Oros launches winter wear with aerogel insulation

05 Feb '16

3 min read

A new brand of American winter wear has hit the market and claims to provide the best insulation.

Oros, an apparel firm based in Cincinnati, has introduced a clothing line produced of aerogel, a foam made of mostly air and either silica or carbon, which insulates better and doesn't rub off on the skin, according to media reports.

The firm's winter garments features SolarCore aerogel which is what NASA uses to insulate its space suits.

Oros is using this technology to manufacture jackets, gloves, and hats for cold weather conditions. By lining certain parts of the apparel with flexible aerogel, which only absorbs a minute amount of heat, the clothing is able to better retain the heat made by the body.

In a demonstration, the company tested its jackets against liquid nitrogen, which brought the outer temperature down to -321 degrees Fahrenheit, while inside stayed a balmy 89 degrees. This is Oros' second line of apparel using aerogel.

“We did incredibly well with our first line of jackets a year ago and now with the second generation, we have improved the aerogel to make the jackets even lighter and thinner and have added gloves, beanies, and snowpants to our line so Oros can be the go-to performance apparel for your winter adventures and passions. The new line of clothes gives you complete flexibility and comfort, a slim profile, are very lightweight and great looking so they are perfect for everything you want to do in the cold,” said Michael Markesbery, co-founder of Oros.

Aerogel can be made of different materials (including graphene). In the last few years the technology has made its way to be incorporated in clothing. Oros has developed a proprietary formulation of Aerogel called SolarCore that is suitable for use in clothing. It can – and has – withstood being blasted by liquid nitrogen. “Oros performance apparel brings something completely different to the game of outerwear and insulation and that is our SolarCore aerogel. Aerogel is an amazing insulator; it has to be since NASA uses it in outer space where the temperature is only 2 degrees above absolute zero,” Markesbery informed.

Extremely lightweight and officially the lowest thermal conductor on Earth, SolarCore's propensity for insulation allowed the Oros founders to construct a clothing that not only keeps the cold out but refrains from becoming too bulky or heavy. Measuring in at just 3mm, the Oros line achieves an equivalent warmth of those extremely puffy, 40mm goose down jackets. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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