SHEFFIELD, England — November 6, 2018 — Today, Dark Peak launched its campaign on Kickstarter for the NESSH™ Jacket, a high-performance insulated mid-layer, with industry-leading specs and a reasonable price. It weighs only 12 ounces or 340 grams and features an innovative form-fitting design, a lightweight 10D ripstop nylon shell and comes in two premium insulation options; 850 Fill Power responsibly sourced, hydrophobic Goose Down or 3M Featherless FL700 Synthetic insulation. Dark Peak designed the jacket to compete with the best lightweight mid-layer jackets on the market, for a more reasonable price than well-known brands and with a socially responsible ethos at the heart of their business.

“Every year the most in demand item of clothing at homeless shelters are winter jackets. There are very few outdoor performance brands that have a buy one give one model, so we decided to be one of the few to give back,” said Dark Peak Founder Allen Holland. “We realized that by cutting out the retailers and distributors, that are common in the apparel market, and instead only sell directly to the customer [online], we can provide a premium performance jacket, for a reasonable price and then use some of our profits to give a jacket to someone who’s in need.”

Aside from being one of the lightest insulated jackets in its class, the NESSH jacket is highly compressible, folding into its own pockets to provide the ultimate travel convenience. Not only keeping the wearer warm and toasty, but also conserving space in a suitcase or backpack. Dark Peak spent 18 months developing their NESSH 10D Ripstop nylon, one of the best lightweight jacket fabrics on the market, that is strong, super light and uses a tight weave that gives excellent wind resistance and down proofing. The fabric has a water-resistant DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish, helping protect the hydrophobic down (or 3M synthetic insulation) from moisture. Additionally, the NESSH jacket uses this premium fabric on both the outer and inner shell, unlike many well-known brands.

Down clothing ranges in Fill Power (FP) from 550FP up to 900FP. Higher Fill Power down traps more insulating air pockets than lower quality down (e.g. 550FP). Dark Peak chose to use 850 Fill Power down to provide industry-leading insulation, giving an incredible warmth to weight ratio and equaling or exceeding that used in the best jackets from big-name brands. All down used in Dark Peak jackets has been certified by the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), ensuring that Down comes from animals that have not been subjected to an unnecessary harm. For those who are allergic to, or prefer to avoid, down, Dark Peak also offers the exact same jacket with a Premium 3M Featherless (FL700) Synthetic Insulation – considered the best synthetic, down-like insulation on the market.

The versatile 2-way YKK zipper allows users to unzip the jacket from the bottom or top, making it great for wearing over bulky items (like a climbing harness) and also allows the jacket to be unzipped slightly when sitting down, meaning the NESSH jacket will never bunch. The user is also protected from drafts through the zipper by an insulated wind guard. Two insulated hand warmer waist pockets, with zippers to keep all of a user’s essentials protected and provide easy access to keys or a wallet. Internal pockets include two deep inner waist pockets, perfect to store gloves or a map and an inner chest phone pocket.

The NESSH jacket features a form-fitting design, with Dark Peak’s innovative Verti-Stretch™ vertical side baffles, that expand or contract to better fit the user’s physique and give more flexibility when layering under the jacket. Wrist gaiters or mitts prevent drafts up the sleeves and they tuck away when not in use. The jacket design also features a longer than average length with an extended lower back and an elasticated hem, to keep the user’s mid-section warm. The insulated hood is helmet friendly, with an elasticated cord, while a non-hooded version is also available. The NESSH jacket is available in a variety of colors; men’s colors include black, blue, steel grey, red and maroon, and women’s colors include black, blue, steel grey and red.

Posted November 6, 2018

Source: Dark Peak

BURLINGTON, N.C. — November 1, 2018 — Copland Fabrics Inc. and Copland Industries Inc., Burlington, N.C., announced they will cease operations by the end of the year. In business since 1941 and run by four generations of the Copland family, the company cited Chinese competition and increasing costs as reasons for the closure.

Jason C. Copland, president and CEO, issued a statement about the company’s decision:

“With a heavy heart, the board and management of Copland Fabrics Inc., and Copland Industries Inc. are announcing that the companies will end all manufacturing operations at the end of 2018. For four generations, we have manufactured fabrics on the banks of the Haw River in Hopedale. Unfortunately, the economics of domestic textile manufacturing — including the continued onslaught of ever-cheaper fabrics from China, combined with ever-increasing costs — give us no choice but to stop our operations.

We are not declaring bankruptcy, and we will do everything in our power to exit the textile business with dignity and respect for our community and for our employees. Employees will continue to be paid through the end of the year, and the Copland family will be working tirelessly to try to help these hard-working employees find new employment. We will honor our scholarships for our students at North Carolina universities. We appreciate all of the employees and families that have made Copland the place it has been since 1941. Every one of them has been a valued piece of our history and heritage, and we appreciate the chance we have had to lead these fine folks and, hopefully, make a positive difference in their lives.

It has been an honor to be a long-time business in Alamance County. Though our textile businesses are closing, the Copland family remains committed to doing what we can to help our community in the future.”

Posted November 6, 2018

Source: Copland Industries

COLUMBUS, Ohio — November 5, 2018 — Under a grant from the Office of Naval Research, Battelle will launch the Manufacturing & Engineering Externship Program to place teachers in two states inside manufacturing and engineering businesses to create new problem-based lessons for their classrooms. The $1.03 million award funds stipends to educators and recruitment through the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network and Ohio STEM Learning Network.

An initial pilot group of Tennessee teachers will test the program during the summer of 2019. Full recruitment in Tennessee begins the 2019-2020 school year. Ohio educators will join the following year. In total, the program will reach 160 educators.

“Great educators work constantly to bring connections to the world outside of the classroom into their teaching,” said Aimee Kennedy, senior vice president for Education and Philanthropy at Battelle. “With this award, teachers will find and share new connections between academic content and real-world solutions.”

Over the course of the externship experience, each teacher will embed at a local manufacturing or engineering business. Following their experiences at their industry host site, the teacher will design and pilot a new problem-based learning experience for students. Battelle will support participating teachers with year-long training on problem-based learning. The program was designed to address the growing skills gap in STEM industries, with a focus on the advanced manufacturing field.

“Bridging the gap between the demands of industry and the content and skills taught in the classroom is the key to developing a robust manufacturing workforce,” said Denise Rice, director of the Tennessee Manufacturer’s Association. “Through the unique Project Based Learning approach, Battelle will ensure that students are exposed to the manufacturing technologies and develop the problem-solving skills and careers interests to successfully pursue post-secondary manufacturing opportunities.”

The Office of Naval Research issued the award to Battelle Education, a nonprofit subsidiary of Battelle, created to drive innovation in education. Battelle Education and the STEM networks support Battelle’s commitment to quality STEM education.

Posted November 5, 2018

Source: Battelle