T H E R M A L I N S U L A T I O N

HOT SINCE 1972The company now known asThermore S.p.A. was foundedin 1972 by Lucio Siniscalchi, ayoung and forward-lookingself-financed entrepreneur whodecided to quit his job as anagent for a large textile andnon-woven company in Milanto pioneer the use of syntheticfibers as garment insulations.The original name of hiscompany was simply Fi.Si. FibreSintetiche (Synthetic Fibers): avery clear indication of the goaland mission Siniscalchi had setfor himself.Fi.Si. first hit the market withPlastovat, an extremely softgarment insulation with onegreat feature: unlike productsstill sold today, Plastovat solvedthe fiber migration problemwithout resorting to a scrim - in1973!Strategically located nearMilano, the fashion capital ofItaly, Fi.Si. was always in anunique position to follow andsometimes anticipate evolvingtrends in styling and design; in1978 Lucio and his assistantsdeveloped Ocaesse, a high-loftinsulation with unique resistanceto washing (traditional highvolume battings fall apartwhen washed).Finally in 1980 Fi.Si. introducedThermore®: as the leader andchief source of inspiration ofwhat was by then a full-blownresearch team, Lucio Siniscalchideveloped the novel “three-layer-structure” and the loftadjustment process peculiar toall Thermore® products. Ofcourse Fi.Si.’s established

washing resistance and anti-migration technologies werealso incorporated inThermore®.The introduction of Thermore®was a turning point in thehistory of Fi.Si.: indeed,Thermore® insulations were sosuccessful that the company’sname itself was changed toThermore S.p.A. in order ofbenefit from the higherrecognition on the brand.Meanwhile, the companystarted to develop aninternational dimension.In 1984 the U.S.A. patentapplication for the thicknessreduction process, one ofThermore®’s key features, wasaccepted with no exceptions -a unique event, given the strictevaluation standards of the U.S.Patent Office. This broughtThermore® overseas. In 1987the first yard of U.S.-madeThermore® came out of theWaco, Texas plant; and as allmajor garment manufacturerswent to the Far East,Thermore® was madeavailable in Hong Kong inorder to ensure a worldwideservice.In a few years Thermore®“covered” the major productionlocations in the Far East andEastern Europe with almost tenproduction lines. With all itsworldwide perspective andexpertise, Thermore S.p.A. hasretained a truly European style:in Lucio Siniscalchi’s words, “ourmost important asset is the lovefor the only product we sell: ourcomfortable hi-tech Thermore®thermal insulation”.

T H E R M A L I N S U L A T I O N

I M B O T T I T U R A T E R M I C A

1,2

1,1

1,0

0,9

0,8

0,7

0,6

0,5

0,4

0,3

0,2

0,1

0,0

THERMORE®

Other ultra-thin products

Products with special processing

Traditional products

Thermalwaddings

Weight (g/m2) 100 200 300

THER

MAL

RES

ISTA

NCE

(m2

°C)

W

Red and purple = – heat loss + heat • Yellow and white = + heat loss – heat

A “HUMAN INSULATION”At Thermore® we believe research must be driven by end usersatisfaction. Each and every feature of our Thermore® insulationsis the answer to a specific requirement, solving a real-life problem.We also believe ski slopes and city streets are the ultimate lab: theone where products really show their potential. As a result, sheercomfort is our research team’s only goal. That’s why we like to sayThermore® means natural warmth.

T H E R M A L I N S U L AT I O N

The USCommissioner of

Patents andTrademarks

acknowledged theuniqueness of our

Thermore® SRprocess with noexceptions. The

Thermore®process has

actually originateda substantial

number of patents– a clear sign of

our dedication toexcellence.

T H E R M A L I N S U L A T I O N

THE WORKING PRINCIPLESThe very first feature of Thermore® is the

ability to trap the body’s own heat and thus

prevent heat dissipation. The keyword here

is air pocket.

Put in very simple terms, heat is a form of

energy. If ball B is not moving and you

throw ball A at it, then ball B will move

and ball A will slow down and eventually

stop. Heat is transmitted from one

molecule to another in a similar fashion.

Thanks to its air pocket structure, Thermore®

can prevent heat transmission in two distinct

ways:

1. Its outside layers are very compact: you

can think of them as “heavy” spheres

that absorb the impact of ball A without

transmitting it to ball B.

2. Its central layer is very open: it can trap a

large amount of air, which is the best

theoretic insulation; you can think of a

region where few spheres are present, so

that ball A has few chances to transmit its

energy to another ball.

The result is a very natural and ingenuous

heat retention scheme; the very first secret

behind Thermore®’s success.

You can think of ball "A" as a "warm" molecule.When ball A hits ball B, a "cold" molecule, it loosesits "heat".Ball B is now "warm" (it has inherited ball A's"warmth"). Heat dissipation has thus occurred.

Ball A is still the "warm" molecule; let's assume weare inside our Thermore® garment.Thanks to Thermore®’s air pocket structure, ball Acannot reach ball B. Ball A is still "warm", meaningno heat dissipation has occurred.

Body temperature37°C

Outside temperature– 10°C

Body temperature37°C

Outside temperature– 10°C

THERMORE® SR: OUR TECHNOLOGYWILL FIT YOUR LINES“Bulky = Warm”: designers of cold-weather outerwearhave been faced with this constraint for too long.Slimmer lines and a softer hand feel meant a lighterweight insulation and, therefore, a proportionally lesswarm and comfortable garment.Thermore® breaks this aging rule in its ownunconventional way: thanks to our patented SR(Special Reduction) process, we can actually changethe volume of virtually any Thermore® insulationwithout proportionally affecting the warmth factor andhand feel of the original product.

The keyword nowis adjustablevolumes: but youmight bewondering howthis incredibleresult is achieved.Once again, thesecret lies in theair pocket

structure of Thermore®. Thanks to our SR process, weactually alter the thickness of the outer layers only,leaving the central layer and the amount of air ittraps virtually unchanged. Since air is, at leasttheoretically, the perfect insulator, the warmth factordoes not change in proportion to the actual volumereduction. In more accurate terms, a 50% volumereduction only results in a mere 10% (max) warmthreduction.Moreover, keeping the amount of air trapped in thecentral layer unchanged we preserve the original“Thermore® hand feel”: and we know that this featureis at least as important as insulation comfort, for itwould be no good to replace the old rule “Bulky =warm” with a newer one, “Stiff = warm”.The bottom line is, you can have virtually anycombination of warmth factor and volume: youdesign your lines, we’ll make them warm!

T H E R M A L I N S U L A T I O N

Type Thickness cm. Weight gr./m2 Thermal Resistance UCT

THERMORE TMK 170 HL 2.5 ~ 170 ~ 46.7

THERMORE TMK 170 C 1.2 ~ 170 ~ 42.3

Source: Stazione Sperimentale Politecnico di Milano.Note: to obtain theoretic "CLO" values multiply the UCT values by 0.055.

The results of tests performed by a number of independent labs agree with thetheory. The following is a part of the report we got from the Stazione Sperimentaleof Milano, an authoritative research institute within the Milano Polytechnic.

T H E R M A L I N S U L A T I O N

THERMORE T37©:A DYNAMIC PERFORMERWarmth is a relative concept. You may go skiing on acloudy day, thinking it’s freezing cold, and after a fewminutes down the slopes you are perspiring and wishyou had a lighter parka. Or, the sun may finally appear,and you may even think you should have left that parkaat home anyway. At Thermore® we know comfort is byno means a static concept. In the winter we want all ourwindows closed; in the summer we keep them wideopen… or turn the air conditioning on. In order to livecomfortably, we do different things at different times. So why should an insulation be an exception to this rule?Thermore® introduced the concept of dynamic insulationin 1986. As featured in our Thermore® and, to a muchgreater extent, Thermore T37® lines, dynamic insulationmeans that the thermal resistance (call it “clo value”,“tog rating”, or whatever…) actually changes accordingto the varying weather conditions and body heat. Thekeyword here is thermal gates, chemical “microspaces”located on the outside layers of Thermore®’s air pocketstructure that “expand” when the outside temperature istoo high, and “contract” when the temperature is lower.This ongoing dynamic adjustment tends to stabilize thebody temperature around 37°C (98.6°F), the naturalbody temperature (hence the name T37, to stress theincreased dynamic properties). A huge number ofsimulation tests, dynamic thermal tests and, of course,real-life tests were performed on Thermore® andThermore T37®: the “theoretical” dynamic effect was infact verified and analysed. As a result, the superiority ofdynamic insulation is confirmed. This diagram is based on a simulation test performed bya major independent lab on our Thermore T37®

insulation. Similar tests were performed on our Thermore®

insulation, and the results are available on request.At low temperatures the body requires a high degree ofthermal insulation; and the graph clearly shows that

Ball A is "warm". We canassume we are inside a

Thermore® garment. Theoutside temperature is low.

The thermal gates areclosed: ball A cannot reach

ball B, and no heatdissipation occurs.

Ball A is "warm". This time,however, the outsidetemperature is higher, andin a real-life situation wewould start perspiring.

But the thermal gates arenow open: ball A canreach ball B and excessheat is dissipated.

Body temperature37°C

Outside temperature-10°C

Body temperature37°C

Outside temperature10°C

Thermore T37®’s thermicity increases rapidly at temperatures of0°C (32°F), -5°C (23°F), -10°C (14 F), -15°C (5°F) and below(RED zone).When the outside temperature rises the body needs lessinsulation in order to avoid perspiring due to the retention ofexcess heat. Thus, at higher temperatures, the thermal gatesopen and excess heat is gradually released (BLUE area).This smart self-adjustment process keeps the body temperatureat 37°C (98.6°F) even in extreme conditions.

Diagram based on laboratory testsAt very low temperatures, Thermore T37® closes its

“thermal gates” and keeps you warmer.�

At higher temperatures, Thermore T37® opens its

“thermal gates” and dissipates excess heat.

�

THER

MIC

ITY

-20°C -15°C -10°C -5°C 0°C 5°C 10°C

-4°F 5°F 14°F 23°F 32°F 41°F 50°F

T H E R M A L I N S U L A T I O N

THERMORE NRG®: ECODOWN®

THERMAL INSULATION

We know fromphysics that air is thebest thermal insulator.Thermore NRG®

consists of millions offibers with extremelyhigh elastic memoryacting as “springs”and effectivelycreating a

permanent air layer around the body. ThermoreNRG® traps air in up to 98% of its volume! Clothing items and sleeping bags insulated withThermore NRG® are therefore warm andcomfortable. Tests conducted by Milan-basedTextile Fibers Research Station show that the“typical” Thermore NRG®-insulated item is 36%warmer than a 700 g/sq.mt wool blanket - and,of course, it is much lighter.Tests performed by SGS Laboratories show thatThermore NRG® has outstanding loft recoveryproperties (up to 4.5 times better than standardpolyester fiberfill), even after heavy andprolonged compression. Sleeping bags and jackets insulated with ThermoreNRG® can be conveniently stored so as to take upvery little space, and yet quickly regain theiroriginal loft. Moreover, Thermore NRG® is light andsoft, and allows for maximum freedom ofmovement. Thermore NRG® is manufactured usingquality components only. This, together with an innovative, highly efficient

production process,enables us to useapproximately 40%less raw materials (oilderivates) than withconventionalproducts. ThermoreNRG® is theenvironmentallyfriendly high-techinsulation.

COMPARABLEINSULATIONS

DESIGN VERSATILITY ANDMANUFACTURING ADVANTAGES

We feel that design versatility is the key tosuccess of any garment: designers should begiven products that never influence or limittheir design abilities.

Thermore® was created with designers inmind: it’s born to be the bridge between hi-tech and creativity.

Here’s why:

- Thermore® was conceived to preventfiber migration. This means virtually anyfabric can be used with it and no “scrim”is needed. Moreover, for specialapplications we have set up a technicalhotline to support our customers.

- There’s no limit to the size of the panelsyou may cut or quilt: Thermore® willalways fit you pattern!

- Thanks to its revolutionary productionprocess, Thermore® can be supplied invirtually any style you wish, from verythick to extra-thin. Moreover, Thermore®

naturally tends to fit in the space youleave between the inner and the outerfabric.

The above advantages (but there’s still muchmore to discover!) make Thermore® thedesigner’s and the manufacturer’s dream. Tryworking with it: you’ll find out what wemean when we say Thermore® is theultimate insulation!

T H E R M A L I N S U L A T I O N

TROUBLE-FREE WASHING(AND DRY CLEANING) WITH THERMORE®

Thermore®-insulated garments can easily be

machine washed at home, or dry cleaned.

A well-constructed garment does not need

any special care: just treat it like a wool

item. Thermore® will not move or shift

inside the garment. Here are a few

suggestions:

1. Cold water wash with Woolite R or other

similar cold-water detergents. Single

wash cycle, with two spin dry cycles (or

line dry) recommended.

2. Do not twist garment. Do not dry near

heat source. Lay garment on flat surface

(if multi-colored) to prevent color

transfer.

3. If fabric is 100% cotton, use warm iron

only; water repellency may be renewed

by spraying with any commercially

available repellent after garment is

completely dry.

4. For particularly stubborn stains, oil spots

etc., use any recommended stain

remover.

5. Dry cleaning is no problem at all. Use

mild detergents and low temperatures.

Thermore® garments last longer!

T H E R M A L I N S U L A T I O N

THERMORE OPERA®: OPENPERFORMANCE ARCHITECTURE

Thermore OPERA® Open PERformance

Architecture is the complete, fully integrated

apparel protection system that combines

Thermore®’s proven high insulation with a new

ultra light waterproof, breathable membrane.

The specially engineered cross-sectional

densities of Thermore Opera® make virtually

any garment waterproof, breathable and

extremely warm, therefore achieving

incredible comfort with only one easy-to-use

component.

Also, Thermore Opera® can be used with any

fabric, still preserving the fabric’s own softness

and drapability.

Thermore Opera® features a high thermal

resistance: by optimising the sectional

densities, the insulation properties of

Thermore®’s internal air pocket are greatly

enhanced.

Thanks to its flexibility, Thermore Opera® is

available in all weights and densities, from

“micro” (2 mm) to “macro” (40 mm), thus

allowing designers and product managers to

upgrade any kind of cold-weather protection

apparel, from casual streetwear to technical

outdoor.

Thermore Opera® is already available at all

Thermore® plants worldwide.

T H E R M A L I N S U L A T I O N

Raw material Hydrophilic polyesterStructure Homogeneous, non-porousDensity 1.27 g/cm3 (79.2 lb/ft3)Thickness 10 µm (0.4 mil)Strength > 45 MpaBreathability 2500 g/m2 24h [ASTM E 96-66 B, modified:

Twater=30°C (86°F) Tair=21°C (70°F); rel. humidity - 60%; air flow - 2 m/s]

Water tightness No water permeation at 1 bar(= 10 m water column) [DIN 53 886]

Windproofness No air passage [DIN 53 887]

*based on information supplied by the manufacturer of the membrane;tests carried out by Central Research Laboratories of AKZO NOBEL.

TECHNICAL FEATURES OF THE MEMBRANE*

sales.italy@thermore.comsales.northamerica@thermore.comsales.hongkong@thermore.comsales.thailand@thermore.comsales.southpacific@thermore.comsales.srilanka@thermore.comsales.romania@thermore.com

Europe & U.S. Head OfficeThermore S.p.a.Via Milano, 5323899 Robbiate (Lecco) - ItalyTel. +39.039.9515100 Fax +39.039.9515133From USA and Canadacall toll free 1-800-871-6563e-mail: sales@thermore.com

Far East Head OfficeThermore (Far East) Ltd.Room 508, New East Ocean Centre,9 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East,Kowloon, Hong KongTel. +852.27217968

+852.27218365Fax +852.27225074e-mail: sales@thermore.com

Thermore® is manufactured in Italy, USA, Hong Kong, Thailand and Romania.

Thermore® is manufactured in Italy, USA, Hong Kong, Thailand and Romania.