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Taking on the World's Extreme Heat with Cooling Technology from Japan! Liberta, Sumitomo Chemical and Utax jointly develop a new product
May. 21, 2024
Innovative Cooling Wear announced
The world's first temperature-control fiber x Cool Touch Printing to realize clothing with self-acting temperature control
Liberta Co., Ltd.
Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.
Utax Co., Ltd.
Liberta Co., Ltd (Liberta) launches in Japan HYO-GEKI α (Ice Blast for global market), an upgraded version of HYO-GEKI FREEZE TECH, cooling wear, combining the fabric made of the world's first*1 solid polymer-based temperature control material, Comformer®️ by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. (Sumitomo Chemical) and the world's top-level technology Cool Touch Printing by Utax Co., Ltd. (Utax) Sales are scheduled to begin in late June 2024, with sales to overseas markets following.
In 2023, Japan experienced a record-breaking heat wave, setting new records for the most hot and midsummer days in a year in various regions.
Heat waves caused considerable damage worldwide as well. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced that the global average temperature in 2023 will be the highest in recorded history*2, and countermeasures against the ongoing global extreme heat will be essential moving forward.
We challenge the cooling gear market, which will be a must-watch market in Japan and abroad moving forward, with Japanese cooling technologies.
*1 As of the announcement on May 21, 2024, this is the only commercially available olefin resin, according to research by Sumitomo Chemical.
*2 World Meteorological Organization (WMO) "2023 shatters climate records, with major impacts"
Focusing on the thermal comfort threshold inside the clothing
Innovative cooling sensation technology: fabric with self-acting temperature control functions
HYO-GEKI α (Ice Blast), created through a collaboration between Liberta, Sumitomo Chemical, and Utax, is a product that focuses on the comfort threshold inside clothing. Thermal sensations, such as hot or cold, and moist sensations, such as stuffy or dry, are closely related to the temperature, humidity, and air currents inside the garment. The stimuli that human sensory receptors perceive are temperature and humidity, and the comfort threshold inside the clothing is considered to be temperature of 32±1°C（89.6±1.8℉）, humidity of 50±10%RH, and airflow of 25±10cm /sec*3. The combination of Sumitomo Chemical's Comformer®️ fiber, a temperature-regulating material, and Utax's Cool Touch Printing technology has made it possible to create garments that approach this comfort threshold. We have brought together the technologies and expertise of each company to provide not only a cool and refreshing sensation, but also a comfortable environment that human body truly requires.
*3 Excerpt from SEN'I GAKKAISHI (Textiles and Industry) Vol. 58, No. 5 (2002)
Japanese cooling technology to realize a shift from"hot" to "cool and comfortable" in every part of the world
On to the global market with Japanese cool sensation technology
With extreme heat becoming an issue worldwide in recent years, Liberta established a U.S. subsidiary on March 26, 2024, after two years of market research in North America, Italy and Australia, among others, with a view to rolling out this Japanese cooling gear HYO-GEKI α (Ice Blast) on the overseas market. We plan to start with North America and focus on developing new sales channels, especially in the working environment and sports scenes, where heat countermeasures are needed.
Other potential markets, such as Switzerland, Kuwait, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia, will also be explored through existing business partners. We also plan to test wholesale sales through EC platform.
The three companies, Liberta, Sumitomo Chemical, and Utax will join forces to combat the world's extreme heat with Japanese cooling technology.
Comments from each company
Toru Sato, Representative Director, Liberta Co., Ltd.
Liberta engages in product planning and sales in various genres with the theme of solving people's problems. In the process, we encountered the Cool Touch Printing technology developed by Utax about seven years ago and commercialized it as the FREEZE TECH brand. After its launch as a summertime cooling wear for motorcycle. There was a great response from the market, which led to the development of products for golf players, training wear for youth soccer players, work clothes in extremely hot working environments, and other sportswear. Our sales volume continues to increase yearly as our brand recognition expands while we stay creative in selecting materials, designs and specifications to provide effective cooling functions. In response to the challenges posed to humanity by recent extreme weather, we have launched a project brand called LIDEF (a coined word from LIFE DEFENCE) and are planning and developing products that utilize advanced technology, such as the Freeze Tech series for extreme heat, the HeatMaster and ThermOne series for extreme cold, and the Deodorize Tech series for body odor problems in times of disaster.
Hiroshi Ueda, Director and Executive Vice President, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.
Sumitomo Chemical's temperature-control resin, Conformer®️, was born out of our various technology development effort to contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society through the power of chemistry. We are pleased that our temperature-control resin technology is now available as consumer clothing to challenge the world's extreme heat. We have come to think that our technology, developed primarily for industrial products, may have hidden potential for even more practical and effective use for general consumers. We would like to continue to cooperate with various companies and receive hints and tips from them to develop innovative products.
Daisuke Utaka, President and CEO, Utax Co., Ltd.
For many years, Utax has been engaged in highly challenging technology development in product areas that are not very recognizable to general consumers, ranging from women's innerwear to athletes' functional outfits for competition. Liberta's marketing sales results reaffirmed the value of our Cool Touch Printing technology, prompting us to push to advance it further. We feel that further technology development may make Cool Touch Printing increasingly important in the future.
Reference
Contact
Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.
Corporate Communications Dept.
https://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english/contact/public/