1998 – The first bi-component knit structure

Recognising that wool and synthetics both have plus points and negatives, Polartec set about creating a bi-component fabric that maximised each of their own performance benefits. The result, which Polartec called Power Wool, brought next-to-skin comfort, maximum breathability and an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, and it continues to be used by major outdoor brands to this day.

1998 – The first real soft shell

This was the year that saw the beginnings of what we now know as Polartec NeoShell, a waterproof fabric that’s soft to the touch, stretchy and truly air-permeable. Starting out as the first soft shell fabric, NeoShell is now regarded as the world’s most breathable waterproof technology and has been used by brands such as Rab, Montane, Filson and 66 Degrees North. 

2012 – The first active insulation fabric

In case you’re not familiar with Alpha Active Insulation, the main thing you need to know is that it’s designed to regulate comfort in changing conditions. It has this incredible ability to trap heat to keep you warm while letting hot and moisture-laden air escape.

Alpha was actually originally developed for the military. Polartec had been asked to design something that could provide U.S special forces with an insulation system for huge temperature variations and the start-stop conditions of combat. What they created worked and it subsequently moved into performance garments in the outdoor world.

2015 – The first evaporative cooling fabric

A fabric for high tempo activities in hot weather, Polartec’s Delta is designed to hold moisture next to the skin to keep you cool but, crucially, without making you feel wet and downright gross. The secret is in its two separate fibres which are woven into a 3D grid construction. One fibre helps to hold onto moisture and the other lifts it up and moves it away from the body. This tech’s certainly been a big hit in the cycling and running worlds. 

2017 – The first anti-shedding fabric

With Power Air, the latest of Polartec’s developments, the traditional fleece manufacturing process has been flipped on its head in an effort to significantly reduce plastic pollution. Instead of having lofted, high-pile knit structures exposed on the outer (the traditional method), the insulating lofted fibres are encased within the knit construction. That means they are protected by a shielding, supportive barrier – and consequently, microfibre shedding is prevented. 

And that’s not all. Polartec Power Air is made from a minimum of 50% recycled PET plastic, so its actual construction has green credentials too.

From the first synthetic fleece, to the first recycled performance fabric in the 90s and rounding off to Polartec’s non-shedding technology being rolled out today. It’s no surprise that over the years some of the world’s biggest outdoor brands have called upon Polartec for its innovative and progressive fabrics.

The next move? Polartec recently announced the undertaking of a new Eco-Engineering initiative with the aim of using recycled and biodegradable materials right across its entire product line. Watch this space. 

Enter Polartec’s New Competition

Polartec are making a family album to celebrate and they’re asking for your favourite photos and videos showing you creating memories in the outdoors. If those memories are of you wearing Polartec – even better! Submit your entry to their competition page and you’ll win a Polartec fleece if it gets chosen for the album. Head on over to polartec.com for more details.