dupont sorona insulation vs down dupont sorona insulation vs down

Thomas Regional are part of Thomasnet.com. Flocus is insulating, lightweight, water-resistant, and fully biodegradable. Although synthetic insulation has come a long way, it still doesn't hold a candle to down's ultralight weight and amazing compressibility. Marmot, one of the worlds most highly respected technical apparel and equipment companies, created a unique polyester insulation called Thermal R, engineered to meet various cold-weather needs. In addition, Patagonia uses recycled polyester in their jackets, which is made by weaving polyester fibers with used soda bottles, unusable second quality fabrics and worn out garments. Continuous-filament insulations use a thicker continuous filament that is lofty, strong and durable. and our REI member since 2006. Thats why Nudown made the business-savvy decision to skip cruelly derived animal materials and go straight to using air. Synthetic insulation also tends to be friendly on the wallet and is naturally hypoallergenic. DuPont, the DuPont Oval Logo, and all products, unless otherwise noted, denoted with , or are trademarks, service marks or registered trademarks of affiliates of DuPont de Nemours, Inc. REPREVE is a registered trademark of Unifi, Inc. ECOLoft, ECOLoft eco-elite, ECOLoft ActiVe SR, ECOLoft FLEX SR and ECOLoft AIR SR are trademarks of Youngone. The new fabric collections offered by mills are tested and certified through the DuPont Sorona Fabric . Anyone can join and everyone belongs. 2023 Recreational Equipment, Inc. All rights reserved. This ECOLoft collection will elevate sustainable, high-performance insulation solutions for the outdoor market and offer brands a versatile option for cold-weather products, said Renee Henze, Global Marketing Director for DuPont Biomaterials. Unifi continually innovates technologies to meet consumer needs in moisture management, thermal regulation, antimicrobial, UV protection, stretch, water resistance and enhanced softness. About DuPont Biomaterials DuPont Biomaterials brings innovations to global partners through the development of high performance, renewable materials. DuPont developed Sorona in the late 1990's by leveraging the innovative bio-based monomer Bio-PDO as the basis for the polymer. Meanwhile, thicker strands sustain loft and durability. All rights reserved. Down insulationis an all-natural fill comprised of goose or duck plumage (contrary to popular belief, plumage is the soft material underneath the feathers, not the feathers themselves). A common misconception is that down insulation is made from the feathers of a bird. Down insulation has typically been sourced from geese. It offers a line of jackets and vests with built-in inflatable chambers. Natural down is also incredibly resilient andif properly cared forcan be used for many years. Lets take a closer look at down and synthetic insulation to help make your decision easier. It is oil- and animal-free and is known for maintaining its breathability. When it comes to the sustainability debate, neither down nor synthetic escape without blame. Adventures requiring the lightest weight possible. Sometimes, manufacturers will place lighter insulation in the arms and side panels of a jacket and heavier fill in the body. Before you rush to the nearest store to look for a great season-end deal on a well-insulated winter jacket, stop and think about how you can make your next purchase an ethically conscious one. Synthetic fill does not lose its loft when wet, continues to insulate even when soaked, and dries out quickly. However, high-quality down is cleaned very well according to strict industry standards, and is less likely to cause an issue. YOUNGONE a leading global manufacturer of outdoor and athletic clothing, textiles, footwear and gear is leveraging DuPont Sorona renewably sourced fiber and Unifi REPREVE recycled content to debut three new insulation products that provide lightweight breathable warmth with unique softness and shape retention. We invite you to read more about our other practices in our Stewardship Report. This partnership brings together two forward-thinking leaders in the materials space to explore new, innovative materials that will combine DuPont Sorona fibers and Thindown to . Its strands require minimal to no quilting, which allows products containing it to be less expensive. Referred to as frozen smoke because its so lightweight, Aspen Aerogels insulation was developed in a lab 80 years ago and then reintroduced in 2007, when NASA figured out how to use it to keep instruments warm on a Mars rover. The industry is now embracing pure bamboo for insulation in quilts, comforters, and pillows. He was quoted as saying, "DuPont argues that Sorona is going to be the first billion-dollar biotech product other than a pharmaceutical". Weve tested a lot of outdoor gear and picked our favorites, including the best down jackets, synthetic jackets, and backpacking sleeping bags. For even more categories, check out our ski gear reviews and hiking gear reviews, both of which cover almost everything you need to get outdoors this year. Do YOU have the courage to not look away? This bio-based fiber insulator is lightweight, breathable, warm, quick-drying, and resilient. By using this site, you agree to our, Solar Lights are Lining Highline Canal Pathway in Tempe AZ, Metal Powder Transfer System Safeguards Particle Shape for Consistent Part Quality in 3D Printing, New Peptide Characterization Services for Development and Optimization of Novel Therapeutics, New PFCT Services for Chromatographic Analysis of Pharmaceutical Preparations, New DC-DC Converters with Efficiency of up to 97%, 4 Vortex Furnaces to Arrive at ASSAN ALMINYUM in Turkey, Top Obstacles Engineers Face in Custom Coils Projects, Quick Release & Spring Loaded Pins: Fast, Convenient and Secure, Four Ways to Retrofit Your Fluid Bed System (Without Replacing It! If youre looking for a jacket that offers solid warmth at a good value, synthetic insulation is the way to go. Can we declare a winner in the down vs. synthetic debate? The second is staying warm enough. The special vertical lapped, maximized multi-layer, and integral ball fiber production technologies are all enhanced by the Repreve and Sorona fibers combined flexibility, high resilience and excellent volume to weight. tips best adsense alternative, Create a website or blog at WordPress.com. But the largest benefit to choosing synthetic over downand why well always recommend it for certain environmentsis the added wet-weather assurance. For news updates from Unifi, visit https://unifi.com/news or follow Unifi on Twitter @UnifiSolutions. The higher the percentage of down, the better the warmth-to-weight ratio will be, and the higher the cost. To learn more about DuPont Biomaterials, please visit http://biosciences.dupont.com/solutions/biomaterials/. These synthetic microfibers are far finer than down feathers, so they can trap more air in less space, which naturally makes for better insulation than down. Stationary activities that create less sweat. As the weather cools down each year, the great down-versus-synthetic insulation debate heats up. Down is actually the fluffy undercoating that provides warmth for geese, ducks and other waterfowl. Synthetic insulation can also be pricey, and particularly newer high-end products designed to mimic down, but its still the cheaper option. For example, if one ounce of down takes up a volume of 650 cubic inches, it is given a 650 fill power rating. Overview. Unlike traditional down or synthetic insulation products, this offering optimizes the use of recycled and renewably sourced content for best-in-class insulation solutions, and we look forward to introducing this to the market at Outdoor Retailer.. Sleeping Bags for Backpacking: How to Choose, Higher warmth-to-weight ratio than synthetic insulation, Very durable; with proper care, a down sleeping bag or jacket can last for decades, Loses insulating power when it gets wet and takes a long time to dry, Very water-resistant and continues to insulate even when wet, Offers less warmth for its weight than down, Less durable than down; insulating power gets reduced each time the bag is stuffed into a stuff sack, Lighter weight and more compressible than synthetic alone, Less water-resistant than synthetic alone. Covation Biomaterials trademarks may not be used in connection with any product or service that is not a Covation Biomaterials product or service. Further, over time, it gets packed out and loses its ability to loft, resulting in a shorter lifespan than down. This technology can be found at Cozy Earth, My Organic Sleep, and Loomstead. Sorona is a co-polymer of 1,3-propanediol(obtained by fermentation) and petroleum-derived terephthalic acid(TPA) or dimethyl terephthalate(DMT). The ECOLoft eco-elite insulation collection features three products: ECOLoft ActiVe SR (35 percent Sorona + 55 percent REPREVE) - A synthetic, vertically lapped insulation that combines the warmth-to-weight of down with breathability that is defining a new category of padding and garment design options. To better understand the world of down, below we break down considerations like fill power Cozying into your sleeping bag at the end of a long day on the trail is one of the simple pleasures of backpacking. Dries quickly, often within a day or even hours. While Best Ultralight Sleeping Bags and Quilts of 2023, Best Cheap Down Jacket: REI Co-op 650 2.0, Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer/2 Hoody. More information can be found athttp://www.dow-dupont.com. Loses insulation ability when wet and is slow to dry. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I have noticed you dont monetize your page, dont waste your In 2019, a collaboration between Thindown and Sorona resulted in an innovative and sustainable insulation material that combines all the advantages of real down, such as warmth, lightness and breathability, with the softness, drape and stretch of Sorona fiber. Most synthetic fill sleeping bags or garments are machine washable and dryable. For example, a 90% goose down garment will consist of 90% down and 10% feathers (small parts of feathers that were not separated from the down during the manufacturing process). You may find yourself replacing synthetic products more often compared to down products. This treatment allows down to resist light moisture without compromising loft. All those expensive winter skiing, snowboarding or hiking jackets are now on sale! Through a unique combination of agriculture, biotechnology, chemistry and material science capabilities, we advance market-driven, bio-based solutions to meet the needs of a growing population, while protecting our environment for future generations. It is hypoallergenic and mildew-resistant and retains most of its loft and insulating properties when wet. Down and wool trap air to keep you warm, acting as thermal insulators. When the days get shorter and the mercury drops, its time to reach for a winter jacket to guard against the cold. Down is actually the plumage foundunderneath the exterior feathers on waterfowl such as ducks and geese and consists of soft, fluffy, wispy filaments. Climashield is composed of thousands of continuous strands of synthetic fibers in a distinctive interlocking solution. Fill weight sometimes can be difficult to track down as gear manufacturers are more keen to market fill power, but in the end, both are necessary to get an accurate idea of how warm a given down product is. Synthetics, on the other hand, arent as good at trapping heat and therefore breathe much more effectively. WILMINGTON, Del. But its not quite a miracle insulator: Down is not super breathable and loses its loft when wet, which means it no longer is able to keep you warm. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Fill power can vary from around 450 to over 900, with most high-quality down products featuring a fill power of 800 or above. http://biosciences.dupont.com/solutions/biomaterials/. Compression sacks can pack a down sleeping bag into an incredibly small package, but you should use the much larger cotton or nylon sacks to let them expand when they are in storage. Its used in running shoes, sleeping pads, snow pants, and spacesuits and is extremely effective as an insulator because the holes in it are only 1/10,000th the diameter of a human hair, blocking almost all airflow. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. A durable foam insulation board with shiplap edges, DuPont Styrofoam Brand Deckmate Plus Extruded Polystyrene Insulation is easy, fast and flexible to use. The two brands are exploring new developments to seamlessly combine the softness, drape and stretch recovery of Sorona fibers and down, utilizing the proprietary process from Thindown to create a new category of a blended down insulated fabric. An insulated hardshell can be the right . [2] The fibers are soft and stain-resistant while exhibiting high strength and stiffness. This insulation is 100 percent sustainable, utilizing a natural alternative without abandoning functionality. and we wont have to freeze, Your email address will not be published. The combination can reduce cold spots with a single sheet of fabric versus quilted sections, delivering greater warmth and breathability, while simultaneously adding drape and stretch for greater movement. Sorona contains 37% annually renewable plant-based ingredients. The RDS is a global certification given to down products and indicates that the birds were treated humanely and not subjected to unnecessary harm, such as force-feeding or live-plucking. This guide is designed to help you select an insulation material that works best for your needs. Down is picked from birds after they are slaughtered for meat or foie gras and in some cases, by forcibly restraining the animals while they are still alive. ECOLoft ActiVe SR (35% Sorona + 55% Repreve) is a synthetic, vertically lapped insulation that combines the warmth-to-weight of down with breathability. The Sorona polymer gives you the opportunity to offer a more eco-conscious product without compromising performance or increasing cost of production. Just keep in mind that products with down insulation are typically more expensive than products with synthetic fill. Outdoor equity, climate action, places we love. While synthetic fills have been less scrutinized, they have their own set of issues. Other people prefer synthetic insulation. Your email address will not be published. This article about polymer science is a stub. All Rights Reserved. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Without a doubt, synthetic insulation is cheaper than down. Although the down may not cause an allergic reaction itself, lower quality down can harbor dust particles, debris or other non-down materials, causing a reaction in sensitive people. Sorona fabrics are tested for content and performance through our Common Thread Certification Program. In recent years, advancements in technology have resulted in synthetic insulation that comes closer and closer to matching the packability and warmth-to-weight ratio of down. Find and evaluate OEMs, Custom Manufacturers, Service Companies and Distributors. The typical range is around 450 to 900, with 900 being the warmest and lightest but also the priciest. The higher the fill power, the better the down will insulate, because there is less chance of cold spots forming (spots where the down has shifted away, leaving an uninsulated area). Once theyre considered no longer profitable to the down feather industry, these birds are thrown into crates for a grueling journey to the slaughterhouse, where theyre hung upside down and killed for their flesh. Most synthetics are also completely hypoallergenic and will not cause allergies, as long as you keep them clean. This down-like alternative is created with synthetic polyester high-tech fibers that provide comfort and superior support of your head, neck, and shoulders. The second measurement youll come across is fill weight, which is the weight (in ounces or grams) of the amount of down in a product. In addition to the ones mentioned above, some other synthetic insulation fabrics to look out for include Thermolite (made by the same company that makes Coolmax Polyester), Thermacore Insulation (Burtons proprietary synthetic insulation) and Coreloft (by ArcTeryx), which is used in some of their jackets. If kicking an animal is bad, how is killing an animal good? In order to find your best match, keep these points in mind: Down insulation works well for just about everyone, unless you frequently find yourself in extremely wet conditions or youre on a budget. Patagonias Micro Puff Jacket (with synthetic PlumaFill insulation) is even advertised as having the best warmth for weight of any jacket in the companys lineup. Down also comes in a number of different grades. You dont get quite as high of a warmth-to-weight ratio as down, but synthetic jackets resist moisture, can breathe better, and are more Patagonias Nano-Air took the active insulation market by storm, designed to be a synthetic jacket that truly can be worn all day through a variety of conditions and activities. Through REPREVE, one of Unifis proprietary technologies and the global leader in branded recycled performance fibers, Unifi has transformed more than 16 billion plastic bottles into recycled fiber for new apparel, footwear, home goods and other consumer products. My Heart, the creations of Karen Lyons Kalmenson, April 30 is national adopt a shelter pet day, Jasha Lottin, Oregon Woman, Took Nude Photos Inside Horse Carcass, Vanderbilt University fined $8,156 for lab animals dying unnecessarily, what you can do, An Autistic Activist Responds To Temple Grandin. Sorona answers the global call for sustainably sourced fabrics, bridging the personal and societal at a . ), 5 Common Liquid Injection Molding Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them), The Ultimate Guide to Steam and Water Ejectors, Additive Manufacturing / 3D Manufacturing, Health, Medical, & Dental Supplies and Equipment, Laboratory and Research Supplies and Equipment, Mining, Oil Drilling, Refining Products & Equipment, Waste Management & Waste Handling Equipment, Reduces cold spots and adds drape and stretch, Offers more sustainable insulated material than traditional down fabric, Eliminates drawbacks associated with use of traditional down filling. Down vs Synthetic Insulation: Which is Best? DowDuPont intends to separate the Specialty Products Division, which will be called DuPont, into an independent, publicly traded company. Most outdoor gear and apparel companies use only goose down, which has a minimum fill power of 500 to 550. For these reasons, synthetic jackets are ideal for activities like climbing, biking, and ski touring (but keep in mind that less insulation results in more breathability). A Guide To Insulated Winter Jackets That Are Not Made With Down, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z3tmDTanUc, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcN7SGGoCNI&t=1s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80sKLpZKeQY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs8yqcrqo1s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXJrk5vF4R8. Since the early 1900s, DuPont Sorona has been revolutionizing the world of fibers and polymers. Like many things in life, one is not strictly better than the other in all circumstances. Proprietary technologies have been developed over the years to treat down at a microscopic level with a water-resistant application. Benefits include great gear offers, special pricing on events and an annual Co-op Member Rewardfor life. Orif you REALLY want the warmth of down regardless of the weather, you could consider one of theHelium Down Jackets. However, many major manufacturers switched to duck down in recent years due to the cost of goose down. It is an undercoating, or a natural midlayer. Although it works in the same way as downbody heat gets trapped by the fibers loftsynthetic insulation in general is less warm, heavier, and less compressible than down. Thindown by NIPI (Natural Insulation Products Inc.) is the worlds first and only down fabric. It s also hypo-allergenic. Why do you support laws that REQUIRE abject suffering rather than support the RESCUE of those who suffer? You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. In addition to RDS, some companies have developed their own standards and means of communicating their sourcing, including Patagonias Traceable Down Standard and Mountain Equipments Down Codex. From jackets and pants to gloves and hats, the only thing Sorona Aura insulation fill retains more than its shape is warmth. Premium goose down can reach 900 fill-power, and potentially even higher. Duck down can achieve fill-power ratings no higher than 750 or 800. Anyone have information on the down feather alternative called DuPont Sorona? Macpac, Kathmandu, North face etc. There are many competing brand names for synthetic insulations, which can make shopping confusing. < class="header">Three new products combining DuPont Sorona and Unifi REPREVE maximize recycled and renewable content for high-performance, eco-efficient insulation.>, Six Materials Nominated for the Innovation Award Renewable Material of the Year 2023. Terms and Conditions, The most common criticism of down insulation is its tendency to clump up and lose loft when it gets wet, thereby losing its insulation properties. If you're a new email subscriber, your discount code will be waiting for you. After all of the discussion on down vs. synthetic insulation, there are important gear decisions to be made.