Winter 2019 - Inside Outdoor Magazine

Inside Outdoor | WINTER 2019 18 Ingredients In cooperation with its suppliers, Mountain Khakis has adopted a new yarn and insulation that are made from crushed oyster shells. Yes, you read that right, oysters, or what MK calls “the sheep of the sea.” As it turns out, materials made from crushed oyster shells share many of the qualities of wool, in- cluding anti-static, odor-resistance, low thermal conductivity and su- perior warmth-to-weight ratio – all while maintaining a soft hand. It’s designed so that the outer layer consists of robust hollow fibers, while the denser middle layer maxi- mizes insulation, resulting in low thermal conductivity, and increased heat storage. Expanding Mountain Khakis’ eco-story, SeaWool also combats the environmental and visual issues occurring on the beaches of Asian countries by combining otherwise discarded shells with recycled plas- tics into a new yarn/ fabric whose struc- ture shares 98 per- cent of wool’s traits, with a few added bonuses such as building a circular economy, anti-stat- ic properties and easy care. Manufactured in a bluesign sys- tem partner mill, SeaWool uses a proprietary heat process to combine crushed oyster shells with post-consumer recycled polyfill (insulation) or post- consumer recycled PET bottles (yarn). MK is using SeaWool for both applications, starting with a limited offering for Fall 2019 and expanding in 2020. “We’re always looking for new, natural materials that can enhance our apparel, while limiting our impact. SeaWool offers a unique oppor- tunity to remove waste and build a superior prod- uct at the same time,” said Ned Hutchinson, senior product manager at Mountain Khakis. “The CLO value of the insulation is even higher than other branded insulations of the same weight, and the yarns offer amazing hand and drape with so many of the same properties of wool, it makes sense to have it in the name.” SeaWool: Recycled Insulation from the Sea The first MK piece made with SeaWool Yarns is the Pearl Street Flannel A new ASTM International standard will help campers select a mattress that will provide a warmer sleeping experience, said the organization. The new standard (F3340) was developed by ASTM’s committee on sports equip- ment, playing surfaces and facilities.  According to ASTM International member Dr. John Shen, materials analysis engineer at MEC, the new standard will be used to measure the thermal insulation performance, or R-value, of camping mattresses, providing an indication of the ability of the mattress to keep the ground’s cold from reaching a camper. Shen says the new standard provides a uniform and reliable test method for manufacturers and is something the industry was asking for.  “In the past, a new design mat- tress construction could not be ad- equately differentiated from others; claimed R-values of existing mat- tresses may not always be compa- rable or reproducible due to improper test approaches and test conditions used,” says Shen. “The new standard resolved these problems.”  The new standard defines test conditions to measure the R-value at the most relevant field-use condi- tions, including heat-down thermal transfer, fixed hot plate and cold plate temperatures representing the work- ing surfaces, defined compressive and inflating pressures, and measurement locations, ASTM officials explained. Also, every consideration was given to what may be considered typical and readily available testing environments and a need for a cost-effective test ap- paratus, thus making it relatively easy to be implemented or accessed.  “The new standard will help manufacturers develop better prod- ucts and to control consistent product quality,” said ASTM. “Regulators and testing laboratories will also find the new standard useful.”  The development of this standard took more than three years and was accomplished by the joint efforts of the OIA/ASTM F08.22 Task Group, EOG Sleeping Mattress Working Group, participating brands and third party labs. To purchase the standards, visit ASTM online store at www.astm.org. ASTM Sets International Standard for Camping Mattresses