Polartec Wins Innovation Award

Polartec fleece maker Malden Mills, has been presented with a prestigious award for innovation at the European Outdoor Trade Fair.

The European Outdoor Award was for their Polartec® Thermal Pro® (4080) fleece material, a new high loft version of the Thermal Pro fabric, which first appeared under the 'Regulator' label in Patagonia garments.

Fluffy, light, very compressible and with a high warmth to weight ration, the new fabric is set to debut this autumn in Mountain Hardwear's £80 Monkey Man jacket (see pic.) We've seen the Monkey Man in the furry flesh, as it were, and it looks and feels great.

The award was decided by testers from a number of outdoor magazines, including TGO from the UK and the jury, as juries do, made the following comment:

"Malden Mills was able to decidedly improve, once more, the weight and packability of its fleece and at the same time increase the durability without loss of insulation.

"While over the last years elastic and windproof types of fleece have created a stir, Polartec® Thermal Pro® 4080 is truly a breakthrough for the most important fleece attribute: it is extremely warm as well as being very lightweight".