Interview with Lee Howarth - Vice President Strategic Marketing Textiles
2Fifty9: We can see the visual beneficial effect DWR has, how does HeiQ allow us to continue to enjoy that technical advantage, with less harm to the environments?
As our tagline says, Differentiate. Innovate., and that’s what we are all about, supporting our partners with technological solutions that meet consumer needs whilst reducing the environmental impact both at the manufacturing level as well as during the end use. This approach is exemplified with our development of credible alternatives to conventional PFC based durable water repellency (DWR) without compromise in performance. In many cases whilst the scope of stain protection may be more limited versus PFC chemistry when it comes to DWR, we discover significant advantages for the end-user with more durable and longer lasting performance. Providing the wearer with enhanced protection on the one hand and helping to increase the usable lifetime of the garment thus further reducing impact.
2Fifty9: Tell me about the wider HeiQ mission?
Our mission is to pioneer differentiating materials innovation through co-creation. We are dedicated to improving the lives of billions of people by making everyday products more functional, more comfortable and more sustainable and to achieve that, we combine three areas of expertise: scientific research, specialty materials manufacturing and consumer ingredient branding. In the course of our yet relatively young history, we have developed over 200 ingredient and material technologies which cool, warm, dry, repel, purify and stop viruses in partnership with 300 major brands. In 2020 we also ventured out to launch our own consumer brand and direct-to-consumer webshop, where we can truly realise the potential of each innovation, bringing them as finished products to the consumers and test the marketing narrative so that we can better support our brand partners in their marketing for products enhanced with our technologies.
2Fifty9: Where does this technical achievement stand in the overall HeiQ corporate journey?
The development of these new HeiQ Eco Dry products is very much in line with our focus on continuously delivering solutions to the textile industry and we do not plan to rest on our laurels. For example, the next generation of DWR products with even further enhanced sustainability and performance attributes are already progressing well through our innovation pipelines.
2Fifty9: What is coming next from HeiQ, that outdoor loving consumers can look out for?
It’s all about enhanced comfort and protection whilst focusing on reducing impact. This year alone, alongside further enhancements in DWR technologies, you will see some revolutionary approaches to odour control without using bioactive materials, significant advances in cooling technologies and upgrades to our HeiQ XReflex technologies providing even more warmth with yet lighter, thinner materials.
2Fifty9: What are the biggest, as yet unmet challenges for the outdoor apparel industry?
It is the interdependency of the players on each other throughout the value chain. Every stakeholder needs to want the change to happen, from the fiber manufacturer to the end consumers. And the value chain is long. That’s why the big drive towards embracing circularity throughout the industry and its supply chain has, in my opinion, a long way to go. We all need to work in unprecedented ways that will allow us to collaborate across many industry stakeholders, removing barriers that hinder us from collectively achieving solutions that prioritize environmental, societal challenges and opportunities, and instead treat them as central to business success. Although it may seem like a distant target, I strongly believe it’s very much within our grasp to realize if we put our minds and our hearts to the task.