ion-mask™ - Then and Now

Where did it all begin?

P2i originated as a project within the UK Governments' DSTL division to make soldier's clothing more effective against chemical attack. In 2004 P2i became the first DSTL technology transfer company to commercialize the technologies developed by the UK Government. 

Where are we now?

Today we operate within five key market sectors: Lifestyle (ion-mask™), Electronics (Aridion™), Filtration & Energy, Life Sciences and Military & Institutional. In this post we will focus on ion-mask™ and where it has been optimized for the footwear industry.

ion-mask™ has been available commercially since 2008, when outdoor footwear company Hi-Tec became the first brand to bring the technology to consumers by applying ion-mask™ to a new style of hiking boot; the V-Lite Altitude Ultra WPi:



Hi-Tec V-Lite Altitude Ultra WPi - First ever walking boot to feature ion-mask™

 Since then the ion-mask™ - Hi-Tec range has expanded significantly including the development of the Infinity trail runner which spawned the YouTube viral sensation 'Liquid Mountaineering':



Today, ion-mask™ has been applied to eleven separate footwear brands including Timberland, Van Dal and K∙Swiss to name but a few. You can read more about ion-mask™ and these brands in our case studies as well as seeing some of the styles below:



K∙Swiss Kwicky Blade Light



Hi-Tec Infinity HPI





Timberland City 6in Boot



Van Dal Cannes



ion-mask™ has also branched out from footwear and in 2011 we have seen the technology being applied to lifestyle accessories including gloves (Fox) and hats.

From previous post you will also have read that we have just returned from OutDoor 2011 in Friedrichshafen, Germany where we were demonstrated ion-mask™ to leading outdoor brands. The show was a great success with many companies enquiring about the adoption of ion-mask™ for apparel, a similar question we receive through our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts. This is an area that we are extensively researching so watch this space...

The range of products featuring ion-mask™ continues to grow and if you have your own footwear featuring the technology we would love to hear your reviews and comments. There are also a host of reviews online you can read if you would like to know more or thinking of purchasing a new pair of shoes, here is a brief selection:

- Hi-Tec:

   ∙ Outdoors Magic 

    ∙ Outdoor Enthusiasts

    ∙ Gear We Are

- K∙Swiss:

   ∙ Sport (SBlog)

    ∙ Ironman

 

Making a Splash at EU OutDoor 2011 - Friedrichshafen

So that was EU OutDoor 2011 in Friedrichshafen!

We have just returned to the office from a very successful show in Germany where we exhibited our ion-mask™ technology for the first time. EU OutDoor 2011 was also where we launched our Splash Challenge competition (more on that later).

The show which ran from the 14th-17th July, is host to leading outdoor brands from around the world.

Over the four days, those that stopped by our booth were introduced to ion-mask™ via videos, a custom designed holographic kiosk and through hands-on demonstrations of ion-mask™ treated footwear, tissues and fabrics - we even had Hannibal our own corporate magician!

ion-mask™ footwear demonstration

ion-mask™ tissue demonstration

Hannibal

We also put a short video together of our booth that you can watch below:



Overall the show was a great success and it was exciting to have many leading outdoor brands visit our booth, keen to see for themselves how ion-mask™ could benefit their products.

Already working with leading footwear brands, we are excited to see who will next adopt P2i's ion-mask™ technology.

What is the Splash Challenge?

At the start of the post we mention the Splash Challenge, so what is it? Launched at the EU OutDoor show, we gave all attendees the chance to take away with them their very own Splash the P2i Duck.

Splash is searching for water-filled adventures and attendees that picked up Splash from the show are now taking images and videos of him from around the world. A multi-lense SuperSampler camera awaits for the person who sends in the best image of Splash. If you would like to keep up to date with Splash and see how he is getting on, you can here www.p2i.com/splash - or why not follow him on Twitter.

You can see all our images from the show on our Flickr page here.

Gearing up for Outdoor 2011

Starting tomorrow until the 17th July, the outdoor world gathers in Friedrichshafen, Germany for the largest European tradeshow of its kind - OutDoor 2011. Now in its 18th year, 2010 saw the show amass 868 exhibitors and over 20,400 trade visitors, this year it is set to be even bigger and better.

OutDoor 2011 will be unique for us as it is the first time P2i will be showcasing ion-mask™ technology to a mass audience and we are pretty excited!

The show is also a milestone for us and ion-mask™, as now more than 1.5 million pairs of shoes have been treated with the technology. Offering consumers breathable, lighter, stay-dry and stain resistant footwear.

Come and check us out!

Visitors to our booth (Hall B4, Stand 302) will be able to watch - get involved with live demonstrations, interact with an ion-mask™ specific holographic display as well as watch our very own corporate magician in action.

Applied to a host of materials including mesh, light-colored canvas and suede, ion-mask™ has been adopted by eleven brands including: Timberland, KSwiss, Hi-Tec, Nike, Adidas and Teva, samples of which will be on the booth. Visitors will be able to see for themselves the levels of liquid repellency and breathability that previous generations of membranes simply cannot match.

This is what David Bond, Vice President of Product at KSwiss had to say:

 "ion-mask™ is the most innovative moisture

management technology available on the market"

If you are attending, come and find as at Stand 302 in Hall B4. In the meantime, you can watch our Lifestyle video below to get a taster of what is to come:

We look forward to seeing you there!