As referenced in a previous post, there are a bunch of interesting materials being developed that are ending up in apparel. The examples already given are the “buzz off hat” with insect repellent embedded in the material and the smart-kini (ok, I just made that up) sensor bikini that provides the wearer information about UV exposure.

Phase change materials are a distinct class that do something interesting and valuable. I was talking to a colleague about this recently and she indicated that she’d love to have clothing where the sleeves would “grow.” The example she provided was that it’s warm in the Denver summer, but if you change elevation much it gets cold fast and that she’s constantly carting around extra clothing for this reason. Well, phase change materials don’t “grow”, but they do have the powerful property of being able to absorb, store, and release heat by changing from solid to liquid and back again.

PCMs, in combination with micro-encapsulation, have made these heat absorbtion, storage, and release properties available for use in fabrics. Several companies now have make this technology available to manufacturers including Outlast, Microtek, and TCP Reliable. Here are some examples:

• Gloves
  
• Shoes
  
• Shirt
  
• Linens
  
• Beer label (think cold beer, warm hand)
  

From my perspective, the most interesting thing about PCMs is that they are now appearing in common use everywhere. Rather than the PCM being the focus, it’s a shirt that keeps you cool in the heat and warm in the cold. Pretty cool stuff.

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