British label Emel + Aris has launched a smart coat range for men and women using infrared-heating technology.
Founder Rana Nakhal Solset is working with a proprietary fabric and a special polymer in the lining of the coat that produces the heat.
“There’s three levels of heating — low, medium and high — so you can regulate it,” Solset said. “The technology ensures you that you can’t overheat. It’s like wearing a warm blanket so you can be at ease and comfortable. The heat that it generates is infrared heat that penetrates your skin and goes into the muscle, warming you all over. It works on a rechargeable battery and the battery will also have a USB so you can charge your phone. It is not too heavy and it is in a hidden pocket. So you can carry it anywhere you go.”
The concept for the coat was sparked by Solset’s young son. “Last year my six-year-old asked me if I was going take him on holiday to the North Pole,” she said. “He said ‘If we do, Mommy, can you please make sure you buy us jackets that heat? That’s when I had that lightbulb moment. How is it that in today’s world, with all the technology developments we have, we are not all walking around with jackets that heat. That’s how the idea of the smart coat was born.”
The tailored coats will be available in two styles, a trench and wrap for women and an overcoat and raincoat for men. The range has been developed in Europe using Loro Piana cashmere, wool and cotton. “The first and most important thing for me were the fabrics,” added Solset. “It all had to be breathable. Cashmere, wool, cotton — all the fabrics are treated to be wind and rain resistant so they are very durable.”
Hidden under the lining of the Smart Coat is a slim and lightweight patented heating system. The system is not made with wires like traditional heating; the heat spreads through an inert specially-formulated polymer. The technology is safe, conducts heat uniformly and does not produce hotspots so there’s no risk of burning. It exhibits a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) which means there’s no need for thermostats or fuses. And the only wiring is a short cable that connects the battery to the coat.
The heat is concentrated in strategically placed panels on the lower back and on the front lower torso. The heat generated is ‘Far Infrared’ (FIR) and is the safest and healthiest heat on the spectrum. Instead of heating the skin, FIR is absorbed by the body to warm the muscles which improves circulation so you feel warm all over.
FIR is known to have many health-enhancing benefits including:
- Pain relief
- Accelerated healing in soft tissue injury
- Increased blood flow
- Decreased joint stiffness
- Reduced inflammation and oedema
- Reduced muscle spasm
- Enhanced white blood cell function.