Premium Cooling Fabric
for a Breath of Fresh Comfort
FORPE

A New Way to Beat the Heat

FORPE is a proprietary fiber brand independently developed by Kolon Industries. Since pioneering the domestic synthetic fiber industry with Korea’s first nylon production in April 1957, Kolon has steadily expanded its product lineup to include polyester, functional petroleum resins, and industrial-use specialty fibers.
In the 2010s, as rising temperatures and heatwaves became more frequent in Korea due to climate change, Kolon turned its attention to developing new materials. The company recognized a growing demand not just for lightweight fabrics, but for scientifically designed materials that could physically lower body temperature. Drawing on over 60 years of material science expertise, Kolon embarked on R&D for a new cooling fiber. After six years of development, the company introduced the FORPE brand in 2017.

Cooling, Design, and Safety—All in One

The name “FORPE” combines FORTE (French for “strong”) with PE (short for High Density Polyethylene, or HDPE), reflecting the brand’s philosophy of delivering not only cooling performance, but also durability, functionality, and safety.
Interestingly, FORPE was not originally conceived as a cooling material.
HDPE yarns have high tensile strength and excellent abrasion resistance, but their low dyeability made them impractical for consumer fabrics. Traditionally, HDPE was used in industrial applications like protective gloves where friction and impact resistance were essential. However, Kolon saw another potential: the material’s dense molecular structure allowed for rapid thermal transfer, meaning it could absorb and dissipate heat on contact with the skin. After extensive experimentation—including adjustments to cross-sectional fiber shape, filament alignment, and heat treatment processes—Kolon succeeded in creating a durable, high-performance cooling yarn.
FORPE’s first key strength is its exceptional cooling effect. Made entirely from HDPE, FORPE fibers rapidly absorb and release heat, lowering the skin’s perceived temperature by 3 to 6°C on contact—similar to touching cold metal. It ranks among the most effective cooling textiles available. In fact, tests by the Korea Apparel Testing & Research Institute (KATRI) showed FORPE’s cooling performance is more than twice as effective as commonly known cool fabrics like rayon and nylon.

The second standout feature of FORPE is its proprietary solution-dyeing2 technology. HDPE’s crystallinity makes dyeing difficult, but Kolon developed a technique to embed color directly into the yarn during production, eliminating the need for post-dyeing processes. This results in rich, fade-resistant colors and diverse design options. In 2020, Kolon became the first in Korea to commercialize gray HDPE yarns, and has since supplied various shades of cooling fabrics to leading domestic brands.
Thirdly, FORPE is recognized for its safety. In 2023, it became the first HDPE-based cooling fiber in Korea to earn OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Class I certification—the highest level—indicating it is safe even for infants under age three. Its soft texture makes it suitable for sensitive skin, and its durability has been proven through abrasion tests, scoring 4 to 5 on a 5-point scale, meaning it maintains performance even after repeated washing or friction.