High-flying Portland apparel company Oros has announced another big partnership to elevate the brand.
In September, Oros' technology was part of a Blue Origin space mission to test how human cells hold up under intense heat.
Now, the company has announced that the Department of Defense will use its aerogel insulating material in cold weather apparel and tactical shelters designed to keep U.S. soldiers warm in battle.
Oros makes jackets and outerwear insulated with technology used in astronaut suits and on spacecraft. It relocated to Portland from Cincinnati in 2019.
Oros CEO Michael Markesbery calls Oros’ Solarcore technology among the most insulative lightweight tech in the world. He said he and his team began reaching out to different entities while Solarcore was in development a few years ago, recognizing the wide application potential. That included connecting with the Department of Defense. Oros has landed multiple DOD contracts over the last few years to further develop the technology.
“We got in contact with the DEVCOM Soldier Center and the Kostas Research Institute, and they had a requirement to improve the thermal performance of their shelters. So we showed them our tech and said ‘Hey, here's what the fiber can do,’ and that started the partnership on the tactical shelter side,” Markesbery said. “That program has obviously been going for several years, and we just developed our first prototype back in June, and this thing is incredible and looks awesome.”
Oros and their partners received an assist of $10 million in fiscal year 2022 from senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, who lobbied to get Oros into the U.S. Senate appropriations bill and have supported the company through the competitive grant process.
“I was honored to team up three years ago with this standout Oregon company that provides such innovative and lifesaving products for Americans serving our country in the armed services,” Wyden said in a statement to the Business Journal. “Everybody wearing an American uniform overseas in a combat zone deserves the best possible equipment. Oros’ apparel and tents provide that topnotch protection, and its cutting-edge technology also holds great promise for the safe transport of medical equipment.”
Markesberry said the company’s aim is to create materials to unlock human potential. While their branded apparel line is a great awareness channel for Oros, Markesberry said its vision lies in advancing material technology beyond just good looking jackets.
“Regardless of if it’s tactical shelters for the Department of Defense or consumer apparel for the outdoorsman, it all falls under the same core belief that we have that we can completely transform materials,” Markesberry said.
The focus now is on the 10-foot-by-14-foot soft shell tactical shelter, which has full coverage on all sides and a zipper door to keep the elements out. Though it is still in the prototype phase, Markesbery said they hope to wrap it up by the end of next year.
