U.S. performance apparel startup OROS receives 14.5 million in series A funding

OROS, an American startup specialised in creating thermal materials and performance apparel, has announced it has received 14.5 million dollars in a Series A funding round led by Elizabeth Street Ventures and Enlightenment Capital.

Part materials technology company, part performance apparel brand, OROS is looking to lead the 13 billion dollars outwear industry with its insulation technology and advanced thermal materials and technical fabrics.

Part of the funding will be dedicated to take to market a new, lightweight insulated material launching in 2022. The material, which will debut in a new performance apparel collection, incorporates a suite of patents and exclusive rights to underlying NASA intellectual property.

The recent capital raised will allow OROS to further refine the new material, create new apparel products, and invest in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the U.S., explained the company on Thursday. The new manufacturing facility will allow them to convert recycled fiber into a novel thermal performance fiber, bringing to life a collection of garments using 3D engineered knitting. The domestic manufacturing line will also enable OROS to customize machinery, equipment, and engineering processes, while consolidating the supply chain in order to effectively and sustainably scale production.

“Since day one, OROS has endeavored to transform insulated apparel, using only the best materials and technologies – some of which have been developed with exclusive access to NASA intellectual property and have been used for their most demanding applications in space,” said in a press release Jeff Nash, Chief Technology Officer and VP of Product at OROS. “I’ve been in the industry for decades, and OROS is completely doing things differently. I strongly believe we’re on the cusp of something groundbreaking: recreating the category of insulated products for the industry.”