TEXTILES.ORG
Brooklyn, N.Y.-based LOOMIA, provider of electronic textiles and flexible electronics, and the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), have introduced the Gentoo Heater, which has been engineered to perform in ultra-cold environments.
According to AFFOA, a non-profit Manufacturing USA Institute driving fabric-based innovation in the U.S., the next-generation 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.” says 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, produced more than 10 prototypes, delivered system architecture designs, and produced an interface control unit.
The product’s 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. It can also be laminated into trims or fabrics, making it suitable for diverse applications. It has also demonstrated consistent performance after 20 wash cycles, with only a ~10 percent resistance change under delicate settings and hang drying. Robust and highly customizable for various industries, it could find applications in outdoor gear and specialized applications requiring ultra-cold performance.
The company and AFFOA will host a webinar February 19, 2025, 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.
LOOMIA makes soft circuit systems that can be used to power soft goods, to be used when standard PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) will not perform as needed. The company has eight granted patents and has conducted extensive testing to bring its technology to scale.