MUNICH — March 1, 2019 — 3M introduced new sustainable insulation materials for application in the fashion and clothing industry at ISPO, held February 3-6, in Munich, Germany. With up to 100-percent recycled plastics and fabrics, 3M’s Thinsulate™ Insulation offers a sustainable alternative to natural materials such as cotton or down, thus reducing the fashion industry’s carbon footprint.
While recycled Thinsulate insulating materials have been in use in skiwear for years now, 2018 saw significant improvements in the materials’ structure and function. By producing new insulation materials made from up to 100-percent post-consumer recycled materials and committing to turning process-related waste into high quality plastics, 3M has managed to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the production process — which makes the 100-percent recycled insulation material one of the premium products 3M is proud to introduce at ISPO. Thinsulate products come in three new ranges: 3M Thinsulate™ 100-percent Recycled Featherless Insulation is one such option. It offers a sustainable, cruelty-free alternative to natural down insulation solutions. Its recycled polyester material gives excellent protection even in extreme conditions whilst also being more durable than natural outwear materials tend to be. It is less bulky and more lightweight than most natural materials, and it performs well when wet. Other materials include 3M Thinsulate Flame Resistant and 3M Thinsulate Water Resistant. The products and the processes used to create them have been certified for their sustainability, their positive environmental impact, and their safe production methods by independent agencies such as OEKO-TEX®, Global Recycled Standard (GRS), and bluesign®.
The company itself has won multiple awards by Forbes, Glassdoor, Fortune, and others for good conduct, equal opportunities, for being ethical, community-oriented, and reputable — and the list goes on. For their 40th anniversary, 3M held a large milestone conference evaluating the progress so far as well as setting future goals in front of members of the press. At the conference, the company underlined the importance of good customer relations both with business and end users above all else, and announced that looking at the future, they were going to continue their focus on ethical, environmentally friendly materials and sustainable solutions.
Posted March 1, 2019
Source: 3M
