Holofiber air insulation - what kind of material is it?

Space, which we are slowly trying to, if not conquer, which would be too presumptuous, then at least study it, is cold. Therefore, it is not enough to fly, the main thing is that the cosmonauts do not freeze either in orbital stations, or in spacesuits, or upon landing on their native soil in harsh conditions. Today it’s warm, which means the ability to carry out assigned tasks without risking life, the astronauts are provided with the most interesting material - Holofiber. This alone speaks of its exclusivity, but the “white and fluffy” cold conqueror still has many advantages and applications.

Holofiber - what is it?

The name holofiber is well known. However, for most people it remains a mystery what kind of insulation this is. First, let's clarify how to spell it correctly: holofiber, halofiber or hallofiber?

According to the Wikipedia dictionary: Hol-lo-fi-ber is a synthetic non-woven material made of hollow fiber used as filler or insulation.

The name of the material is written with an “o” and two “ll”. The English phrase “hollow fiber” is taken as a basis. It was patented by Russia (Moscow nonwoven materials plant Termopol), although the development was carried out by South Africa. Holofiber was intended to be the best version of padding polyester - non-clumping, lighter and warmer.

Softness

High-quality padding polyester - soft to the touch, quite elastic and dense. The surface of the canvas is always smooth. The surface of low quality padding polyester may be covered with a light crust. You should not buy such material, it will be hard and quickly lose its properties.

See also: So, why aren’t they at the logging site?

Holofiber is much softer than padding polyester, it is light, silky to the touch and quite loose. The surface of holofiber is never smooth, and the presence of a crust on this material is excluded.

Description

To understand what kind of material holofiber is, let’s take a close look at it:

As you can see in the photo, the material consists of the finest hollow hairs. They are curled and hold their shape well.

Most often, holofiber looks like a non-woven white fabric of different thicknesses and densities, rolled into a roll.

But there are other release options:

• FEC. Pinkish insulation with limited flame spread. Used for sewing winter clothes for oil and gas workers.

• Balls (Puffs). Filler in which holofiber fibers are twisted into small balls and spirals. Used for filling pillows, blankets, toys, soft furniture items.

• Volumetric. High-volume filler that gives an “airy” shape to products. Used in handicrafts, production of goods for newborns, three-dimensional furniture and clothing.

• Software Soft, elastic and elastic holofiber in rolls. Serves for insulating outerwear: jackets, overalls, coats, winter pants.

• Medium and Hard. Dense and hard types of material. They can be supplied in slabs and rolls. In demand in the production of mattresses and upholstered furniture.

• Build. The walls are insulated with holofiber. It is environmentally friendly, does not interfere with air circulation, absorbs noise and has high thermal protection.

Compound

Holofiber is made from polyester fiber - virgin polyester. This is a completely synthetic material.

Composition: 100% polyester.

Today, different technologies for the production of holofiber are used. Classic method:

1. The thinnest polymer threads, hollow inside, are pulled from the melt of polyethylene terephthalate.
2. The resulting primary loose fabric is cut and combed in special units.
3. Next, the material is formed into balls or layers using a powerful air flow.
4. Finally, the fibers are soldered together at high temperature (about 180 degrees). The treatment reduces the mobility of the fibers.

The material is highly environmentally friendly; no glue or other chemicals are used in its production.

The fibers can additionally be twisted into springs. This material is called holophane. It is characterized by increased wear resistance and retains heat better. Also improved holofiber are polyfiber, thermofiber and fibertek fillers. Their fibers are thinner, lighter and even more tightly twisted. Thermofiber has extremely low thermal conductivity.

Sometimes the terms “Yupifiber” and “nolifer” are used for holofiber. However, such varieties are unknown to modern science. “Nolifers” are people who do not see real life, living in illusions and games.

Characteristics

As is known, from the general principles of the action of insulation, porous materials, which include holofiber, do not heat, but retain heat. The fibers contain air chambers that create a layer with a low thermal conductivity coefficient. The synthetic shell prevents moisture from displacing air. This combination makes the material very warm. It continues to retain heat even in damp conditions.

Characteristic:

• soft;
• elastic;
• lasting;
• easy;
• heat-insulating properties – high;
• breathable;
• hypoallergenic;
• easy to care for;
• affordable;
• resistant to moisture, does not attract dust;
• does not smell and does not absorb odors;
• fireproof.

The material melts, but no acrid smoke or soot is released. When exposed to fire and intense heat, the polyester base cokes. Holofiber takes its original shape even after prolonged and strong compression. It is not interesting as a food source for insects, fungi, and bacteria.

The conditional disadvantages of the filler can be considered a higher price than that of padding polyester, low hygroscopicity and the presence of high-tech analogues.

Where is filler used?

The hollafider is most widely used for filling jackets and other warm clothing. The material is highly soft and low in weight, which is why it does not restrict movement at all, while effectively retaining heat even with a small thickness.

The same positive qualities have contributed to the spread of this material for the manufacture of bedding. In particular, it is often used in pillows. It is comfortable to cover yourself with blankets made from hollafader even with their large thickness, since, while conserving heat, they allow air and moisture to pass through well.

For pillows, hollafider or its analogue - synthetic fluff - is also used. In terms of thermal insulation properties and softness, synthetic down is as close as possible to traditional down, which is why it got its name. It is difficult to say which of these materials is better, since it is almost impossible to determine the difference.

Comparison with other insulation materials

Today, many materials, both natural and synthetic, are used as insulation. To understand what place holofiber occupies among them, we will conduct a small comparative analysis of the most popular materials.

Comparison table between holofiber and natural down:

Down was and remains an ideal insulation material, but despite all its advantages, it is an allergenic material that is difficult to care for and produce. To insulate their clothes, they need a special, down-retaining fabric. Holofiber is devoid of these disadvantages and is much cheaper.

Comparative table of holofiber and modern synthetic fillers:

Holofiber is on the next level after padding polyester, but loses to other modern synthetic fillers - isosoft, thinsulate and others.

What temperature are holofiber jackets suitable for?

A question that concerns many people: are holofiber jackets warm or not? Definitely yes! But how much depends on the density of the holofiber. It can vary from 60 to 4000 g/m² (in clothes up to 600 g/m2).

• 60-100 g/m2 – warm autumn (from +15 to +5 degrees).
• 100-150 g/m2 – cold autumn, warm winter (from +5 to - 5-10 degrees).
• 200-250 g/m2 – winter (temperature -10-15 degrees).
• 300-400 g/m2 – frosty winter (from -20 to -30 degrees).
• over 500 g/m2 – extremely low temperatures (from -35 degrees).

How warm a holofiber jacket will be also depends on the lining material and outer fabric. The use of fleece and membrane allows you to achieve better thermal protection with a lower insulation density.

How to care for a synthetic product

If you follow the basic rules, a holofiber product will serve you for many years.

• You can wash the jacket either by hand or in a machine.
• There is no need to soak the product in special products.
• When washing, it is best to use a slightly alkaline powder.
• Don’t be afraid to dry it in a centrifuge - the non-woven fabric will remain intact.
• It is not recommended to use an iron, but you can use it up to 100 degrees.
• A special brush will help restore the original appearance of the product: take out the fiber and comb it well.

This insulation is unpretentious and therefore does not require serious maintenance. The only thing you have to tinker with is the “packaging” - a sewn-in pillowcase on the pillow or a thin layer of synthetics on top of the filling in the jacket.

Reviews

Products with holofiber receive mostly positive reviews:

Artemis:

“I bought a jacket from Kapre with holofiber. I liked the look and cut. There is quite a lot of filler, about 5 centimeters thick. I wear it over a thin sweater in winter and I don’t feel cold at all. The only thing is that in strong winds you feel discomfort.”

Kate:

“Halofiber jackets are only good for spring and autumn. In winter, there is nothing better than a down jacket and a fur coat. In terms of price, they are, of course, incomparable."

Victoria Romanovna:

“I have both pillows and blankets made of holofiber. They are very helpful, since the whole family is allergic to bird fluff. They are also incredibly light, soft, and wash well. In the cold season, it’s very warm and cozy under such a blanket.”

Questions and answers

How to properly wash products with holofiber?

The material is not afraid of harsh and intense mechanical impact. The products can be washed in a washing machine on the most intensive cycles. After drying, the insulation restores its properties and does not deform. It is allowed to use powders and bleaches, drying near heat sources. The only limitation is temperature. Things are not ironed and washed at temperatures up to 40 degrees (sometimes washing at 60 degrees is allowed).

What is the service life of holofiber?

Construction holofiber lasts up to 50 years. In clothes and pillows, the filling gradually becomes denser and loses its properties. With active use, on average, products last 3-5 years. With light loads – 7-10 years.

The time has passed when the only filling was down and feathers. Today there are many synthetic materials that perfectly retain heat and give shape to pillows and other voluminous products. At the same time, they are not afraid of water and are easy to care for. Holofiber is a striking example of a modern filler. This is not the warmest and most wear-resistant material, but its price is several times less than the same Thinsulate or natural down.

Safe warmth

The characteristics of Holofiber®-STROY declared by the manufacturer are not a successful marketing ploy, but a reality. The material has been certified in all respects, it has been examined by government institutions and independent experts, domestic and international organizations. The Research Institute of Building Physics has recognized it as an effective insulation material: the fibers themselves are hollow, airy, and there are tiny pores between them, and air is the best insulator.

Igor Bessonov, leading researcher at the institute’s testing laboratories and test supervisor, described the material as follows:

Igor Bessonov

The thermal conductivity of Hollofiber®-Stroy grade “1000” (the type of one of the samples with which the tests were carried out) in a dry state is 0.039 W/(m˚C); thermal conductivity for operating conditions in the external building envelope - 0.04 W/(m˚С). It is found in a number of materials that can be classified as effective insulation materials. Effective insulation is a material whose thermal conductivity is less than 0.04 W/(m˚C).

One of the most important qualities of insulation and sound insulation is safety for health. It is confirmed by the international certification system Oeko-Tex Standard 100, which tested the fabric for the presence of hundreds of substances harmful to humans and nature. This is confirmed by Bessonov:

Igor Bessonov

Hollofiber®-STROY is materials made from polyester fibers, bonded in a special way - “thermo-cross-linked”, thermally bonded. This means that there is no binder between them, and, accordingly, there are no emissions into the atmosphere.

Environmental friendliness and hypoallergenicity are natural, because Holofiber®-STROY is a type of the most popular filler that provides us and our children with a restful sleep on soft pillows, under light blankets. The kids have toys stuffed with it, and they also have warm, comfortable winter clothes - with Holofiber. Therefore, for internal insulation, including children’s rooms, the material is recommended as completely harmless.

Zero hygroscopicity is scientifically confirmed by tests and studies. For example, a materials scientist, candidate of technical sciences M. Yu. Treshchalin tested the insulation based on data from the Research Institute of Nonwoven Materials and concluded that the smooth fiber structure and the small diameter of the monofilaments prevent the rise of liquid; the fabric is not able to absorb and retain more than a percent of the total volume. According to the results of a comparative analysis, Holofiber is indicated for use in places with high humidity. To simplify, in order for the canvas to absorb this percentage, you don’t even need to pour it over it, but drown it and hold it, which is unlikely in real conditions. Even direct ingress of moisture as a result of violation of installation technology does not harm the material, as the experience of construction expert, honored inventor V. G. Granik has shown:

V. G. Granik

During the construction of the house in May 2010, two layers of Holofiber non-woven material, 100 mm thick, were laid with a 50 mm compaction into the roof, between the rafters. A defect was identified in the structural part of the roof; in September 2013, the metal tiles, sheathing and membrane film were removed. Holofiber, after more than 3 years of operation (in winter the temperature in the house was maintained at least plus 12-15⁰С), was in good condition, no changes in it compared to the original appearance were found during inspection: color, structure of fibers and their elasticity not changed. Confirmation of the preservation of the elasticity of the fiber is its return (recoil) to the original dimensions - 200 mm after removing the sheathing and membrane.

When you try to burn the material, which is what is usually done when checking fire resistance, you will not be able to see the “pioneer fire”. The insulation belongs to the group of fire retardant polyesters. Direct exposure to flame leads to melting and coking, without releasing toxic substances into the air.