Smart textiles – with the Outlast® thermo-technology

What makes our smart textiles so smart? – The Outlast® thermo-technology. This smart fabric technology ensures that the user of the product stays comfortable at a stable temperature.

Heat spikes and freezing are a thing of the past. And the best part: No external energy source is needed in order for the technology to work. As soon as the product with our smart fabric comes in contact with the user's body, it starts working. If the fabric is used in clothing, the clothes will prevent the user from overheating or, on cold days, from freezing. Sweat production is reduced significantly, and there is a notable increase in comfort. Of course, clothing is not the only area that benefits from this technology. In bedding, seating, medical equipment and many other products, smart textiles can be incorporated, too, to create an entirely new, elevated user experience. Please do not hesitate to contact us to find out more about how your products and your customers can benefit from smart fabric and textiles as well.

 

How it works

The Outlast® thermo-technology functions via microencapsulated wax. Usually, we use wax that is based on rapeseed oil because sustainability is important to us. The wax goes through phase changes due to the user's body heat. If the body is warm, the wax melts – it changes from a solid state to a liquid state. All it needs for that is the thermal energy from the user's body. By using this energy for the phase change, the body no longer heats up the microclimate. Physically, it is not possible for a temperature to increase further during the change of the physical state from solid to liquid. As a result, our smart textiles prevent the user from getting too warm. Furthermore, the Outlast® thermo-technology can reduce sweat production by up to 48% – for a more comfortable and more hygienic user experience.

Of course, this process also works the other way around. Just like the wax liquifies when it gets warm, it solidifies, meaning it changes from a liquid to a solid state when it gets cold. Therefore, our smarts textiles can not only prevent heat spikes, but they also keep the user from freezing. No matter the external temperature – our textiles will keep your customers comfortable at a stable temperature.

No more freezing during camping trips or cold winter nights, and no more excess sweating or heat during long car rides in the summer and exhausting workout sessions – everybody can benefit from the effects of our smart fabrics. Feel free to contact us to find out how you can incorporate them into your products and offer your customers additional value! We love a challenge and will happily provide any information you need.

Xelerate & fresh2SKIN®: Taking our technology one step further

Do our smart textiles with the Outlast® thermo-technology sound interesting to you? Then you should also hear about our other smart textile innovations. We decided to take our technology one step further, and Xelerate is one of the results. Xelerate combines our technology with heat-spreaders. Due to the heat-spreaders in the material, it does not only react in places where it is in direct contact with the user's body but also in the surrounding areas, thus making the distribution more efficient and significantly reducing sweat production. The thermal conductivity in the Outlast Xelerate technology is increased by up to 30%, offering your customers even more effective heat and moisture management.

Furthermore, we have developed fresh2SKIN®. This technology combines the original Outlast® thermo-technology with menthol. It is mainly intended for products like underwear or shirts, which the user wears close to their body. The cold receptors in the skin respond to the menthol, resulting in a pleasantly cool feeling. In addition to that, the thermal energy is used to melt the wax, and the temperature cannot further increase. Clothing with fresh2SKIN® smart textiles keeps the user at a stable and comfortable temperature and prevents excessive sweat production. Also, in bedding, the fabrics can add a notable amount of comfort and create an entirely new sleeping experience. During the process of applying fresh2SKIN®, the material which is used remains soft with a good grip. The technology It is also skin-friendly and dermatologically tested so that wearing materials with it it close to the body is not an issue. Offer your customers more – with fresh2SKIN®.

Smart textiles for your products

Do you want to include smart textiles in your products? Then you have come to the right place. Before they go on the market, our smart textiles are thoroughly tested. Only if they fulfill all of our high standards for quality and functionality completely will they be given to you. You can then choose between four different ways of incorporating the fabrics into your products:

  • Coating: We offer a wide range of coated materials which can be used as linings in clothing, shoes and bedding and have a high capacity for heat absorption.
  • Fibers and yarns: In this case, the microencapsulated wax is embedded directly into fibers, which can be spun to yarn or woven or knitted into fabrics.
  • Outlast® MIC: In the process of Outlast® Matrix Infusion Coating, the surface of the textile is printed with a wafer-thin layer of microencapsulated natural wax.
  • Compound: We also offer our technology in the shape of a compound raw material, which can be used directly. Supported by our smart textile manufacturers and technical development engineers, the material can then be used in spraying processes for padding or foams.

Passive vs. active smart textiles

You may sometimes hear the terms "passive" and "active" when it comes to smart textiles. But what is actually the difference between those two categories?

Passive fabrics do not actively adapt to the information they sense. This means that those kinds of fabric can, for example, not actively provide coolness but only help the user's body to naturally cool down by letting liquid evaporate more quickly due to their construction. The textile itself does not change according to the environmental conditions.

Active fabrics, on the other hand, do adapt and respond to the external environment and the user. And that is what our smart textiles do. They adapt to temperature changes and keep the user comfortable. Our textiles prevent heat spikes or freezing before they can even happen. In contrast to passive fabrics, they are anticipatory and act proactively.

As a result of this proactive temperature and moisture management, sweat production is reduced significantly, and the product user can enjoy a stable temperature without fluctuations. If you are still determining whether the smart textiles can be used in your products, contact us! We are happy to give advice, and together, we will find a way to elevate your products with our Outlast® thermo-technology.

Where smart textiles can be used

There are plenty of areas of use for our smart fabrics. Clothing, such as shoes, socks, jackets and more, can greatly benefit from the use of these materials. But also in bedding, seating and even in medical products, textiles with the Outlast® thermo-technology provide a notable increase in comfort and functionality. Your product does not belong into those categories? No worries! Of course, there are also many other product categories in which our technology can be incorporated. Contact us, and we will gladly provide you with more information on how we may proceed with your specific products.

 

Smart textiles in fashion

Smart textiles for designers are not that rare. However, proactive and anticipatory fabrics in clothing are not something everybody offers their customers. Make your products stand out of the crowd and give your customers more comfort, more functionality and the highest possible quality!

Smart fabrics in clothing keep the user comfortable at all times without them having to do anything actively. The processes function automatically and are always reliable, stabilizing the temperature and keeping it comfortable – whether in jackets, gloves, footwear or other clothing pieces. Additionally, with smart textile products, sweating and bad smells are notably reduced.

Smart fabrics & textiles in bedding

Sleepless nights in the summer because the heat is just unbearable and cold winter nights that we spend freezing and covering ourselves with more and more blankets – all that is in the past. With bedding with the Outlast® thermo-technology, better sleep is guaranteed. Heat and moisture are regulated proactively, and temperature peaks in the microclimate are minimized.

This stabilization of the temperature creates a relaxed and comfortable sleeping environment, and even sleep disorders can be reduced significantly. Bedding with smart fabrics is the key to a restful sleep and offers your customers more than traditional bedding does. The fabrics can be used in pillows, mattress toppers, mattresses, blankets and other parts of the bed. Also, in sleeping bags, the material presents a huge advantage since it can keep campers warm, even during the coldest nights.

Smart fabric in seating

Just like in other areas, a balanced microclimate plays a vital role in the upholstery industry. Nobody wants to get uncomfortably warm or sweat excessively when sitting in their office chair or while relaxing on the couch. Also, long car rides are much more comfortable when there are no big temperature fluctuations. With smart fabrics in seating, the user stays comfortable at all times, no matter how long the car ride or the day in the office is.

With our Outlast® thermo-technology, sweating while sitting is reduced significantly. Excess heat is absorbed and stored by the fabric, increasing comfort and avoiding moisture. Let your customers feel the difference between traditional seating and seating with smart fabrics – in sofas, office chairs, wheelchairs, car seats and more.

Smart textiles and materials in medical products

Especially in medical applications, a balanced microclimate can make a big difference. When someone needs to use supporting bandages, prosthetic devices or similar, comfort plays a big role. Also, the use of smart fabrics can prevent blisters and other wounds which are caused by overheating or excessive moisture. Whether the patient is sitting, lying or walking – textiles with the Outlast® thermo-technology in medical products significantly increase their comfort.

It can be incorporated into wheelchairs, medical seats, orthotic devices and more. By reducing sweat production, not only comfort but also safety is increased. If you would like to hear more about the use of our smart fabrics in medical products and appliances, do not hesitate to contact us. Whether you have specific questions or you are curious – we are happy to help!

More smart textile products

If your product has not been mentioned, do not worry. We always welcome new challenges and love figuring out ways to incorporate our materials into all sorts of products. Contact us with your inquiry, and we will respond as soon as possible. No matter what the product is, one thing is sure: You will give your customers more comfort, more functionality and the highest possible quality, and your product will make them feel just right.

Sustainability at Outlast

Sustainability is important and becomes more important every day. We also want to do our part and make our products and processes as sustainable as possible. To achieve that, we have implemented several changes and guidelines:

  • The wax we use in our textiles is natural and based on rapeseed oil. We have put in lots of effort and changed our processes to incorporate this natural wax and make our products more sustainable.
  • Additionally, we use resource-friendly dyes and recycled and renewable materials. For example, we offer knitted fabrics and nonwovens, which consist of 100% recycled polyester. Also, we offer materials based on Lyocell, which uses 35 times less water during manufacturing than cotton and consists primarily of renewable raw materials.
  • Because our smart textiles prevent sweating to a large extent, the products using them need to be washed less frequently. As a result, less water and detergent is used.
  • Moreover, we use the shortest possible transport routes in order to avoid unnecessary CO2-emissions.

Elevate your products with smart textiles from Outlast and offer your customers more comfort and increased functionality. If you have any questions, we are always happy to help and accompany you on your Outlast journey!