Introducing the Gentoo Textile Heater-Reliable Performance for Ultra-Cold Environments

Loomia and AFFOA Collaborate on New, Next-Generation, Textile Heater

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LOOMIA, a leader in electronic textiles and flexible electronics, and Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), a non-profit Manufacturing USA Institute driving fabric-based innovation in the US, are proud to introduce the Gentoo Heater.

Engineered to perform in ultra-cold environments, the Gentoo Flexible Heater is a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based resistive heater that maintains optimal performance even at temperatures as low as -60°C. Designed for seamless integration into textiles, this heater combines comfort, breathability, and stretchability with reliability in extreme conditions. When laminated to a textile, this heating element makes a robust heating fabric.

"Helping LOOMIA and other companies shorten their time to market is the purpose of the Product Accelerator for Functional Fabrics (PAFF) program. Heating technology like the Gentoo Heater will play a major role in the future of high-performance textiles to protect Warfighters and civilians in extreme temperatures." shared Sasha Stolyarov, AFFOA's CEO.

LOOMIA and AFFOA have a history of collaborating on innovative textile solutions. In a previous collaboration, they partnered to develop a novel and highly tactile, heated handwear solution designed for both commercial/recreational and military applications. For this project, LOOMIA provided its advanced e-textile technology to be used in a heated glove insert, while AFFOA led customer discovery efforts, producing over 10 prototypes, delivered system architecture designs, and produced an interface control unit.

The Gentoo Heater is an innovative development in textile heating technology, designed to perform in cold environments with temperatures as low as -60°C. Its selective TPU placement allows for breathability when laminated onto knit or woven textiles, while its 4-way stretch capability ensures easy integration into garments, offering both flexibility and comfort. The Gentoo Flexible Heater can also be laminated into trims or fabrics of choice, making it suitable for diverse applications. The Gentoo Flexible Heater has demonstrated consistent performance after 20 wash cycles, with only a ~10% resistance change under delicate settings and hang drying. It is robust and highly customizable for various industries, from outdoor gear to specialized applications requiring ultra-cold performance.

LOOMIA and AFFOA will host a webinar this February 19 to introduce the Gentoo Heater. The event will feature LOOMIA's CEO, Madison Maxey, speaking about the advanced technology behind the Gentoo Flexible Heater. The webinar will also cover data from thermal chamber testing and explore real-world applications in ultra-cold settings.

To learn more about how the Gentoo heating element can enable heating fabric, review our heated fabric page: https://www.loomia.com/samples/p/heated-fabric-for-extreme-cold

About Loomia
Circuit boards power the world but are built for hard goods. LOOMIA makes a new form-factor of a circuit - a soft circuit system- that can be used to power soft goods. From automotive to apparel, LOOMIA's soft circuit systems can be used when standard PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) aren't up to the task- bringing heating, lighting, and sensing to car seats, medical apparel, outdoor gear, and more. LOOMIA has 8 granted patents and has conducted extensive testing to bring its technology to scale. E-textiles (soft circuits) are predicted to be a $2B market in the next decade but lack the supply chain and manufacturability to reach that potential. LOOMIA believes the LEL (Loomia Electronic Layer) technology is a solution to this problem. LOOMIA is based in Brooklyn, NY, and was established in 2014. For more information, please visit www.loomia.com.

About AFFOA
As a non-profit, public-private partnership and a Manufacturing USA Innovation Institute, AFFOA bridges the gap between early-stage technology and commercialization. By transforming traditional textiles into advanced devices and systems, AFFOA helps to develop and accelerate the development of cutting-edge products through collaboration with leading companies, research institutions, and government agencies. AFFOA drives innovation, delivering new capabilities for both consumer and national security applications. For more information, visit www.affoa.org.

Contact: 
AFFOA 
Josh Rapoza 
Director of Marketing and Communications, AFFOA 
508.558.6682 
[email protected] 
affoa.org

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SOURCE AFFOA