The upshot of a collaboration between 2A-Nyguard, Coats, HeiQ, Vagotex and Sitip, JUST 5 is a novel ‘viroblocked’ jacket that is designed to provide the best garment solution for resuming normal life during the coronavirus pandemic by protecting the wearer, loved ones and everyone encountered.

“JUST5 is a multi-functional and fashionable jacket with every component powered by HeiQ Viroblock to protect them from spoilage by contaminating microorganisms in just five minutes,” HeiQ said in a statement this morning. The treatment does not protect the wearer or others against food-borne (or disease-causing) bacteria. But the jacket sets up a highly effective barrier to shield the wearer from spoiling contaminants in the surrounding area,” the Swiss innovator said

Designed and developed for the unstoppables

JUST5 is an initiative by 5 leading material manufacturers and features many so called life-enhancing gadgets. All of the components of JUST5 jacket have been developed by leading companies in textile innovation and in addition, all components are individually available for any apparel or home textile brands to create their own innovations.

5 innovative components

• 2A-Nyguard Nyshield zippers – Zippers are touched often throughout the day. These self-sanitizing zippers will restore its usability in just 5 minutes after every touch, according to HeiQ. 2A has been a pioneer in zipper production in Europe since the 1930s, now leader in sustainable and innovative solutions for textile fasteners

• Coats ProtectV – Sewing thread from the world’s leading industrial thread company with added anti-microbial and anti-viral properties in every stitch

• HeiQ Viroblock Swiss antimicrobial fabric technology – HeiQ Viroblock was originally developed to treat face masks registered by Swiss Medic as a medical device. Respirator masks treated with the same technology are authorized by US FDA under EUA. HeiQ is a leader in textile technology innovations

• SITIP warp-knitted fabric – Elastic fabric for the extendable cuffs of JUST5 to shield the hands when touching potentially contaminated surfaces. Warp-knitting is fabric technology that prevents a yarn from laddering after a tear and SITIP is a world leader in this, HeiQ adds.

• Windtex Vagotex fabric – breathable, water-repellent and wind-resistant fabric. Windtex Vagotex S.p.A. is a leader in lamination and processing of technical fabrics for sports and footwear

Carlo Centonze, co-founder and CEO of HeiQ Group commented: “It is a super team comprised of our industry’s five most innovative companies. I am thrilled and looking forward to the launch of HeiQ’s first commercialised high-tech garment. More importantly, any brand can now simply take parts from these suppliers and make their own, 100% ‘viroblocked’ garments.”

Ronan Cox, President, Performance Materials, Coats added: “Together we have demonstrated the power of industry collaboration.  By pooling our expertise, we have developed a solution to the challenge of people wanting to restore normality to their everyday lives but also be protected.  Coats is passionate about innovation and is proud to be part of this first in garment technology.”

A crowdfunding campaign starts at 11:00 Eastern Standard Time, ( 17:00 Central European Time) on 26 August on Kickstarter for anyone interested in supporting the idea and to place pre-orders. Finished jackets are expected to be available at the end of Autumn 2020. 

HeiQ

Founded in 2005 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), HeiQ is a leader in textile innovation creating some of the most effective, durable and high-performance textile technologies on the market today. HeiQ’s purpose is to improve the lives of billions of people by perfecting an everyday product - textiles. Combining three areas of expertise – scientific research, specialty materials manufacturing and consumer ingredient branding – HeiQ claims to be the ideal innovation partner to create differentiating and sustainable textile products and capture the added value at the point of sale. With a total capacity of 35,000 tons per year HeiQ manufactures in the USA, Switzerland and Australia serving its chemical specialties in over 60 countries worldwide.

2A-NYGUARD

2A SpA an heir of Taurus Zippers, the first company in Euorpe to produce zippers in the 1930s, and now a leader in sustainable and innovative solutions for textile fasteners. Headquarters and the main production plants are located in Italy, with subsidaries in USA and China.

Coats

Coats is the world’s leading industrial thread company.  At home in around 50 countries, Coats has a workforce of 17,000 people across six continents.  Coats provides complementary and value-added products, services and software solutions to the apparel and footwear industries.  It applies innovative techniques to develop high technology Performance Materials threads, yarns and fabrics in areas such as transportation, telecommunications and energy, and personal protection. Coats is a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index Series and a participant in the UN Global Compact.

SITIP

SITIP is a leading textiles manufacturer founded in 1959, which manufactures high tech warp knitting and circular knitted fabrics. Boosted by extensive know-how, Sitip designs ‘Made in Italy’ technical solutions in compliance with the most demanding market requirements. SITIP has two manufacturing plants in Italy, in Cene (BG), and one in Malta.

Windtex Vagotex

Windtex Vagotex SpA was established in the 1980s and for over twenty years has been ISO 9001, OekoTex and recently Global Recycled Standard (GRS) accredited. During the nineties it developed an elastic membrane Wintex, followed later by other equally innovative materials. Today with 14 production lines, the company is a leader in the field of lamination and the processing of technical fabrics for sportswear and footwear.

www.heiq.com

www.nyguard.com

www.coats.com

www.sitip.it

www.vagotex.it