The cold days are over! Smart fabric startup Loomia has launched its first direct-to-consumer product: a self-heating smart jacket for women.
The H1 Heated Jacket is made out of wool tweed to combine function and aesthetic - the material works as both an excellent insulator and a beautiful luxury fabric. Loomia used its patented technology, the Loomia Electronic Layer (LEL), to bring three heating sections to the jacket. The LEL is different from other heating technologies because it is completely wire-free, meaning less opportunities for breakage. It also makes the garment thin and form-fitting instead of puffy and uncomplimentary - an important consideration for the female-led team. “Most heated jackets are designed for men with a smaller women's version, but research shows that women get cold more easily,” said Loomia. “We thought this seemed like a great opportunity to put our wire-free soft circuit systems to work to make a slimline jacket that could blend in anywhere.”
To control the heating levels, wearers don’t need an app. Each jacket has a phone-sized battery pack that fits into the outer pocket. Wearers can switch the heating on and off using the garment’s adapter cable. The battery lasts for about 2h but if people want to use it for longer, they can also plug a bigger one.
The H1 retails for $550 and is available to pre-order through Loomia’s website until 14th April 2019, with orders being shipped in October 2019 (just in time for the winter season). Shoppers are only required to place a $50 deposit. If Loomia meets its target number for units sold by April 14th, it will request the full payment. If not - it will refund your deposit.
“Loomia is a B2B, ingredient brand that focuses on making enabling technologies. We normally like to stay behind the scenes, so it’s exciting for us to show brands what we can do by launching our own D2C product,” said Loomia founder Madison Maxey.
To scale innovation in e-textiles, the five-year-old startup is joining the New Materials and Packaging batch at Plug & Play’s spring 2019 cohort. The accelerator and innovation platform is the second most active Bay Area venture investor, just behind Y Combinator. Keep your eyes peeled for more from this stellar team!
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