-Practicing eco-friendliness by developing fiber materials that insulate only with air instead of animals and plastics
-Development of textile materials that generate heat without wires and clothing that changes color depending on light
-Global fashion brands first took interest… Own brand ‘Kik’ also attracted attention as soon as it was launched
-“Fashion that ‘protects people and is necessary for people’ is more important than ‘beauty’”
There is a company that is developing fiber materials that provide warmth and heat without using animal fur or plastic materials, breaking away from the conventional idea that 'fashion must be beautiful' and claiming that 'fashion must be functional'. Two questions came to mind. First, will clothes that prioritize functionality over beauty sell well? Second, is it possible to make clothes warm without filling materials such as animal fur or plastic?
A company that develops fiber materials that provide warmth and heat with just air. That company is Coversummon. Coversummon has succeeded in creating warm fiber materials without existing filling materials such as animal fur or plastic through innovative material technologies such as air tech, heat tech, and UV color change. Furthermore, it has successfully commercialized the product.
On the afternoon of June 4, the day before Environment Day (June 5), I went to the Coversummon office in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, to hear an explanation about textile materials from CDO Jo A-ram and CTO Jin Jun-tae, who are in charge of Coversummon’s product design and technology development, and I also did some experiments myself. When I pumped air into an air inlet in a seemingly ordinary hoodie, it turned into a neck pillow. It was transformed into clothing that can be used not only for long-distance travel but also to rest comfortably anytime, anywhere. When I connected a battery to the snap button on the clothing, the clothing quickly became warm. It generated heat even though there were no wires inside the clothing. It is clothing that can prepare for suddenly cold weather or environments.
The carbon emissions of the textile industry account for about 8-10% of total emissions and are continuously increasing. As fast fashion develops, the amount of clothing waste is also increasing significantly. Animals that are cruelly sacrificed to make warm and beautiful clothes are a long-standing problem in the fashion industry. This is also why Coversummon is developing eco-friendly materials to replace plastics and animal materials.
Environmental value and sustainability come before beauty
CDO Jo A-ram and CTO Jin Jun-tae first talked about the environment.
“Fashion designers are an occupation that cannot help but create a lot of unnecessary waste in pursuit of beauty. Environmental issues are often mentioned in the fashion industry. When I work as a fashion designer, the thing that worries me the most is when the products I make are not sold and are thrown away. Clothes that go to outlet stores are often discarded in their packaging. I started to think a lot about making sustainable products.”
“We pay a lot of attention to each material we choose. Even when we have to use functional films or polymers, we choose biodegradable ones that do not emit harmful gases when disposed of. Even if consumers are not aware of this, Cover Thermeon considers such factors when choosing materials. More animals are abused during the production process than you might think. We develop technologies while first considering animal and environmental protection, and these thoughts are a great driving force behind our technology development.”
The textile material made in this way has already been recognized by global brands. In addition, Cover Summon's own brand 'KEEK' has also been successfully launched. Cover Summon has proven that products that prioritize functionality and break the prejudice that fashion must be beautiful can sell well.
Global brands show interest first
Coversummon is conducting technology-based B2B business with domestic and international high-end brands and industrial companies, including European luxury brand B, Descente, K2, Nepa, Kolon Eltex, and ANA Airlines.
The reason global brands are paying attention to Coversummon is because Coversummon’s technology can realize the ESG values that the fashion industry desperately needs. Airtech technology, which replaces animal-based materials such as goose down and duck down with air, and the development philosophy of prioritizing eco-friendly materials allow brands to naturally incorporate sustainability stories into their products. This creates an effect that goes beyond simple functionality enhancement and raises the overall brand value.
The flexible collaboration method also attracted the attention of global brands. Unlike most material companies that unilaterally supply finished products, Coversummon participates with brands from the planning stage. It provides customized solutions through specialized tests for each purpose, such as outdoor use and casual use, according to the product characteristics and purpose pursued by each brand.
In particular, Coversummon’s kitting system provides flexibility to brands. If a quick product launch is required, existing development kits can be utilized. For example, if a brand wants to apply an air kit or a heating kit to a specific part of an existing jacket, Coversummon manufactures and supplies air kits and heating kits that fit the shape of the part. The brand sews these kits onto its own fabric and integrates them to match its design philosophy and brand identity to produce a finished product.
Launching of own brand 'Kik'
Cover Summon also has its own fashion brand, 'Kik'. Kik means 'to peek, to look into', and contains the philosophy of developing new products that have never existed before to stimulate curiosity in many people and provide both fun and function. Among the Kik brands, 'Pillowdy' (a combination of 'Pillow' and 'Hoodie') is an innovative clothing item that combines the functions of a neck pillow and a hoodie. It is worn like a regular hoodie in everyday life, but when needed, it transforms into a comfortable neck pillow by infusing air into the hood. Since its launch, it has recorded cumulative sales of over 67,000 units, establishing it as Cover Summon's representative product.
Kik pursues 'function' rather than 'beauty'. So, unlike general fashion brands that release products by dividing them into spring/summer (SS) and fall/winter (FW), it adopts a 'version upgrade' method like smartphones. Whenever new technology is applied or functions are improved, it continuously presents improved products such as Pillowy Version 1, Version 2, and Version 3.
CDO Jo A-ram, CTO Jin Jun-tae, and Head of Technology Development and Product Development join Coversummon
“Ready-to-wear clothing is designed with a focus on what is shown, but it has certain limitations. Rather than categorizing fashion as a luxury item, I wanted to design practical and necessary products. I am developing products with a focus on experience and practicality rather than on the beauty that is shown.”
CDO Jo A-ram, who had been working as a ready-to-wear designer for over 10 years, was feeling a sense of loss when she met CEO Lee Jae-ho of CoverSurman in 2019 and was attracted to CoverSurman’s philosophy of developing new paradigm products, which led her to join the company. CDO Jo A-ram is in charge of the application development and production of products that incorporate technology at CoverSurman.
“I lived a life completely unrelated to fashion. However, I was drawn to the company name and vision. Coversummon means ‘covering someone’, and I liked the value that clothes protect people. When developing technology, I wanted to conduct research that would benefit others and provide good value, and I joined after seeing how they commercialized such things. When I actually worked at Coversummon, I found that there were many mechanical engineering elements in testing and examining textile materials. Usually, textiles are approached chemically, but in the actual product development stage, the processes of pulling, tearing, swelling, and twisting are all mechanical aspects covered by mechanical engineering.”
CTO Jin Jun-tae learned about Coversummon while he was pursuing his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at KAIST. In 2019, he started researching after hearing CEO Lee Jae-ho talk about adding heating functions to fabrics and clothing, and he joined Coversummon because he wanted to try commercializing it. He is currently conducting R&D on advanced technologies and materials at Coversummon, and is also in charge of IP business such as patent applications.
Think about technology and design simultaneously and collaborate
Technology and design seem contradictory. How can we harmonize these two? It is difficult to simultaneously pursue technology and design. If you prioritize technology, it is difficult to integrate design. No matter how functional a product is, it must be beautiful for consumers to use. On the other hand, if you prioritize design, it is difficult to develop technology.
In order to harmonize technology and design, two things are necessary. First, an understanding of technology and design. The technology part needs to understand the design part that implements productization, and the design part needs to understand why the technology was developed in this way. Second, a method of collaboration between the technology and design departments. Coversummon collaborates with designers and technology research institutes from the planning stage to the process of creating mock-up samples and the final product completion stage.
CDO Jo A-ram said, “There are often conflicts of opinion, but from the early planning stages of a project, the technology and design departments start together and share and continuously discuss the usability, purpose, and user environment of the product. That’s why I think we think more about usability than with existing fashion.”
CTO Jin Jun-tae said, “I learned why companies that only focus on technology disappear without seeing the light. No matter how good the technology is, it is difficult for it to shine if it does not consider the consumer’s position. From the beginning, we have been making products with the philosophy that design and technology should go together. I think it is important to create truly valuable technologies that protect the environment and people.”
Second question. Is it possible to make clothes warm without filling materials such as animal fur or plastic? In relation to this, I asked CTO Jin Jun-tae and CDO Jo A-ram for more specific stories (in order to accurately convey the specialized areas of technology and design, the content was organized in Q&A format for the technology and design sections).
You can wear clothes that are very warm with just air
Q. So far, we have made clothes that keep our bodies warm using animal fur or plastic materials, but it is amazing that we can make clothes that keep us warm using only air without using such materials. How can clothes be warmed by air? And why is it possible to make products by injecting air into clothes?
A1. CTO Jin Jun-tae: It's the same principle as a 'life tube'. A life tube is a concept that floats by putting air in through an inlet, and we applied that to fabric. It's a fabric that is impermeable to air by fusing existing fabric with a functional film. You can think of it as making a life tube out of fabric. If you stick two impermeable fabrics together in a desired shape, when you put air in, it will swell into that specific shape. Airtech technology uses that sometimes for insulation and sometimes for cushioning.
The reason duck down or goose down is warm is because it can trap air between the fur, but Airtech is a method of keeping warm by putting air itself in without fur. However, putting a 'life tube' in the entire garment is expensive and reduces design freedom. That's why we developed a technology called modular connector. It divides the air modules into small pieces, connects the smaller modules with connectors, and blows air into a single inlet to inflate the entire garment.
Compared to duck down padding, it is about 18% warmer when filled with 50-60% air. Another advantage is that the insulation performance can be adjusted according to the amount of air. Even in environments with large daily temperature differences, the same clothes can be used to adjust the insulation to suit the environment.
A2. CDO Jo A-ram: Since air is not a material that can be shaped as desired like duck down, it is important to pattern the room that traps the air. When air is put in, it tends to spread out in all directions simultaneously. The key is to develop the pattern of the fabric that traps it so that it can be made as three-dimensional as possible and fit well to the shape of the human body. Also, since it is a functional product, it was important to make it so that consumers would not feel awkward when they are active in an outdoor environment.
Clothes that heat up without wires
Q. Existing clothing generates heat by inserting wires. I understand that you have developed a textile material that generates heat without wires. What is the principle of operation and how did you commercialize it?
A1. CTO Jin Jun-tae: It's the same concept as an 'electric blanket'. When electricity is supplied to an object with a certain electrical resistance, heat is generated. Previously, wires such as enamel wires were used, but Coverthermon uses a film-shaped heating element. When power is supplied by patterning a heat-generating pattern on a conductive film that folds like a foldable phone, heat is generated. Unlike the existing USB cable method, we developed it so that a battery can be connected to it by attaching a conductive button (snap).
The important thing here is that the film-type heating element is layered between AirTech fabrics. Since air cannot pass through, it means water cannot pass through either. So it protects the heating film, is washable, and does not cause electric shock accidents.
A2. CDO Joaram: The design was difficult because of the heating film and the battery. The battery connection area had to be designed in detail, and the convenience of attaching and detaching, stability that does not fall off during exercise, and weight had to be considered. The battery itself was redesigned for weight and appearance. The fact that it is washable is also a result of such design considerations.
Add fun to your clothes
Q. I heard that you also developed clothing that changes color. That sounds fun. How did you develop the color change and commercialize it?
A1. CTO Jin Jun-tae: For the UV function, I wanted to utilize it because it was fun to see the color change like nail polish. There were yarns that changed color depending on the light in the past, but they had a problem where the function completely disappeared when washed. When we analyzed the cause, we found that it was because the surface was coated with a UV-responsive material after the yarn was pulled out. The coating was only applied to the outer surface, so it would come off completely during use or washing. That's why Coverthermon adopted a polymerization method that mixes the UV-responsive material into the yarn from the time it was first pulled out. Since it is an internal mixing method, not a coating, the functionality lasts much longer, and the UV-responsive function is also continuously maintained.
A2. CDO Jo A-ram: Rather than knitting yarn into the entire fabric to make clothes, we developed it in the direction of using it for embroidery on children's clothing. The embroidery is white and almost invisible indoors, but it becomes a fun element when you go outside. The mark on the baseball cap is also invisible indoors, but it becomes clear when you go out to cheer. We are developing it while thinking about whether users will find this kind of embroidery fun and accept it without any resistance.
Coversummon plans to introduce various products in the future. First, it plans to create synergy by combining the three technologies currently completed. By combining air jackets and heating technologies, it is possible to launch highly functional thermal wear that can replace goose down heavy outerwear. It plans to launch cooling materials and cooling fabrics that cool down the heat, as well as items that can be used in pet supplies and general lifestyles.
What is impressive is that Coversummon’s technologies do not simply pursue functionality, but also realize greater values such as environmental and animal protection. From air tech technology that replaces goose down, to heat tech technology that eliminates wires, to UV color change technology that can withstand washing, all technologies are rooted in concerns about sustainability. This is probably why luxury brands are paying attention to Coversummon’s technologies. It is because it provides a true partnership that can realize the brand’s values and philosophy together, rather than simply providing technology.
Like Cover Summon's 'Tech That Breathes', I wonder if the approach of technology living and breathing and protecting both people and the environment will provide a new direction for the fashion industry, which is recognized as the main culprit of environmental destruction. And I look forward to more innovative products that Cover Summon will create.
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