HeiQ endows textiles with superpowers
Founded in 2005 as a spin-off of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), HeiQ is a leader in textile innovation creating some of the most effective, durable and high-performance textile technologies in the market today. Co-Founder and CEO Carlo Centonze speaks to Fibre2Fashion about HeiQ technologies, sustainability and the future.
Besides technologies, what all services does HeiQ provides to the textile industry?
We provide expertise in product development, testing, regulatory affairs and technical support as part of our full suite of solutions. We also support our brand partners by enabling them to communicate the benefits of HeiQ technologies to consumers through marketing and ingredient branding services.
What is the size of the global market for high-performance textile technologies? Roughly, how many companies operate in this domain?
The global technical textile market size is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 5.3 per cent over the next ten years at the market value of $220 billion in the assessment period 2022 and is forecast to reach a valuation of $370 billion by 2032 (source: Fact.MR Report). The numbers vary depending on the research. It is almost impossible to define the number of companies that are active in this domain.
For a layman, what is high-performance textile technology? Is it a software, or some kind of a liquid or is it a solid compound?
For a layperson, it might be sufficient to say that HeiQ endows textiles with superpowers. HeiQ has created some of the most effective, durable and high-performance textile technologies on the market today which cool, warm, dry, repel, purify and stop viruses, and won 18 major awards in the past 16 years. Dedicated to improving the lives of billions of people, HeiQ makes every-day products more functional, more comfortable and more sustainable.
Textile technologies are basically added to textiles in the final stages of the finishing process. High-performance technologies also come in the form of new materials such as our decarbonising HeiQ AeoniQ yarn, a versatile alternative to oil-based and non-degrading polyester, nylon, and even conventional cellulosics that is a game changer with huge industry transformation potential.
Do all HeiQ products come with a certification? Who certifies your products?
Yes, all use of HeiQ products requires certification. The procedure for certification varies by product, many of which are certified by HeiQ with the possibility of certification from approved external laboratories and agencies.
Do you also outsource your R&D? In which countries? Is it limited to university research?
We do not outsource our R&D. In fact, HeiQ operates its research based on our network with academic world which also ensures that we have access to the best talents and experts in each field. We engage in a partnership with researchers at 30+ universities and institutes around the world. As mentioned above, we have numerous PhDs working on HeiQ projects and what exemplifies our method is our ability to swiftly translate research into consumer products through HeiQ’s internal product development team.
What does the name HeiQ indicate?
HeiQ, pronounced [’haIkju], stands for the “hike” on which myself and co-founder Dr. Murray Height, came up with the HeiQ idea. Whilst on a week’s hike in the Alps, we realised that our partners were keeping their distance due to our ‘smelly’ T-shirts which sparked the thought of using science to help brands manufacture clothes that smell fresh all week long. HeiQ also stands for high-quality materials and for IQ Intelligent Materials.
What percentage of HeiQ workforce is involved in research and innovation? What is the latest they are working on?
HeiQ follows a unique R-D-M (Research, Development, Manufacturing) innovation methodology from laboratory to consumer. We have 7 IP technology platforms and a boundless research network with over 30 universities. We finance 40+ PhDs, have an innovation advisory board of 15 members, and a 50+ strong internal R&D team comprising 20+ PhDs. 8 HeiQ R&D hubs around the globe work round the clock enabling rapid innovation.
We leverage research through multi-country government grants and third party fundings, ensure consumer validation and practice value capturing ingredient branding as part of the innovation process.
What is your business model? Do you have your own team or appoint marketing and distributing partners across the world?
When partnering with a brand or a manufacturer, we distinguish ourselves from competitors by offering end-to-end turnkey solutions, with experience and capabilities across the value-chain and project lifecycle. When manufacturing finished goods that we directly market, we combine our experience and capabilities to ensure excellent product quality and effective communication to the consumers.
We have a team of marketing and branding professionals with experience across a range of markets. We have strong knowledge and experience of consumer behaviour and understand how to create branding materials that translate complex technical scientific knowledge into plain consumer language. We produce multimedia content and have expertise in all channels.
Can you name few textile companies that use HeiQ technologies in their products? Are they repeat customers? Since how many years?
HeiQ has over 1,000 customers in 60 countries. HeiQ is trusted by over 300 brands, including several Fortune 500 companies, as their innovation arm. It would be remiss of us to pick out a few names.
Where in the textile value chain are your products used? Is it at the fabric making stage?
Our functional technologies can be easily incorporated into the fabric at the finishing stage in the mills. Most of our technologies can be added to the final bath with softeners and the like, meaning no extra time and water are consumed. And the mills don’t need to change their processes.
Where does HeiQ stand in terms of carbon offsetting measures?
HeiQ strives on a daily basis to consistently deliver sustainable innovative technologies that are not only ground-breaking, but they are also revolutionary in their innate ability as industry change-makers which is exemplified by the most recently launched decarbonising HeiQ AeoniQ yarn which, with its potential to ultimately substitute all fossil-fuel synthetic yarns, is the new industry benchmark for circularity and sustainability.
Climate change needs new innovative solutions. By bringing HeiQ AeoniQ yarn to the textile industry, we will reduce our dependence on oil-based fibres, help decarbonise our planet and reduce the impact of the industry on climate change. Our yarn is a game changer as a versatile alternative to polyester, nylon, and even conventional cellulosics and therefore has huge industry transformation potential. By wearing clothes made of HeiQ AeoniQ consumers can act in support of reducing CO2 in our atmosphere. Adoption by billions of people offers potential to bind hundreds of millions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.
HeiQ is the second company I’ve founded. The first one, myclimate, is a market-leading NGO in carbon offsetting. I am a firm believer that by using innovation technology one can make a profitable business by reducing the ecological footprint of everyone that uses a service or buys products.
HeiQ has recently launched a cooling technology? What is it?
It is HeiQ Cool – the world’s first dual action textile cooling technology.
Addressing the importance of body temperature control, whereby both overheating and feeling chilly are problematic, HeiQ Cool powered fabrics constantly regulate the skin temperature with a dual cooling capability. In a first step, melting energy absorption delivers instant contact cooling before the first sign of sweat and delays the build-up of heat, followed by a vapourising energy action that mimics the skin’s thermal regulating system by providing continuous evaporative cooling as long as the body is hot and sweaty. Suitable for all fabrics, the initial launch focuses on home textiles, especially sleeping products such as mattress ticking, pillows and bed linen because of its clear benefit to help users get a good night’s sleep. It cools before the first sign of sweat, delays the build-up of heat and continuously regulates the temperature. Instantly cool to the touch, the components synergistically recharge the surface layer ensuring a consistently cool, dry and comfortable body climate.
HeiQ Viroblock technology was in demand when COVID-19 was at its peak. Are companies still using this technology now that the pandemic has subsided?
The pandemic may slowly be on the decline, but its after-effects are likely to be felt for a long time. Whereas the need for mass mask wearing may subside, the demand for antimicrobial protection is here to stay. HeiQ Viroblock has proven its efficacy and versatility and has gone way beyond providing protection in textiles – it is now used for a variety of materials including paint emulsions, paper coatings and more. Its protective prowess will continue to help stem contamination for generations to come.
Can a textile mill go sustainable by using all HeiQ technologies? Why/Why not?
HeiQ works closely with its brand and mill partners promoting and supporting their efforts at sustainability. As virtually all HeiQ technologies are designed for sustainability, mills have every opportunity to go sustainable if they choose to exclusively use HeiQ technologies. That said, there are numerous processes over which HeiQ has no control, but the company sees it as its responsibility to support all efforts by partners who wish to be more sustainable with innovative solutions.
What are the future plans at HeiQ?
Looking ahead, our focus lies in the innovation of more sustainable materials as well as increasing market penetration of our core technologies. We have already touched on our launch of HeiQ AeoniQ which is on the threshold of large-scale production as we prepare our pilot plant and the giga factory in a couple of years. Our technology platform of prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics for bio-based odour and stain control for carpet and footwear, anti-allergen effect in mattress and bedding, microbial and viral protection for surfaces, anti-inflammatory effect in wound dressings, probiotic skin enhancing cosmetics, algae and biofilm control in drinking water as well as advanced synbiotic surface protection, HeiQ Synbio, is also in the early stages of its market penetration. Finally, HeiQ GrapheneX, our highly porous graphene membrane research project, remains an exciting potential value trigger and we look forward to building the pilot commercialisation plant. We expect it to be the stepping stone for us to enter the $29 billion technical filtrations and membranes market from a position of strength. To ensure that we remain at the top of our game, we will be expanding our research, building our capabilities and diversifying our tech platforms into new markets and industries, both organically and through strategic M&A. HeiQ innovates systemically and our technology and solutions are created in response to megatrends and market needs. We identify, or even foresee, a problem and develop a science-based solution to solve it. It is solving the problems that customers bring to us with sustainable functional ingredients and materials that will guide the specific areas we target.
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