A leading US-based fleece manufacturer has unveiled an innovative new product that it hopes will be the hottest garment in shops this Christmas – heated jackets that provide the wearer with warmth from light-weight batteries.Malden Mills has begun using “conductive fibres” in its fleece jackets powered by two rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that last around five hours and are sewn into waist pockets with a small control switch sewn into the chest pocket.Priced at $499 and weighing around 20 ounces, the high-tech jackets cost about three times more then traditional all-fleece jackets and are being sold by Malden Mills’ commercial partner, The North Face – part of the VF Corporation.Company chiefs say if the new hooded jackets are a success then they may introduce heated gloves and vests. The firm is promoting the jackets in its advertisements with the slogan: “Be the first to say, ‘Wait, let me turn on my jacket’.”The new fibres are identical to those woven into a new range of electric blankets by Malden Mills’ other commercial partner, Lands’ End. With the launch of these two new products, the Massachusetts-based manufacturer hopes to boost its revenue from the $262 million forecast for the current fiscal year and stay one step ahead of rival Asian factories which supply the majority of the fleece sold by retailers such as Gap.

Date:10/24/2001

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