37.5® Technology Offers Thermoregulation Across Numerous Industries – Sourcing Journal

When it comes to keeping cool, or staying warm, Cocona Labs has recently made strides in taking its 37.5 Technology beyond apparel, putting consumers “in the comfort zone” longer and in more situations. Today, 37.5 Technology helps create comfortable microclimates for users in apparel, accessories, footwear, bedding, and most recently, child car seats.

The name “37.5” refers to the ideal body temperature (37.5 degrees Celsius) and humidity level (37.5 percent) the human body prefers to stay comfortable. Fabric embedded with a natural mineral technology is designed to maintain these levels, creating a microclimate of personalized comfort.

Created by a photo-physical chemist and inventor, the patented technology works differently, and more effectively, than wicking technologies. Where wicking merely spreads liquid sweat out onto fabric in an attempt to speed drying, 37.5 active particles remove sweat vapor before it even has the chance to become liquid sweat.

37.5 Technology has been used by top outdoor/performance brands to reduce the humidity levels next to the skin of athletes, maximizing the body’s own natural evaporative cooling method. Lower humidity levels not only enhance comfort, but also reduce the amount of energy your body uses to manage core temperature, increasing stamina. In fact, in a study done by the University of Colorado’s Human Physiology and Sports Medicine Department, 37.5 Technology was scientifically proven to increase athletic performance by up to 28 percent. But, applications of this dynamic thermoregulation technology go well beyond athletics.

“The technology was first used in the outdoor/performance sports sector, which is typical for the industry, but it has evolved from there,” said Scott Whipps, executive vice president of sales, global apparel, Cocona Labs. “37.5 Technology can basically be incorporated into anything that gets close to the human body. The IR [infrared] energy your body naturally emits powers the particles. This means just by changing your garments you can increase your efficiency so that less energy is used to do the same amount of work.”

It didn’t take long for Cocona Labs to expand the applications for 37.5 Technology beyond the outdoor/performance sports sector. Here is a rundown of other products and sectors where 37.5 Technology can be found.

Footwear

Hot, sweaty feet should be a thing of the past, insists Cocona Labs. And the company developed footwear products embedded with 37.5 Technology to prove it.

Using consumer product testing company Mesh01, Cocona set out to assess if consumers could tell a difference between the two insoles based on thermal and wetness management. To do this, a two-week wear trial compared insoles with and without 37.5 Technology. For the test, 21 subjects wore an insole without 37.5 Technology in their footwear for one week, then switched to an insole with 37.5 Technology for week two.

The results were definitive. Precisely 95 percent of consumers with hot and sweaty feet preferred the thermal management of insoles with 37.5 Technology, while 89 percent preferred the moisture management of insoles with 37.5 Technology. The insoles that included 37.5 Technology also expanded the “comfort zone” period, improving the inside climate comfort of footwear known to cause hot and sweaty feet, and delaying the time to perceived wetness by up to two hours.

Sleep

Previously, apparel partners created thermoregulating sleepwear with 37.5 Technology, but more recently home partners have begun making bedding with 37.5 Technology—including sheets, blankets, pillows, toppers/pads and even mattresses.

Anyone who has ever woken up during the night because they are hot and sweaty or cold and shivering understands that thermoregulation is essential to a good night’s sleep. Add a partner sleeping next to you and the need for a microclimate of personal comfort becomes even more important.

“Perhaps one of the more exciting developments in bedding is the increased use of performance-based technology to help people get better sleep. Keeping your body at the right temperature is a critical component of restful sleep, and bedding made with 37.5 Technology will help you stay in the comfort zone longer throughout the night,” said Serine Steinnes, executive vice president, global home for Cocona Labs.

37.5 active particles are permanently embedded into the fibers and yarns of bedding products to capture and release moisture vapor, he said. This helps the sleeping body maintain the optimal level of both humidity and temperature. “The technology will help you stay cool in warmer conditions, but if you get too cold, the same active particles use your body’s infrared energy to help keep you warm.”

Car Seats

Most recently, Cocona Labs partnered with Chicco USA to launch the first child car seat featuring 37.5 Technology. This new product offering comes as part of Chicco’s commitment to sustainable parenting—including new textile innovations that are easy to clean, free of unnecessary chemicals and comfortable. With 37.5 polyester fibers and yarns being Oeko-Tex® certified for consumer safety, it made for a natural fit.

Chicco’s ADAPT thermoregulating and breathable car seat, featuring 37.5 Technology, helps ensure a comfortable microclimate for the passenger. When the climate surrounding the child’s seat is hot, the 37.5 active particles help keep the child cool; and when the climate around the seat is cold, those same active particles help keep them warm.

No matter what the application, 37.5 Technology is a permanent technology. Unlike chemical finishes that wash out, the natural 37.5 volcanic minerals are embedded in the fibers and yarns that make up the product, and will never wash out or degrade over time.

For more information on 37.5 Technology, click here.

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