Beyond Begins Today with Launch of new Polartec® Power Shield™ RPM and expanded Shed Less™ Options
Planet Earth, The Universe (March 18, 2024) Polartec®, a Milliken & Company brand and the premium creator of innovative and more sustainable textile solutions, is pleased to introduce Polartec® Power Shield™ RPM, made from recycled polyester materials and the iconic Polartec® 200 and Micro Series recycled fleeces featuring cutting-edge Polartec® Shed Less™ technology. Designed to perform better, go farther and enhance the lives of those who wear them, Polartec® Power Shield™ RPM represents yet another milestone in reducing impact on the planet and enabling circular processes.
Ramesh Kesh, Senior Vice President at Milliken & Company and Business Manager Polartec said, "Polartec has a 30-year tradition of textile innovation aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of our products. With these latest initiatives, we're ramping up our commitment to prioritize the planet. Whether it's minimizing our impact, creating products built to last, or fostering circularity, Polartec is dedicated to making a positive difference today, tomorrow and beyond."
Made to enable circularity, Polartec® Power Shield™ RPM is a recycled polyester fabric that revolutionizes weather protection by offering waterproofness, wind-proofness, and breathability that also ensures high-stretch comfort and resilience. With its high range of motion and highly durable 100% recycled polyester membrane designed for high intensity activities, Power Shield™ RPM elevates end use comfort and is perfect for runners, cyclists and golfers who refuse to trade performance for sustainability.
Polartec® Power Shield™ RPM: Offering excellent stretch and recovery, this pioneering fabric features a highly durable non-PFAS coating to repel precipitation, 10,000mm hydrohead to keep it off, and is available in both 3-Layer and 2-Layer versions. When combined with an industry leading breathability spec of 30,000g/m2/24hrs, Power Shield™ RPM redefines the idea of unstoppable comfort for highly active users. Designed to satisfy the requirements of top-tier athletes and weekend enthusiasts alike, the use of sustainably sourced recycled polyester reduces both the product's carbon footprint and the reliance on fossil fuels while enabling circular processes.
Less is more with Polartec® Shed Less™ technology, an innovative process that decreases fiber fragment shedding during home laundering up to 85%* without compromising the performance or durability of the fabrics it's applied to. Less shedding means fewer microfiber fragments end up in the oceans and waterways. Less shedding means more years of wearing indulgently soft Polartec fleece fabrics that help pave the way for a more sustainable future. Less shedding means more value, which is why this one-of-a-kind technology is now globally available on the most iconic Polartec recycled fleeces, Polartec® 200 and Micro™ Series.
How the Shed Less™ process works is as revolutionary as its results. Optimizing yarn construction, knitting, chemistry, and manufacturing excellence, Polartec has engineered a way to ensure that the same fibers that give its iconic fleece a soft, comfortable hand now resist breaking or rubbing off – all without altering the trademark characteristics that make Polartec fleece the go-to choice for lightweight, breathable and cozy mid-layer warmth.
Polartec® Micro™ Series: engineered to provide long-lasting comfort in a vast range of conditions and activity levels, this premium recycled fleece with Polartec® Shed Less™ technology is made from a lofted structure with thermal air pockets to retain warmth without inhibiting breathability. Highly durable yet incredibly soft, Polartec® Micro™ Series is both hydrophobic and fast drying, making it the most versatile synthetic fleece on the market.
Polartec® 200 Series: the modern version of the original PolarFleece®, which in 1993 became the first performance fleece knit from yarn made from recycled plastic bottles, is now treated with state-of-the-art technology to protect its longevity while protecting the planet. With greater resiliency, lightweight warmth and faster drying times, Polartec® 200 Series sets the industry standard when it comes to high-performance synthetic fleece.
Karen Beattie, Director of Product Management at Polartec, added, "Our dedication to environmental circularity extends from incorporating repurposed plastics and plant-based fibers, to employing non-PFAS treatments and reducing both emissions and waste across our production and distribution platforms. It is seen in the longevity and durability of our fabrics, ensuring our products can be cherished for generations. We make sure nothing feels better, performs better, or protects better than Polartec, in complete harmony with the world around us."
* Test results using AATCC (American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists) TM212-2021 test method for fiber fragment release during home laundering.
