Who invented polar fleece?

Malden Mills
History. Polar fleece originated in Massachusetts in 1979 when Malden Mills (now Polartec LLC), and Patagonia developed Synchilla (synthetic chinchilla). It was a new, light, strong pile fabric meant to mimic, and in some ways surpass, wool.

When did Malden Mills burn?

MARC McGEEHAN/Staff file photoA flame still burned from a natural gas line aftermath the Malden Mills was destroyed by fire. A boiler exploded at Malden Mills on Dec. 11, 1995 and sparked an inferno that could be seen for miles around.

Who bought Malden Mills?

Versa Capital
Polartec is currently owned by Versa Capital, a private equity firm that bought Malden Mills out of bankruptcy for $44 million in 2007.

What does Feuerstein mean?

German: metonymic occupational name for a seller of flints, or topographic name for someone who lived near an outcrop of flint, from Middle High German viur ‘fire’ + stein ‘stone’.

What is a Polartec clothes?

Clothing made from lightweight and fast-wicking Polartec fleece, worn next to the skin, keeps wearers warm and dry; Time Magazine named Polartec one of the greatest inventions of the 20 th century.

What happened to Polartec in Lawrence?

GLOBE FILE PHOTO/Boston Globe Twenty years ago Friday, workers at Malden Mills faced catastrophe when a wind-blown fire destroyed most of the huge textile factory in Lawrence where they made Polartec, one of the nation’s top winter apparel brands.

What is Malden Mills Polartec?

With the development of Polartec, a synthetic fleece, Malden Mills was able to expand its workforce to 2,300. Clothing made from lightweight and fast-wicking Polartec fleece, worn next to the skin, keeps wearers warm and dry; Time Magazine named Polartec one of the greatest inventions of the 20 th century.

Is Polartec still in business?

In 2007, the company filed for bankruptcy protection, a move that cleared the way for its sale to a Philadelphia-based private equity firm, Versa Capital Management. The company’s name was later changed to Polartec.