The company develops and sells phase change materials (PCMs) for the production of temperature-regulating fibres and textiles. Outlast's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Martin Bentz, says that the company's development team is able to create products that are tailored to the individual needs of its customers, and can react quickly to new trends. He continues: "We attach great importance to providing customers with personal and professional advice. You should get the best functionality for your product. At the same time, we check every product before it is launched to see whether it meets our requirements. This is how we create reliability—for manufacturers and end-consumers alike."
Bentz believes that the reliability of Outlast has been a critical factor for the development of the business. He continues: "We usually work very long-term with our customers. Reliability in terms of functionality, but also in terms of delivery dates, is an important point."
The company also places great emphasis on the sustainability of its products. Bentz explains: "We dye and produce our products in a resource-saving manner in accordance with strict social and environmental requirements. We manufacture a large part of our products in Germany with all associated standards. Also, the used resources are getting greener. We now only use rapeseed oil-based natural wax as heat-storage material for our capsules. We also offer textiles made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate [PET] bottles or natural raw materials."
PCMs can absorb and store heat (such as excess body heat) from the environment, helping to prevent the temperature from climbing too high, and reducing overheating and sweating (as well as subsequently releasing the heat when the temperature starts to fall). To do so, they exploit the significant latent heat that can be absorbed (or released) during a phase change as certain solids melt (recrystallise). Outlast can select a particular material that melts at the temperature range appropriate for the given application, which is often based on ambient and body temperatures for textile products used in proximity to the skin. The PCMs are contained within the microcapsules, which themselves are included in a formulation that is coated or printed onto a fabric, usually in an array of unconnected dots to preserve the textile's breathability.
Outlast has also recently developed a method for permanently bonding high concentrations of thermally insulating aerogels to textiles and nonwovens(1). The company says that the treated fabrics – called Aersulate – demonstrate the same mechanical properties as untreated fabrics and can be processed in the same way. It adds that Aersulate fabrics provide twice the thermal insulation of untreated fabrics and that this performance is not affected by compression or humidity. They are breathable and hydrophobic, and can be made flame-retardant if necessary.