sustainability

CATCH PHASE CHANGES FOR PRODUCTS

Material technology provider PrimaLoft Inc.

Up until now and for the past maybe 30 years the primaloft company has placed themselves as the “leading producer in the world as the best producer of insulations” or something to that effect. Now they are referring to themselves as “material technology provider primaloft inc.” This suggests that they provide technological materials to those who need them.

Never forget that primaloft inc. does not make any fiberfill materials, they buy them from companies that d make fiberfill materials. Those companies may very well make them to the specifications required by primaloft, (I think primaloft inc. just buys what is available at the time).

To the best of my knowledge all of the primaloft products have been made from chopped staple fine denier fiber (about 2.5 denier) which is unfit for use as an insulation. That is the reason they cannot make lofty fiberfill batting.

Changing the catch phase will not make their products work any better than they do now and they are by no means a material provider with any technological capability!!!

Steamboat Springs, CO, January 17, 2020 – Big Agnes, the Steamboat Springs-based outdoor brand, announces a redesign of its 2020 Apparel Collection. Already recognized as a leader in product innovation and responsible sourcing, the new apparel collection will use highly durable, abrasion resistant, performance-oriented materials, many of which are bluesign® Certified. The entire collection features new styles and colorways with designs targeted to specific activities and consumer needs.

Companies in the outdoor business love to say things about their companies wanting to set themselves apart from other companies in the outdoor business that have made for them possibly in the same factories in probably China or some other Asian country.

This company is by no means a leader in product innovation. From what I have seen of their line of products they are doing the same thing as their competitors.

What is bluesign^®?

The term “bluesign” comes from the name of a Swiss group called bluesign^® technologies. This group monitors the complex journey of materials from factory to final product. The bluesign^® team includes experts in chemistry and textile production, as well as specialists who oversee a robust system of factory auditing and certification

All this business about bluesign caused me to finally look them up. As I knew not suspected they do not make any finished products. But they have placed themselves as an “authority” on fabrics and “certify” how good they are. And companies pay them for this bogus certification.

“The driving forces behind the design of the new collection was to make a good product, lessen our impact, stay warm outside and look good while doing it,” Said Sally House, Product Designer at Big Agnes. “Working with sustainably sourced, high quality materials is a huge part of that initiative.”

Now we are learning the “driving force” behind this so-called new collection is to “look good” when you are outside, trust me they do not care about lessening any impact. “Sustainability” is a term used widely in the outdoor industry but has no meaning. Why, because there are very few if any garment companies that make any garments that last more than one season if that. When you think of sustainability of a product look at Wiggy’s products, they last for years. See the testimonial at the conclusion of the article.

Big Agnes partnered with Sustainable Down Source to create transparency in down sourcing for its down products. Every down apparel model (and all 2020 down sleeping bags) will include a Downtracker tag that allows consumers, via QR code, to view the origin story, certifications and properties of the down inside the product. The down line also uses DownTek™ Water Repellent Down, which is RDS certified and bluesign® Certified PFOA and PFOS free.

The “sustainable down source” is a very bad joke. You will be able to trace the down back to the original duck or goose that was killed for it. I can only assume that is what “downtracker tag” represents. The “downtek water repellent down” is a chemical that is certified by bluesign; wonderful.

The reality is what this company sells is a perception that they are doing something good for humanity and not good products.

Now you can read a testimonial from a customer of long standing that hasn’t been paid like ALL of the testimonials I have received over the years from satisfied customers. they are my proof of goretex not working as advertised and my proof of the longevity or “sustainability” of my products.

Good morning Wiggy

Yes goretex fails again.......Went on a winter campout and ski trip with our Boy Scout troop to Pinedale, Wyoming. Woke up to -5-degree temps. Slept wonderful in my Wiggy's -20 sleeping bag. On getting up I put on my Wiggy's Lamilite liner jacket and 15-year-old Wiggy's Lamilite sweater plus my Wiggy's Super mitts and oh yea my Wiggy's Lamilite socks I was warm. Later in the morning at the ski lodge approx. 15 degrees and a slight breeze I removed the Lamilite liner and sweater.... just as a test.......put on a fleece jacket and a goretex hooded wind breaker jacket (that I have owned for many years). After cross country skiing around the 2 1/2-mile course I removed the goretex jacket and my fleece jacket was totally soaked with perspiration................FAILED AGAIN. I use my Wiggy's Lamilite gear to stay warm and comfortable because I know it works. When winter camping at below 0 temps and responsible for young Boy Scouts I MUST have equipment that won't let me down. Thank you Wiggy for making all of your wonderful Lamilite products for those of us that spend time it the COLD outdoors.

Marco

Marco,

Many thanks for your timely email.