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From Lab to Trail: PrimaLoft® Insulation is Third-Party Certified Technology

CLO values, bluesign® certification, ISO standards.  What does it all mean and why does it matter?

Field testing is a critical component of every high performance textile, however, what separates "acceptable" from "proven" is a dedication to independent third-party testing of the highest standards in the industry.

While there is no way to control the weather, there is a way to evaluate advanced materials against every condition nature has to offer, and beyond. With decades of research by laboratories all over the world, PrimaLoft® Insulation's growing list of certifications means it is trusted and proven to perform in the worst weather conditions possible.

A cold-weather training instructor monitors U.S. Special Operations soldiers wearing the PrimaLoft PCU as they spend five minutes in near-freezing wateras part of SEAL Qualification. Image courtesy of the Department of Defense.

The PrimaLoft® Credentials

Originally developed for the U.S. Army as a water-resistant synthetic alternative to down, PrimaLoft® Insulation has been tried and tested using the highest standards in the world. Through continuous research and innovation, PrimaLoft® has developed a line of the highest rated synthetic insulations available on the market, including PrimaLoft® ONE, SPORT, SYNERGY, ECO and INFINITY.

Independent, Third-Party Testing

All PrimaLoft® Insulations are subjected to a wide variety of tests and certified at the most renowned third-party testing facilities in the world, including the Hohenstein Institute in Boennigheim, Germany and the research institution at Kansas State University.

Internationally Recognized Standards

PrimaLoft® Insulation's high performance reputation is more than a marketing slogan. It is the collective recognition of standards proven by researchers around the globe in repeatable testing of materials used in every type of application imaginable. PrimaLoft® Insulations have received certifications to the most widely trusted standards including ISO 11092 (International Organization for Standardization) for thermal wet/dry performance.

CLO Value

One of the most important measurements of performance, the warmth-per-weight ratio, is used to measure thermal comfort of an insulated garment and is measured as a "CLO" ratio of clo per ounce per square yard (clo/oz/sqyd). PrimaLoft® ONE has a dry clo/oz/sqyd value of 0.92 and a wet clo/oz/sqyd value of 0.90 - making it the highest-performing synthetic insulation available.

Environmental Sustainability

PrimaLoft® recycles to preserve our natural resources. PrimaLoft® ECO insulation offers earth-friendly performance and comfort and is engineered with post-consumer recycled materials (plastic bottles) to create a high-loft, thermally efficient insulation. Approximately 28 recycled bottles are used in the making of each kilogram of PrimaLoft® ECO, which equates to approximately 6 bottles per garment.

PrimaLoft® is also proud be the first, and only, branded insulation manufacturer to obtain bluesign® system partner status. One of the most renowned environmental certifications in the world, the bluesign® standard screening process evaluates each ingredient from raw materials and chemical components to natural resource consumption and the occupational health of the workplace environment.

bluesign® system partners demonstrate awareness and responsibility to consumers, while cultivating a positive movement towards sustainability in the industry.

This certification ensures brands, retailers and consumers that PrimaLoft®'s ONE, SPORT and ECO insulation products manufactured in China are environmentally friendly.

PrimaLoft® is the benchmark for world class performance insulations that have been tested by independent, global standards, and have been proven on epic expeditions in the most extreme conditions.