sustainability

SUSTAINABILITY

Hi there!

Here's a testimonial for you.

I have a Wiggy 0F bag and I'm very happy to report the accuracy of the temp ratings. Last winter (2021) my son's BSA Troop camped out in some pretty cold weather. The forecast said it would be 0F and I thought, "what a great test of my new sleeping bag." equipped with a good, insulated ground mat I stayed warm right up to 0 degrees F. It went down to -5 degrees that night and at that temperature I started to feel the cold in my feet. It was time for my wiggy socks! problem solved! in the morning I had frost on the outside of my bag just a Jerry describes. I've since purchased the over bag. I've had the same experience with that comfortable at 35 degrees F. I can't wait to try them together!I love my Wiggy’s, and I love that they are Made in the USA!

All the Best!

Daniel Biggs

Dan thanks for the testimonial. What I most appreciated is that you p[pointed out the frost you found on the outside of your bag. this is an indication of the fact your body moisture was out of the bag, because of your body heat being retained in the bag. when you are dry in the Wiggy bag you are warm. The lamilite socks have a dual purpose, keeping your feet warm in your boots and also in your sleeping bag.

NOW FOR MORE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY

As I have written in the past my background in the textile business has been primarily in the area of fiberfill for insulation in jackets of all sorts from just walk around garments to skiwear and expedition use. In the early years there was only one form of fiber used to make “batting” that were used in these garments. That fiber was two inch chopped staple fiber. The weas two difference machines used that were web forming equipment. Most of it was garneting equipment that made a web that had to be quilted in order to be used when constructing garments, house robes, even bedspreads and comforters.

There was another machine that formed a random web called a “rando-Webber”. The web structure allowed for a loftier “batting” that did not have to be quilted when used in garments. This product became the choice of insulations for the skiwear industry because it allowed the designers an opportunity to create more stylish garments.

However, these two constructions had one thing in common, they used chopped staple fiber. The loft that was created was “not sustainable”. Chopped staple fiber being two inches long is not very resilient and it is further made less resilient because the fibers are bonded together with a resin or coating.

Jackets made with chopped staple fiberfill may last for one season. Partially through a winter season you will realize the loft of the garment has diminished and if it new kept you comfortable now it doesn’t.

99 percent of the winter garments that have been purchased in years past have demonstrated that they are made from insulations that are not sustainable.

The other day I read an article that stated the primaloft company was given the howdy doody award for sustainability[I do not remember the name of the guy the award was named for, but it doesn’t matter] insulations.

The primaloft guys and the rest of the industry either does not know [which I think is the case] or doesn’t care to know that chopped staple fiberfill today is not any different than it was in 1961 when I entered the industry. However, in truth it is far worse. The quality of the fiber is horrible because it is waste fiber versus the first quality that came from DuPont, Celanese and Eastman which were 5 and 6 denier quality and of course the primaloft is made from “fine denier fibers” which they claim is better than the not so fine denier fibers theirs are less than 3 deniers, if I remember. The finer the denier of the fiber the weaker and less resilient it is. Therefore, all so called winter jackets that contain primaloft will deteriorate quickly during the winter and so signs of how “non-sustainable” they are. However, the primaloft folks shouldn’t think I am singling them out because all of the jackets sold with chopped staple fiber regardless of brand name will deteriorate equally as fast and become “non-sustainable”.

At this point all I will say is that the only sustainable fiberfill is continuous filament fiberfill otherwise known as Climashield/Lamilite. I have made products by the thousands since 1975 with Olam and since 1986 with Wiggy’s demonstrating how long the Climashield/Lamilite will last. Actually, we do not know how long it will last since these products are still working. My products have amply demonstrated the “sustainability” of a fiberfill insulation.

The outdoor industry is so hung up on sustainability they do not see the forest because of the trees. Like a disease that spreads all of the largest of companies have give back programs for the garbage products they sell because these products are completely non-sustainable. Like a disease all of the rest of the companies are following suit.