Product Overview of Outlast Technologies
Outlast Technologies, originally developed for NASA, specializes in creating innovative textiles and materials that provide advanced temperature regulation and heat management. Here’s a detailed overview of what Outlast Technologies offers:
What Outlast Technologies Does
Outlast Technologies develops and integrates phase change materials (PCMs) into various textiles, fabrics, fibers, and coatings. These materials are designed to absorb, store, and release heat, thereby providing optimal thermal comfort in a wide range of applications.
Key Features
1. Proactive Heat and Moisture Management
Unlike traditional wicking technologies that react to sweat after it has formed, Outlast technology proactively manages heat and moisture. It absorbs excess heat when the body is hot and releases it when the body cools down, reducing sweat production by up to 50%.
2. Phase Change Materials (PCMs)
The core of Outlast technology is its use of microencapsulated natural wax, known as Thermocules. These PCMs change state from solid to liquid as they absorb heat, and back to solid as they release heat, maintaining a stable body temperature.
3. Application Methods
Outlast materials can be integrated into textiles through several methods:
- Matrix Infusion Coating: For next-to-skin products, PCMs are finely printed onto flat fabric.
- In-Fiber: PCM-infused fibers are melt-spun into yarns and then into fabrics.
- Coating: Offers the highest loading capacity of PCM, suitable for non-next-to-skin applications.
Functionality
- Temperature Regulation: Outlast materials adjust to the user’s temperature needs, cooling when hot and warming when cold, ensuring a constant feeling of comfort.
- Wide Range of Applications: Outlast technology is used in various products, including:
- Bedding: Comforters, duvets, pillows, mattresses, mattress pads, blankets, sleeping bags, and bed linen.
- Apparel: Outerwear, active wear, knitwear, underwear, gloves, hats, and pet apparel.
- Footwear: Shoes, insoles, socks, and boots.
- Other Applications: Home furnishings, packaging, military and law enforcement gear, medical applications like bandages and wheelchair cushions, and even car seats.
Certifications and Recognition
- Certified Space Technology: Outlast Technologies is the only textile company to have received the “Certified Space Technology” quality label, recognizing its origins in NASA technology and its innovative heat management capabilities.
- Space Technology Hall of Fame: The company was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2005, further highlighting its contributions to advanced textile technology.
In summary, Outlast Technologies offers a unique and proactive approach to heat and moisture management through its phase change materials, enhancing comfort and performance across a diverse range of applications.