The Sb0605 model from mainland China's Nanjing Handas has hollow-core fiber filling and a ripstop nylon shell. it measures 230x90x55cm.

Suppliers of sleeping bags in mainland China and Taiwan are developing comfortable models with better performance.

Makers in both areas are using various types of synthetic fiber to improve the loft and thermal insulation of filling. These materials include microfiber, hollow-core fiber and extruded, continuous-filament versions.

Further, some Taiwan companies are now employing carbon hollow-core fiber. This is made of polyester filaments woven with carbonized bamboo fiber. The number of suppliers in the island using this material as filling is expected to grow.

In fact, many new components offer low weight and increased durability.

Makers are also applying performance-enhancing coatings on filling and shells. These are used mainly to fortify water-resistant and moisture-wicking properties.

Sleeping bags from the mainland and Taiwan are being designed for superior comfort as well as performance. New models come in various shapes, including mummy and rectangle, which are optimized for use under different conditions.

	Mainland China-based Ningbo Jinmao offers the JM-03 model, which uses hollow-core fiber as filling. it has a 190t polyester shell and measures 230x80x55cm.

Many mainland releases use synthetic fiber filling, which is essentially in polyester. This includes hollow-core synthetics, which are lightweight and have excellent heat retention.

In addition, some high-end sleeping bags incorporate extruded, continuous-filament fiber. This type offers high loft even after compression.

Goose and duck down, however, are still used as filling in upscale models. Of the two, the former is said to have better thermal protection.

Down's loft characteristics are superior to those of most types of synthetic fiber. Further, the material has higher durability and warmth-to-weight properties. Down, however, readily absorbs water, is slow to dry and costs more than synthetic alternatives.

The latest high-end models from Nanjing Handas Sporting Goods Manufacture Co. Ltd use down as filling. Polyester fiber is offered for versions that are at other price points.

The exterior and interior shells of new sleeping bags from the mainland come in a variety of materials. These include polyester-based synthetic fiber and polar fleece.

Zhejiang Welkang International Co. Ltd offers 190t polyester, T/C, nylon, cotton and polar fleece shells. Models in different shapes, including mummy, rectangular and tapered versions, are available.

Under efforts to enhance durability, the latest releases from Nanjing Handas have shells made of nylon, or 107 or 190t polyester.

The company's SB0605 model has a nylon shell in a diamond ripstop pattern. It is equipped with polyester cotton lining and hollow-core fiber filling.

Suppliers are also applying special coating treatments to shells and filling.

Hangzhou Shunxin Outdoor Products Co. Ltd uses silicone fiber coating. This provides an anti-static finish, which causes individual strands of fiber to repel each other for space between filaments. Silicone also acts as a lubricant, allowing water vapor to move past it up to 16 times faster.

The latest sleeping bags incorporate performance-enhancing components.

Ningbo Junteng International Industrial & Trading Corp. Ltd equips most of its products with double-pull zippers.

These may have cotton interlining to prevent outside air from entering or PP tape to thwart fabric from getting caught in the teeth.

All mainland companies interviewed for this report said material costs are one of the major factors affecting the price of sleeping bags. Ningbo Jinmao Import & Export Co. Ltd, however, does not expect costs to rise in coming months.

	The Everest Peak model from Taiwan's Tseng uses Invista hollow-core fiber filling and Thermolite Extra insulation. It comes with a four-way stuff sack.

In Taiwan, Kindly Connecter Corp. uses carbon hollow-core fiber filling in its latest releases. This incorporates bamboo fiber that has been carbonized at more than 1,200 C.

Carbon hollow-core fiber possesses anti-bacterial, antistatic, odor-absorption and high insulation properties. In addition, the filaments are said to emit far-infrared rays and anions.

Lung Hsing Fiber Co. Ltd also offers carbon hollow-core fiber in high-end models. This, however, costs three times more than regular filaments. Most products from the company use regular hollow-core versions.

Many makers in the island are employing 15 and 20d nylon, which is lightweight and durable, as shell material. For high-end models from Tseng Ltd, this is commonly combined with PrimaLoft filling sourced from Albany International.

The Camperlite 300 model from Camper Enterprise Co. Ltd has outer and inner shells made of 15d nylon. In addition, the product is equipped with goose down filling and a YKK zipper. It weighs 560g.

Taiwan suppliers offer envelope-, rectangular- and mummy-shaped sleeping bags for both adults and children.

To increase competitiveness, Chuan Hsing Fiber Co. Ltd has widened its range with products designed for children.

Taiwan's sleeping bags industry is composed of 10 exporters. This is down from past years due to the competition from the mainland and slow demand.

Most suppliers are midsize and have about 500 workers. Suppliers that have retained production locally make fewer than 50,000 units monthly. Companies that have relocated production to the mainland have a capacity of 60,000 to 200,000 units per month.

Taiwan makers focus primarily on high-end products, leaving the low-end market to mainland competitors. Sales growth of 5 to 10 percent is expected each year.