Columbia to release new apparel technology

Next year, Columbia Sportswear will be releasing its Omni-Freeze ZERO, the company's latest groundbreaking apparel technology. 

According to a press statement from the company, "Omni-Freeze ZERO is the culmination of a four-year effort to develop a new, revolutionary line of apparel that becomes cooler in hot, moist conditions. Distinctive little blue rings, embedded and visible in the fabric of Omni-Freeze ZERO apparel and footwear, contain a special cooling polymer. When exposed to sweat or moisture, these rings actually swell (similar to goose bumps) creating an instant and prolonged cooling sensation.

Columbia said in the same statement that "the new technology will be available to consumers in the spring of 2013. Omni-Freeze ZERO will be integrated across a line of 40 styles that will include men's and women's shirts, performance layers, headwear, sleeves and other accessories. Columbia will also add Omni-Freeze ZERO to its Powerdrain footwear models to keep the shoes cool in hot weather. The full line is designed to keep consumers and athletes comfortable from head to toe, even as temperature records continue to rise.

"We see Omni-Freeze ZERO as a real game changer in terms of how people think about performance and comfort in hot weather," said Woody Blackford, vice president of innovation and head of the Performance Innovation Team. 

"In general, people remove clothing layers to stay cool, but sponsored athletes using Omni-Freeze ZERO have noted that in hot, humid conditions, this is the first technology that feels cooler and more comfortable than wearing nothing at all. We're continuing to test the properties of this new technology in our lab and are sponsoring independent laboratory research."

Columbia also released several videos to explain how Omni-Freeze ZERO works.