AUSTIN, Texas, March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. (TSE: 5713), headquartered in Tokyo, is delighted to announce its participation in South by Southwest (SXSW) 2024, the esteemed tech festival held in Austin, Texas, USA, to showcase SOLAMENT™, a revolutionary solar-smart material reshaping the landscape of sustainable apparel and beyond, from March 10th to 13th at Creative Industries Expo of SXSW.
SOLAMENT™, an innovative design of Sumitomo Metal Mining, harnesses the power of near-infrared absorption technology to revolutionize multiple industries, including fashion and apparel, sports and outdoors, and agriculture. With its ability to absorb near-infrared rays from sunlight, SOLAMENT™ boasts applications in apparel, construction materials, automotive, agriculture, and more.
SXSW2024 serves as the perfect platform to introduce SOLAMENT™ to the US market. Alongside the acclaimed "DOWN-LESS DOWN JACKET," a range of sustainable next-generation apparel prototypes will be showcased, demonstrating the versatility and efficacy of SOLAMENT™ across various products. Derived from the words "Solar" and "Element," SOLAMENT™ embodies its function as a material optimized for performance under the sky. The logo, inspired by the hexagonal crystal structure of both the material’s properties and the sunlight’s rays, symbolizes collaboration and endless possibilities.
Formerly known as CWO®, SOLAMENT™ has already made significant contributions to products such as automotive glass materials and NIR-absorbing clothing. Now, its potential is further recognized in the realm of sustainable fashion. The collaboration with fashion designer Kosuke Tsumura has resulted in three innovative apparel prototypes:
- DOWN-LESS DOWN JACKET: The hollow design eliminates traditional feathers, utilizing SOLAMENT™ to generate warmth directly from the fabric.
- BULK-LESS SOLAR SCARF: Thin fabric transformed by SOLAMENT™ absorbs sunlight's NIR, providing remarkable warmth.
- SHADE-LESS SUN HAT: PLASTICITY, up-coming Japanese brands for products made by used umbrellas, combined with SOLAMENT™ create a transparent yet sun-shielding hat, reducing temperatures by 41- 50 degrees Fahrenheit (5-10 degrees Celsius).
A demonstration experiment showcased SOLAMENT™'s capabilities, revealing significant temperature differences compared to regular fabrics under simulated sunlight. The results showed a difference of 80.6 Fahrenheit (27 Celsius) temperature increase in heat generation and 50 Fahrenheit (10 Celsius) temperature difference in heat shielding between regular fabric and fabric utilizing SOLAMENT™ technology.
“We are thrilled to showcase SOLAMENT™ at SXSW, presenting a new era of sustainable innovation,” said Shuichi Ogasawara, Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of Advanced Materials Div. at Sumitomo Metal Mining. “This marks a significant milestone in our journey to illuminate new possibilities all over the world.”
For more information on SOLAMENT™, visit https://crossmining.smm.co.jp/solament/en/
For the SOLAMENT™ booth at SXSW, see https://schedule.sxsw.com/2024/exhibitors/4783
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/758fc839-7229-4d0d-9456-a2800ef919b8
