Lightweight duvets for a better night’s sleep

Innovative NASA technology revolutionises bedding: Aerogel insulation integrated into fibre

Outlast Technologies GmbH has developed a technology that makes it possible to incorporate the extremely light and insulating material aerogel directly into viscose fibres. This innovation leads to a significant improvement in insulation properties while not increasing the weight. This means, for example, that warm winter blankets can be made just as light as summer blankets. Initial testing by an independent institute confirms that the fibres treated with Aersulate offer up to 35 per cent better insulation performance than conventional viscose fibres.

Outlast Technologies improves sleeping comfort

The ideal bedding combines properties that often seem to be at odds with each other: they should lie lightly on the skin and at the same time provide cosy warmth without promoting heavy sweating. “Weight plays a key role in sleeping comfortably,” explains Volker Schuster, Head of Research and Development at Outlast Technologies. “If a blanket is too heavy, it can seem uncomfortable and restrict breathability, while if it is too light, it often does not provide sufficient insulation.”

Until now, manufacturers have faced the challenge of striking a compromise between weight and insulating properties. However, the Outlast Technologies experts have succeeded for the first time in integrating aerogel, a material notoriously difficult to process, directly into the filling’s fibres using a patent-pending process. This innovative process offers a solution to the previous conundrum and opens up new possibilities to develop bedding that is both lightweight and highly insulating.

Thirty-five per cent lighter duvets for a more comfortable night’s sleep

“Aerogel is a silicate-based solid that is derived from quartz sand and has a unique insulating effect,” explains Schuster. Aerogel’s outstanding insulating performance is based on its extremely porous structure, which is 98 per cent air – the perfect insulation material. These special properties have made aerogel an essential material for NASA space missions for many years. While conventional insulating materials such as foams, wadding or nonwovens rely on trapped air to regulate heat, aerogel binds the air inside the fibre. The result is that it retains its insulating properties even under pressure and/or moisture. This gives it a considerable advantage over traditional materials, which largely lose their functionality under such conditions.

Outlast has succeeded in utilising aerogel, a material that is very challenging to process, and its outstanding properties for bedding with the new, patent-pending process. This innovation appears to be extremely promising in the development of lightweight, sustainable and at the same time highly insulating fibres and textiles. The company has already seen successful use of its patented Aersulate technology in the past by applying the material very effectively to textile webs. In contrast to stiffer composites, which are more suitable for technical applications, fibres treated with Aersulate are noticeably soft and are therefore ideal as filling material for bedding.

Thirty-five per cent lighter duvets for a better comfortable night’s sleep

An independent, ISO-certified laboratory carried out tests to assess the Aersulate technology’s insulation performance. This involved comparing viscose wadding of 2 cm thickness both with and without aerogel content in accordance with DIN EN ISO 11092. The results reveal that the Aersulate-treated wadding has a 35 per cent better insulation performance than conventional viscose fibres. This means that duvet fillings can be made 35 per cent lighter thanks to Aersulate without sacrificing any thermal performance – which can help give you a significantly better night’s sleep.

Schuster summarises: “We have fully exploited aerogel’s benefits for the textile industry for the first time with this new technology without compromising on softness or comfort. Bedding manufacturers can now develop extremely lightweight yet highly insulating products that meet the growing demands for quality and functionality. The materials are also sustainable and protect animal welfare by offering an animal-friendly alternative to down-based bedding.”

Outlast Technologies will be presenting the new Aersulate-treated fibres for the first time at HEIMTEXTIL 2025. The team will be at stand C51 in hall 11.0 to give information about the many possible applications of this innovation and will be available for discussions.