Columbia to launch Omni-Freeze Zero
Outdoor apparel, footwear and accessories producer Columbia Sportswear is to launch Omni-Freeze Zero in its spring 2013 ranges.
According to the company, the new technology is the result of a four-year effort to develop a new line of apparel that becomes cooler in hot, moist conditions. Distinctive little blue rings, embedded and visible in the fabric, contain a special polymer. When exposed to sweat or moisture, these rings swell, creating a cooling sensation.
The technology will be integrated across a line of 40 styles that will include men's and women's shirts, performance layers, headwear, sleeves and other accessories. Columbia will also add Omni-Freeze Zero to its Powerdrain footwear models to keep the shoes cool in hot weather.
"Historically, outdoor and athletic brands have looked at sweating as a problem… something to be wicked away with so-called ‘technical’, decades-old polyester fabrics," said Mick McCormick, executive vice president.
"Omni-Freeze Zero is an entirely new approach, and
unlike anything the industry has ever seen. We see sweat as a renewable
resource that will allow athletes, outdoor enthusiasts or anyone that spends
time in hot, humid conditions to sweat smarter, staying more comfortable."
