IFF Innovation Award for Polartec Alpha
The Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) has presented the 2013 IFF Innovation Award to Polartec for its Alpha project.
Polartec, one of 19 entries from around the world, was awarded a prize of $5,000. The presentation was made during the Specialty Fabrics Expo 2013 and Advanced Textiles Conference & Trade Show, which ran from October 23-25 in Orlando, Florida.
Unlike down and synthetic insulation, Alpha is said to provide a highly stable layer, allowing for the use of more open and breathable fabrics on the outer and inner layers of ‘puffy’ garments.
It is said to provide warmth while also allowing air exchange for breathability and comfort. It is said to retain its insulation properties even when wet and to offer faster dry times than other comparable fabrics. It also provides wind resistance and warmth without adding weight.
The aim of the IFF Innovation Award is to inspire companies from across the globe to come up with new ideas and to turn these into innovative new products. It rewards projects that it deems to have “challenged the norm and succeeded”.
