimaLoft® is extremely easy to care for, but there are a few points to bear in mind.
PrimaLoft® awareness
As described above, no harmful chemicals are used in the Manufacturer of PrimaLoft® insulation . PrimaLoft® is harmless in both Manufacturer 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 always deliver maximum performance.
This once again illustrates the philosophy of PrimaLoft® in the area of sustainability. A commitment that has characterised the company's values since its foundation and at the same time is the driving force for future developments.