Haydale has announced that, following the successful incorporation of graphene nano-platelets (GNPs) in its cosmetic face mask sheets and PPE face masks, iCraft is using Haydale’s functionalized GNPs in its graphene-coated fabric, THERMiT.
In order to grant increased performance in terms of thermal and antibacterial properties, Haydale’s plasma functionalized GNPs have been used to coat the nylon fibers in the lining of a down jacket. The graphene coated fabric, THERMiT, was supplied to South Korean sports apparel brand, Pro-Specs, for use in a new graphene-enhanced jacket. The initial production run of 8,000 items, which was available in store and online, sold out within weeks of being released.
Using Haydale’s patented HDPlas® functionalization process, the GNPs are applied to the nylon lining. The functionalized nanomaterials are said to give the jacket an increased thermal insulation rate of more than 6% when compared to conventional nylon fabrics.
In collaboration with Haydale, iCraft plans to develop the fabric further including combining it with other wearable devices. At this early stage the parties are not yet able to anticipate how iCraft’s increased use of functionalized GNP’s will impact the volume requirements in the three-year contract that the parties signed in September 2020.
Yongjoon Lee, iCraft, Project Manager, said: iCraft has worked with Haydale to develop graphene products and bring them to the Korean and Asian markets. Due to the excellent THERMiT sales results, we will continue to use it and focus on securing large domestic customer orders in premium graphene-enhanced clothing.
Keith Broadbent, Haydale CEO, said: There is growing interest in graphene-enhanced clothing, and we are delighted to see the application of functionalized GNPs in a premium garment. We expect demand for graphene wearables to continue to grow particularly in areas of e-textiles, smart fabrics and heated garments.