HeiQ launches its first performance fabric technology HeiQ XReflex

January 15, 2019

Same warmth with half the bulk, HeiQ launches its first performance fabric technology HeiQ XReflex

Zurich/Switzerland — Swiss textile innovator HeiQ launches HeiQ XReflex – a radiant barrier technology on high performance fabrics to create warmth without bulk and allow the user to “Wear Less in Winter®”.

Humans lose about 60% of body heat through thermal radiation. In order to stay warm, insulations made of of down, synthetic or fleece are typically used in outerwear. The thicker the insulation, the less heat loss and the warmer the person. For the active person or traveler, the goal is to find the same warmth without all the bulk.

HeiQ XReflex does just that – the innovative radiant barrier technology allows outerwear, midlayers, sleeping bags, etc. to maintain the required level of warmth while reducing bulk as much as 50%. With an ultra-thin reflective surface applied through a high-tech vapor deposition process, HeiQ XReflex reflects the body’s radiant heat, increasing the thermal resistance and allowing maximum breathability. Matched with a specific insulation, this combination creates the optimal heat retention required for the product. By using one layer of HeiQ XReflex, a saving of 25% in bulk can be expected. And with two layers, the bulk can be reduced to up to 50% while maintaining the same level of thermal resistance. Also worth noting is the environmental footprint savings – one jacket will save 6L water, 280g CO₂ and 10MJ of energy.

HeiQ XReflex is created through collaboration between HeiQ and Xefco, an Australian textile technology company that is a partner of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Deakin University. “Warmth without bulk is the best of both worlds for the active consumer”, says Christian von Uthmann, Chief Sales Officer at HeiQ Materials AG. “This technology reduces insulation bulk to create thin, lightweight, breathable products”, continues von Uthmann, “which in turn consumes fewer raw materials for more sustainable products.”

HeiQ XReflex offers multiple options of fabrics and insulations to create the ideal warmth needed for various activities. To learn more about HeiQ XReflex, visit the HeiQ booth at ISPO Munich (Hall C5 Booth 402, 03-06 February 2019, Munich). 

Insulation garments made with HeiQ XReflex fabrics need only half the insulation material for the same warmth, allowing users to “Wear Less in Winter®”.

HeiQ XReflex fabric back side with reflective surface (left) and front side (HeiQ)

About HeiQ

Founded in 2005 as a spin-off from the 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 on the market today. With the aim to improve the lives of billions of people by perfecting an everyday product, textile, HeiQ combines three areas of expertise – scientific research, specialty materials manufacturing and consumer ingredient branding. This makes HeiQ the ideal innovation partner to create differentiating and sustainable products and capture the added value at the point of sale.

About Xefco

Xefco was born as a spin-off in 2018 from the performance fabric division of sailing brand Zhik. Partnering with leading Australian research institutes – including the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Deakin University – Xefco develops and implements advanced manufacturing technologies that provide proven functional benefits to enhance performance, comfort and protection while reducing impact on the environment.