TEXTILES.ORG
Textile finishing company Devan Chemicals has presented further findings on its Moov&Cool® “cool comfort” technology for the apparel/sportswear market. The patented polymer technology was first introduced in 2018.
Moov&Cool provides a cool comfort feel through a combination of durable heat absorption capacity, thermo conductivity and a unique, balanced moisture transfer system. In addition to a fast absorption of sweat, the technology helps to manage sweat evaporation in a balanced way. The topical treatment for textiles has been brought to life in an effort to boost the performances of professional athletes, and to enhance comfort for recreational athletes.
The company says its technology is truly unique. “Where other technologies count on wind to help evaporate sweat to create cool skin sensation, Moov&Cool uses superfluous heat produced by the body during the sports performance to lower the body core temperature”, says Dr. Vanessa Daelman, business unit manager performance at Devan. “The effect remains when the wind speed is reduced, which makes it also suitable for indoor sports.”
Furthermore, the technology is not only useful in hot climates, but also insulates when it gets cold. “When Moov&Cool is exposed to colder conditions, the pore-like openings in the polymeric layer are more closed, trapping heat between the body and the fabric,” Daelman says.
Devan established a unique system to guide sportswear manufacturers towards the most suitable solution. The aim is to specifically adapt the application level of Moov&Cool to the intended use.
The company teamed up with the Bakala Academy and the University of Leuven to test the patented technology. “Moov&Cool lowers the body core temperature significantly and has a positive effect on heart rate and heat perception,” she says.
The product development was inspired by a mechanism found in plants that use small pore-like openings (stomata) on the bottom of their leaves, which open and close depending on the environment to which they’re exposed. “It allows them to manage the water reservoir in the leaves and hence their thermoregulation,” she adds.