Down jackets are fantastic insulators. They trap the warmth and retain heat, keeping us warm even in extreme weather conditions. But downs have adverse effects on wildlife and are not manufactured in the most environmentally friendly manner.
In fact, most of the textile industry is ridden with a high environmental footprint. It is waiting for material innovation to decrease the footprints and herald a viable new beginning. It would be far-stretched to say, but Japanese manufacturer Sumitomo Metal Mining could have a transparent way forward in this possible future.
The company has manufactured Solament – a material innovation that produces heat using infrared light conversion. The Down-Less Down Jacket by designer Kosuke Tsumura is the first project that brings the material’s translucent nature and functionality to the fore. Designer: Aptly named Solament, a combination word comprising “solar” and “element,” this is made of near-infrared ray absorbing nanoparticles.
The material absorbs the rays present in sunlight and utilizes them to generate heat. Tsumura has used the material properties to create the down jacket silhouette that absorbs infrared light from sunlight and then generates heat through light conversion technology to keep the wearer warm. Down-Less Down Jacket, as it is called, is like a puffer down jacket made from the translucent innovative material.
According to the designer, the jacket provides warmth, comparable (if not better) to a traditional do.