U.S. company 3M announced the launch of a new Xerogel technology insulation in the coming months. Comprised of 60 percent post-consumer recycled material, the new 3M Thinsulate Xerogel Insulation is a highly porous structure consisting of 99 percent air for good thermal insulation properties. In order to apply this innovative material to apparel, 3M’s in-house researchers and engineers have developed a new formulation and composite that takes it a step further. A key differentiator for 3M Thinsulate Xerogel Insulation is its ease of application at the mill level. The development of the Thinsulate Xerogel insulation also falls into 3M’s wider sustainability initiatives. Today, the company’s Minnesota-based headquarter is powered by 100 percent renewable electricity, with an aim of achieving 50 percent renewable electricity in all global locations by 2025. Earlier this year, 3M announced it is pledging $1 billion over the next 20 years to accelerate environmental goals, including:
- achieving carbon neutrality in operations by 2050, with a 50 percent reduction by 2030 (versus the baseline year of 2019)
- reducing water usage by 25 percent across all facilities by 2030 (versus 2019)
- reducing dependence on virgin fossil-based plastics by 125 million pounds by 2025
In 1979, 3M Thinsulate Insulation was launched as a lightweight synthetic alternative to down.
