Infusing fashion with wellness: introducing infrared powered fabrics

Celliant

Functional fabrics and technical textiles are nothing new, but the idea of clothing that can convert your own body heat into infrared energy and automatically deliver the benefits back to the wearer sounds rather futuristic. But it is a reality today, thanks to performance textile Celliant.

Used by brands including Under Armour and Levi's, Celliant embeds natural, thermo-reactive minerals into yarns or prints them on fabrics that can be used for virtually any clothing product. These minerals convert the wearers’ natural body heat into full-spectrum infrared energy that is then reflected back to the body, even through multiple layers of fabric, making it possible for body tissue and muscle to absorb it.

This claims to improve local circulation and cellular oxygenation, helping what Celliant says can deliver a stronger performance, faster cell recovery and better sleep – as evidenced by 10 peer-reviewed, published papers and clinical studies. Celliant fabrics also offer temperature-regulation, quick-drying and odour-inhibiting advantages.

Celliant's newest product innovation is a partnership with recycled performance-fibre specialist Repreve. This latest tie-up will satisfy consumer demand for more sustainable fabrics, by marrying fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles and pre-consumer waste with Celliant's infrared technology.

Celliant CEO Seth Casden

Drapers meets Celliant CEO Seth Casden to discover more about the smart fabric, and its place within the fashion industry and performancewear.

What is Celliant, and how does it work?

Celliant is an infrared technology embedded into textiles that helps to maximise the body's potential. By harnessing the energy naturally emitted from your body, Celliant is able to increase local circulation. What makes it so interesting is that the benefits are realised without any effort by the wearer, and there are no potential harmful side effects.

What are the benefits?

For those using the products, the benefits of increased blood flow result in improved performance, faster recovery, and more restful sleep, as well as helping your body thermo-regulate.

For brands and retailers that work with us, Celliant provides an opportunity to differentiate themselves in an otherwise crowded marketplace. Fashion businesses are increasingly asked to deliver products that go beyond typical expectations of their stated use. Those that use Celliant are able to use it as a springboard for promoting health and wellness features in products where these benefits wouldn't ordinarily be available.

How are these benefits, such as improving local circulation and cellular oxygenation, proven?

We have proven the benefits of Celliant through 10 peer-reviewed, published papers. Our largest clinical study was on 153 people and showed an average increase in tissue oxygen of more than 8% after 90 minutes.

Celliant: how it works

Our testing department has conducted more than 1,000 tissue oxygen tests on partner fabrics to ensure that the end product will function as intended. We continue to invest in additional studies to further establish the benefits of infrared textiles.

Red light and infrared treatments are in vogue in the wider wellness movement, particularly in the beauty space. Why is this happening now?

The benefits of infrared-emitting bio-ceramics have been recognised and understood for thousands of years by many people. However, the science required to establish the benefits irrefutably is only now beginning to gain traction in published research. We believe that the acceptance and use of infrared will only gain momentum as more brands adopt the technology.

In a post-pandemic environment, there is a renewed focus and attention on wellness, and products that promote a healthy lifestyle are in demand. Celliant is arguably the easiest point of entry into light therapy, because the user can receive the benefits simply by being in, on or next to the products that contain it.

How can infrared and Celliant be used in the fashion space?

Infrared and Celliant can be used to elevate product offerings with a point of differentiation. With the fashion market being so competitive and crowded, it forces creativity upon brands to stay different and distinguish themselves.

Right now, you will find Celliant with German bodywear company Mey as part of its elevated sleepwear and loungewear essentials for both men and women. We have an evergreen selection of apparel available at Aeon, which is Japan's largest retailer. We have also worked on special projects for brands such as Palm Angels, Calvin Klein and Levi's.

Celliant is particularly suitable for sports and activewear – a hugely successful fashion category. Tell us why.

As an athlete myself, I found that the benefits of Celliant were particularly noticeable and relevant when participating in triathlons, or while out for a surf or swim. Therefore, we spent a lot of time in our early days of business really targeting sports and activewear.

Celliant is used across Under Armour's UA Rush collection. We power Xcel wetsuit technology, including those worn by US Navy Seals. We’ve had a longstanding partnership with sports and outdoors brands Kymira, Oxeego, and Tecnica, and are looking forward to launching new products with sporting goods retailer Decathlon later this year.

You also offer more sustainable alternatives. Tell us about these.

Celliant with Repreve is our newest solution, created in partnership with Unifi. Aside from the sports brands we work with, Celliant is also used in a lot of mattress and bedding products. Both sleep and sport industries typically rely heavily on virgin polyester, which is a reality that none of us are particularly comfortable with, but one that is hard to completely move away from overnight. We felt that by working with Repreve, we could offer our customers a high-quality alternative to virgin polyester in the form of a best-in-class recycled poly option. Leveraging its proprietary regeneration technology, Repreve has transformed more than 35 billion plastic bottles into recycled fibre that delivers enhanced comfort, great performance and superior durability.

Celliant

We also work with Kelheim Fibres in Germany to create Celliant Viscose – the first in-fibre sustainable viscose infrared solution for those seeking an alternative to synthetic fibres.

Celliant Viscose blends with cotton, micro-modal, lyocell, wool varieties – including cashmere – and other fibres, so it lends itself very well to fashion brands. Celliant Viscose is certified by Forest Stewardship Council or The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, which guarantees the raw materials are from sustainably managed sources.

What is next for Celliant?

We plan to announce exciting new partnerships and products throughout 2023. You can also find us at many of the textile and clothing trade shows, including Performance Days [in Munich], Ispo Munich and Functional Fabric Fair [in the US].

To find out more about Celliant, please contact (888) 721-1545 or [email protected]

celliant.com

TagsCelliant Infrared sustainability Sustainable fabric