Fall - InsideOutdoor Magazine

future, including developing a harmonized
definition of sustainable or
preferred textiles and equipping more
players in the textile, apparel and home
furnishings industry with the ability
to integrate sustainability into their
business and product strategies through
training, tools and information.
“Consumers continue to be committed to supporting
the use of organic cotton and other sustainable
fibers, while brands and retailers continue to
make their product lines more sustainable ...”
— LaRhea Pepper, Textile Exchange managing director.
PrimaLoft Re-Enlisted
by U.S. Marines
PrimaLoft Insulation Technology announced
that the United States Marine
Corps (USMC) has purchased 8,750
additional sets of the USMC Extreme
Cold Weather System, which consist of
parkas, trousers and booties insulated
with PrimaLoft.
The USMC Extreme Cold Weather
System (ECWS) is currently used by
thousands of U.S. Marines stationed in
the coldest areas of Afghanistan and
across the globe.
This new purchase brings the total
number of PrimaLoft Extreme Cold
Weather System units currently fielded
to Marines to 58,750.
Specifically developed to provide
U.S. Marines with tactical advantages
during challenging cold and wet weather
conditions, the Extreme Cold Weather
System includes a parka, trouser and
booties insulated with PrimaLoft that are
packable, lightweight, weather resistant
and very warm.
The U.S. Army originally commissioned
Albany International Corp. to
develop a water resistant synthetic
alternative to down. Today, PrimaLoft is
the premier supplier of insulation to the
United States Army, Marine Corps and
Special Operations Forces.
“PrimaLoft takes great pride in our
work to provide the best possible insulation
technology to meet the U.S. Marine
Corps mission-readiness needs,” said
PrimaLoft vice president and general
manager Joe Rumiesz. “We began working
with the DoD 25 years ago, and we
continue to advance our unique technology
to address the specialized gear needs
of our men and women in uniform.”
DuPont Opens
Carolina Kevlar
Plant
DuPont announced the start-up of its
$500 million Cooper River Kevlar facility
near Charleston, S.C. The new plant is
expected to result in an initial 25 percent
increase of overall global production
capacity for Kevlar. Ultimately, a 40 percent
increase is expected after continued
technology developments during the
next two years, said the company.
Along with a recent $50 million
expansion at DuPont’s Spruance plant in
Richmond, Va., Cooper River represents
the largest single investment in Kevlar
and the largest capacity increase since
the fiber was introduced in 1965. Along
with creating new permanent jobs, the
Cooper River plant was built over a period
of three years using a construction
workforce of up to 800.
The plant uses state-of-the-art technology
that will allow DuPont to meet increased
customer demand for advanced
protective materials in emerging industries
around the world by expanding its
portfolio of science-based innovations
and boosting productivity. Commercial
supply will begin by the end of the year.
“As the global population grows,
there will be even more critical need
for protection materials to keep people
safe and to protect the environment,
structures and critical processes,” said
Thomas G. Powell, president, DuPont
Protection Technologies. “This significant
boost in production capacity
and capability demonstrates DuPont’s
continuing commitment to support our
customers and to find solutions that help
protect more people around the world.”
The Cooper River Kevlar plant
will initially produce innovations that
support three primary technology
platforms: DuPont Kevlar AP, DuPont
Kevlar KM2 Plus and DuPont Kevlar
XP for growing applications in ballistics,
other personal protective equipment,
aerospace, tires, fiber optic cables, oil
and gas and automotive.
GE, Kolon
Collaborate
on Membrane
Applications
GE and South Korea-based Kolon
Fashion Material announced a collaboration
on a wide range of membranes
that KFM will use in laminate production
to supply the Republic of Korea
Military and the consumer market.
The collaboration is part of GE’s strategy
for its eVent fabrics waterproof/
breathable product line. The alliance
will allow customer brands to pair
proven GE membranes with a wide
range of laminates and fabrics to create
unique apparel, footwear and accessories,
said the companies.
KFM, based in Gwacheon, will
supply the South Korean Military with
uniforms featuring waterproof/breathable
membranes from GE laminated
to KFM fabrics. In addition, KFM has
combined GE membrane technology
with its own proprietary lamination
technology to create neoVENT-F, a
waterproof/breathable fabric for the
domestic Korean consumer market and
global outdoor brands.
“As a leader in the Korean fabrics
industry, KFM is an excellent company
to take full advantage of products using
our membrane technology, both in military
programs and with new outdoor
programs,” said Glenn Crowther, product
line leader for eVent fabrics at GE.
Since its founding in 1957, KFM has
been supplying fabrics, fibers, primarily
nylon- and polyester-based, and other
textiles to a wide range of clients.
28 | InsideOutdoor | Fall 2011