“The Best Insulation In The World”

The title of this newsletter is the headline on the Primaloft Company web site about their insulation also called “Primaloft this or that.” We do live in a free country, and they have freedom of speech, so they can say whatever they want about their product, even if it is not true. I have heard that if people make an untrue statement about something often enough they eventually begin to believe it. However, in the case of Primaloft I believe they have to keep up a good front, so they will try to convince others their product is what they say it is even though they know it is not. I have studied, if you will, the Primaloft product in all its machinations since its development in the mid 1980’s. It is nothing more than a copy of what I sold in the early 1960’s when polyester fiberfill came on the market. They apparently started marketing Primaloft in 1988; I know this since I just read the article that opened with “2013 marked the 25th Anniversary for Insulation Leader Primaloft.” The words “insulation leader” is offensive to me. I have been in the business of providing insulating materials to the outerwear industry since 1961, and have been manufacturing both outerwear and sleeping bag products, as well as hand and footwear products, since 1975. Mike Joyce, the CEO of Primaloft Company, must know they are NOT the leader in the industry, never have been and never will be. They do not have now, nor have they ever had, any employee or group of employees from day one, when the Albany International Company put this product on the market, that has by any stretch of the imagination more than a fraction of one percent of the knowledge I have of insulations of all types. The leading product used for insulations in the outdoor industry, regardless of the finished products I have mentioned, and I could name more, is CONTINUOUOS FILAMENT FIBERFILL!!!!!!!!! Therefore, the leading product available today is made by Harvest Consumer Insulations, which makes them the true leader in the industry, and their branded product is Climashield. Climashield is the core component of Lamilite. Lamilite, in and of itself, is the finest form of insulation available in the market place today and that is because of my method of using it; laminating the Climashield. I have sold Lamilite to other companies and offered it to the companies Primaloft Inc., sells their product. Since my product would have to be shipped to Asia, they will not buy it. Of course, the Primaloft product they get is made in Asia.

This company is not alone in its marketing of a product that falls short of the mark with what they say about it; they have company. I recently read Polartec Company has a fleece fabric that is a new product, Polartec Alpha, which is, and I quote, “the latest evolution of synthetic insulation offering rare combination of light weight warmth and true (emphasis me) breathability in a ‘puffy’ style garment. They also do not know that fabric which is inanimate does not breathe, as it does not have lungs. Because Polartec Alpha insulation is highly durable and more stable than other synthetic insulation products, more open-construction woven face and back fabrics can be selected to create an air permeable package. This small amount of air flow rapidly draws moisture away from the body and allows Polartec Alpha to be worn in a wider range of activities compared to classic ‘vapor barrier’ style insulators.” They also show a video on their web site of a couple hiking and climbing quite high mountains that are snow covered. They are apparently wearing Polartec Alpha jackets that are not particularly puffy nor, as far as I am concerned, suited for the activity. They continually claim warmth without weight and breathability.


I find what they are stating about this new material, Polartec Alpha, an insult to my intelligence. I attribute what is written to the writer or writers of the published information about their product. It is very obvious that they have no particular knowledge of insulation.

From the bottom up in my 52 years of being in the business of selling synthetic fiberfill for insulation, I have never heard of “classic vapor barrier style insulation.” Nothing of the sort exists! Where they came up with their material being more stable than other synthetic insulations is also a fallacy. Lamilite has never been unstable in any product I have ever made, and in all of my years in the industry virtually every use of synthetic fiberfill used in garments has been stable. And, finally, having seen samples of this material I can assure you it is not any thicker than any of the fleece fabrics currently in use; it is not particularly “puffy.” Another case of a company saying something that is not, in my opinion, quite true about what they are selling; but if they say it enough they too begin to believe it.

One thing stands out with respect to both of these products; neither company actually offers a temperature range for use of the products. Then you have the companies that get their jackets made with this material and they too do not offer a temperature range for their use. All that is claimed is warmth without weight; terrific! What does that mean? Absolutely nothing! When I claim to make the warmest clothing in the world, and further state the parka is an Antarctic parka it is meant for extreme cold conditions it is self-evident what I am referring too. In addition I have no problem stating to anyone who asks for a temperature range for any garment I make, as an example the Antarctic parka can be worn in temperatures from +20 to minus 50 degrees if properly dressed for the various conditions. All of the companies involved in the making of garments with these materials cannot or will not guide the customer likewise. Why because in my opinion they actually do not know or care to know.

The real tragedy, in my opinion, is there are several companies marketing outerwear that are buying this fabric and having garments made in Asia where the fabric may also be made, and they are using the information presented to them from Polartec in the marketing of their garments. This bogus information will convince some that these garments will perform as they state, just like the massively quilted garments being sold this winter are supposed to do, but they will not just like the quilted garments are not. Maybe they believe global warming is real and therefore these garments will suffice. Of course these company employees can just go outside and really find out if they will keep them warm. Considering that Polartec was formerly Malden Mills located in Malden, MA. The current weather conditions there would be a great testing ground for them or better yet they can send garments to the crew of the global warming ship stuck in the summer ice in Antarctica.

Once again, BUYER BEWARE!