Hologenix’s flagship product, Celliant®, has been pioneering the growing science and unique business of responsive infrared textiles since its debut in 2002.
It’s a pursuit Seth Casden, Founder and CEO, has been running toward his entire life — the power of the “human battery” and the concept of recycling the body’s energy.
“We’re essentially batteries, eating food to create energy and sustain our core temperature,” he says, “and so much of our own energy goes to thermoregulation and, as a byproduct, our body emits heat. An incredible 60% of that body heat is simply lost. Imagine if you could harness it. That’s what Celliant does.”
Fueled from the starting gate by Casden’s background in private equity, the science behind Celliant is based on transforming the body’s heat into full-spectrum, infrared energy, resulting in a range of benefits, including increased performance, faster recovery and better sleep.
The conduit of Celliant’s groundbreaking, responsive textiles is a blend of natural, thermo-reactive minerals that are woven into the core of fibers used in fabrics for everything from apparel to mattresses and bedding, wetsuits to office furniture, uniforms to products for animals.
“We’re amplifying human potential by harnessing the body’s heat and transforming it into infrared energy through responsive textiles,” Casden says. “Historically, there have been anti-odor materials or apparel that help keep you dry, but we’ve shifted that paradigm to where our technology changes the physiology and enhances performance.”
Celliant’s science has proven to be a worthy test for Casden’s endurance. The product has been rigorously tested, a time-consuming and costly endeavor. Overseen by the Science Advisory Board, composed of medical experts in the fields of physics, biology, chemistry, diabetes and wound care, Celliant has undergone 10 clinical, technical and physical trials, and has had seven published studies evidencing its effectiveness.
The FDA has determined that Celliant products are medical devices as defined in section 201(h) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and are general wellness products. Celliant is also designated as a Class 1 Medical Device in Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Celliant has scored big with performance apparel giant, Under Armour. Since 2018, Celliant has powered Under Armour’s Recover and RUSH lines. Celliant also has long-term partnerships with leading-edge sleep brands, including Revitalife and Bear Mattress, as well as program partnerships with Costco, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Amazon, which have further awakened consumers to the product’s benefits.
“For us, sports is a natural base, but think about where you spend most of your time – in bed. And why do you go to bed? To recover, restore and recharge,” Casden explains.
“When scientists have studied why people don’t sleep well, it’s usually because they’re too hot or too cold or they’ve been laying on their side or rolling around – and all of that is improved by enhanced circulation. Celliant temporarily increases local blood flow in healthy individuals allowing the body to better regulate its temperature thereby increasing comfort and promoting restful sleep,” Casden says.
Human beneficiaries aren’t alone in experiencing Celliant’s benefits. Across the domestic and working animal markets, the product gets two paws up for its pet beds, blankets, wraps and braces.
Further growth and applications for Celliant include a new partnership with Levi’s “+Energy” line of jeans, which launched in Asia this year. Continued expansion quests have Casden aiming to connect the company’s increased local circulation benefit to travel (airline seating, sleep suites, in-flight amenities, such as sleep masks), beauty and cosmetics, and agriculture.
Like all companies, Hologenix has had to endure the global impacts of COVID-19, yet the pandemic has also elevated a societal understanding of the importance of increasing local circulation and cellular oxygenation. Moreover, as Casden says, “We’re seeing an enhanced focus and awareness on personal health and wellness, with a particular view on proactive selfcare.”
Copyright © 2020 California Business Journal. All Rights Reserved.
Article edited and published by Rick Weinberg, California Business Journal’s Founder and Editor-in-Chief
To read the magazine version of the Celliant article, click here.
