Origin Materials and PrimaLoft Form Strategic Alliance to Develop Carbon-Negative Insulating Fiber for Outdoor Gear, Bedding, and Apparel
Origin Materials, the world’s leading carbon negative materials company, and PrimaLoft, an advanced material technology company and a world leader in the development of high-performance insulations and fabrics, today announced a strategic alliance to develop carbon-negative, insulating, high-performance fibers. The fibers will be used across a diverse array of end products, including insulating fiber for leading outdoor, fashion, and lifestyle brands, as well as home goods applications such as hypoallergenic insulated bedding.
PrimaLoft has signed a capacity reservation agreement with Origin Materials and the companies will work to rapidly develop and commercialize new products derived from Origin Materials’ platform. The collaboration will leverage the leadership position of PrimaLoft as a specialty producer of insulating fibers and filaments with over 900 global brand partners, including iconic brands like Patagonia, Stone Island, L.L. Bean, Lululemon, adidas and Nike, as well as a large global network of manufacturers that employ a wide array of textile processes to make its products, including extrusion, carding, spinning, finishing, weaving, knitting, dyeing, airlaid, meltblown, and other technologies.
With its brand building team, PR team, global sales organization, and brand partners, as well as its working relationships with the six largest global premium fiber manufacturers, PrimaLoft is well-positioned to partner with Origin Materials to provide the textile industry with novel carbon-negative material solutions. The collaboration will focus on developing fibers from carbon-negative PET and next-generation polymers produced with Origin Materials’ patented technology platform.
The collaboration builds on PrimaLoft’s “Relentlessly Responsible™” mission to elevate both performance and sustainability, through innovation. The platform includes PrimaLoft® Bio™, which was developed and launched into the market in late 2018 as an effort to battle microplastics in the ocean; PrimaLoft® P.U.R.E.™, which provides materials manufactured with greater than 50% CO2 savings; and PrimaLoft’s post-consumer recycling initiative. The next frontier for the company is non-petroleum based raw materials, including products that biodegrade and other circular economy solutions.
Origin Materials believes its technology platform, which turns inexpensive, sustainable wood residues into carbon-negative materials, will help revolutionize the production of a wide range of end products, including clothing, textiles, plastics, packaging, car parts, tires, carpeting, toys, and more with a ~$1 trillion addressable market.
In addition, Origin Materials’ technology platform is expected to provide stable pricing largely de-coupled from the petroleum supply chain, which is exposed to more volatility than supply chains based on wood.
“We are thrilled to partner with PrimaLoft, a leader in sustainability and advanced, engineered insulating products for apparel, outdoor gear, and home goods. We have a shared vision for how materials can help the world transition to net zero carbon as soon as possible,” said Origin Materials co-CEO Rich Riley. “Together, we can develop innovative solutions that will bring tremendous value to PrimaLoft’s customers and result in a significant reduction of carbon emissions in the apparel, outdoor, and home goods sectors.”
“Partnering with Origin Materials, a company on the cutting edge of carbon negative materials, is a significant step in our Relentlessly Responsible mission,” said PrimaLoft president and CEO Mike Joyce. “Developing products that perform at the highest level while making the least impact on the environment is our ultimate goal. Working with Origin Materials to achieve those high-performance standards through non-petroleum based means is a huge stride forward. We’re excited to work together to bring new technologies to a variety of industries.”