Grueezi Bag Innovations

It's about comfort and thus energy for the body. Always!

Why wool as a material?

Wool acts like a natural air conditioner: it can absorb body moisture and release it in a controlled manner. Even when damp, wool continues to provide warmth; it's the only natural, climate-regulating material. Wool sleeping bags thus ensure a dry, warm, all-round feeling of comfort.

To achieve a balanced sleeping environment, Markus Wiesböck has been perfecting the contemporary, highly functional wool sleeping bag since 2015. After many experiments with different cuts, functional features, chambers, and wool blends (even clogging the washing machine after the first test wash), the "Biopod Wool Zero" was launched. "My dream sleeping bag," says the proud pioneer and inventor.

The response to the first wool sleeping bag with a comfort cut was enthusiastic. A lightweight wool sleeping bag that, thanks to the wool's properties, guarantees a warm and dry sleeping environment and features a comfortable cut. Because a sleeping bag from Grüezi bag® should not only be sustainable, but also functional and innovative!

The “ Biopod Wolle Zero ” won an Outdoor Industry Award in 2015 , the Editors’ Choice from Outdoor Magazine in 2016 and the German Design Award in 2017 .

New material blends with wool

Once again, many trials were carried out before Grüezi bag presented the unique insulation "DownWool®" with a 30% wool and 70% down blend: Since 2017, DownWool® has set new standards in insulation and comfort, as it combines the advantages of both natural materials, down and wool:

  • Thanks to down, a sleeping bag provides excellent insulation and is lightweight and compact when packed. However, as soon as down becomes saturated with sweat or absorbs ambient humidity, it collapses and no longer insulates.
  • This is where the wool content helps, it keeps the down dry.

After nearly 100 samples and thanks to our own machine, the down finally bonds with the wool fibers, creating a consistent climate and being washable without chemical treatment. The innovative DownWool® sleeping bags (patent pending since 2017) are once again receiving high awards and acclaim: The " Biopod Downwool Subzero " sleeping bags become one of Grüezi bag's most successful product lines.

To ensure that expeditions can also use the Grüezi bag®, Markus Wiesböck continues to experiment and patents his latest invention in 2015: The original Grüezi bag® DownWool hybrid sleeping bag is the world's first sleeping bag with innovative layered insulation made of high-quality goose down and lavalan® Alpine wool. Thanks to an additional wool layer, it can cope with damp and cold temperatures. Additionally, a carbon heating element can be life-saving for people who are cold. The " Biopod DownWool Hybrid " series will also be tested by the German Armed Forces in May 2021: in a cold chamber down to -40°C and under scientific observation, the test subjects sleep best in the Grüezi bag® sleeping bag!

Now, thanks to the layered construction with a wool layer, a down sleeping bag can also cope with damp and cold temperatures.

2019: the world's first fully compostable sleeping bag

The " Biopod DownWool Nature Komfort " is made from 100% natural materials, from the DownWool filling to the olive wood button. It was the darling of ISPO 2019 and the 2018 Outdoor Industry Award winner.

Shirts and insulation jackets

The (wool) theme also runs through the new clothing line: thanks to wool, the tops are odor-inhibiting, antibacterial, quick-drying, and temperature-regulating. And, as we all know, good wool keeps you warm even when damp.

  • WoodWool shirts are made from 50% of the finest merino wool. The 50% wood fiber content ensures a velvety soft feel and a more durable fabric than pure merino shirts.
  • The world's first DownWool® jackets and DownWool® vests are naturally more resistant to high humidity and therefore provide excellent insulation even in cold, wet weather. DownWool® offers significant advantages over pure down or wool jackets.
  • SilkWool jackets will be available in spring 2024. The insulation, made from 30% recycled silk and 50% wool, ensures a wide range of comfort from cooler spring days to summer days. Silk quickly wicks moisture from the inside of the jacket to the outside.

Airspacer, the 3-in-1 solution

In 2020, a novel combination was registered as a utility model: a 3-in-1 solution for camping enthusiasts: tent, sleeping mat and sleeping bag in one.  

Connectable tent

The next utility model application was filed in 2021: a one-man tent that can be connected to another using zippers. 

2022: the world's first duvet with DownWool® filling

A duvet that contains the proven DownWool® blend and incorporates zinc into its cover: Grüezi bag® products can now also be used in your bedroom at home!

2023: the world's first sleeping mat with V--double chamber construction

After slipping off a sleeping mat one night, Markus Wiesböck improved the sleeping mat the way it should be: double-layered, V-chambers, wool insulation, comfortable, stable: The Wool Mat Camping (Comfort)  (utility model registered in 2023).

    And many other innovative product features

    For Markus Wiesböck, making things better means, on the one hand, developing insulation fillings that are better than conventional ones. But what good is the material if it becomes uncomfortable?

    Comfort cut

    That's why our sleeping bags and clothing offer an optimal comfort fit. Jackets offer plenty of freedom of movement and style, while sleeping bags offer better, more restful sleep, even if you're a side sleeper or simply don't want that sausage-skin feeling. That's why we tailor our sleeping bags wider and even offer wider versions for people with broader stature. Because if your shoulders are too tight in the sleeping bag, you'll have a cold spot due to the lack of air insulation.

    "This puts us against the prevailing crowd in the industry," the managing director acknowledges. "But we know from numerous laboratory tests that the test subjects sleep more peacefully and deeply with it."

    Materials

    At Grüezi bag, the development of a product is carried out in one hand, from the yarn to the filling.

    • Jackets and sleeping bags have the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certification  for all materials used. This label for textiles tested for harmful substances guarantees that the product is safe for health.
    • PFC-free : No perfluorinated chemicals are used, and the outer fabrics are recycled. An innovative waterproofing treatment  makes them permanently windproof and highly water-repellent. The waterproofing is based on bio-based raw materials (BeSoDRY-ECO).
    • Colors : We use selected BEMACRON dyes from the CHT Group: they are non-toxic to nature and meet both Cradle to Cradle requirements and the bluesign® standard.
    • Outer and inner fabric:  Ultralight, durable, and recycled nylon that feels incredibly soft, supple, and silky against the skin. This is achieved by pulling the fabric over hot rollers to tighten the pores. This makes the fabric down-proof and impervious to clothes moths, yet remains naturally breathable without the usual plastic coating. The pores do not clog thanks to the bio-based BeSoDRY-ECO waterproofing and the sustainable BEMACRON dyes.
    • We pay attention to animal welfare and use RDS-certified down ( RDS  CU 859743) and mulesing-free sheep's wool from Europe.

    Features

    Grüezi-bag products are built on a wealth of experience and customer feedback. Depending on the product, small but fine details are added:

    • Arched zippers so that feet can be placed on top of the sleeping bag, not next to it.
    • White zipper: So you can find the zipper more easily in the dark.
    • Zipper with anti-snag zipper and lined robust webbing: This makes the zipper even easier to operate without pinching the outer fabric.
    • The zipper has a lined zipper cover to prevent wind from getting in, heat from escaping, and cold spots from forming.
    • The YKK zipper can be opened and closed from either end, inside or outside. The auto-lock feature prevents it from opening accidentally.
    • Feater loops in the sleeping bag: A warming hip pack with heating element (Feater - The Feet Heater) can be installed additionally.
    • Can be connected:  The sleeping bag can be connected to another sleeping bag of the same series (which has the zipper on the other side) to form a double sleeping bag
    • A comfortable pillow compartment: Simply insert a fleece jacket here, for example, and you have a pillow that won't slip while you sleep.
    • A carbon heating element integrated into a sleeping bag: simply connect it to a power bank and the foot area is heated.
    • Adjustable hood with face baffle: The thermal baffle adapts perfectly to the shape of your head. When it's cold, only a small face hole remains open, thus reducing heat loss. The elastic drawstring can be stowed away in a small drawstring pocket.
    • 3D thermal collar: Closes automatically in the zipper area, so there is no cold bridge in the zipper area.
    • Pre-shaped foot box:  when lying down there is enough space in the sleeping bag to point your toes.
    • Sleeping bag with two different insulation sides
    • Underquilt is an insulation that is attached under the hammock to prevent it from getting cold from below.
    • Featers or quilts for weight savings. The featers are heated via USB connection.
    • Dome-shaped 3D mosquito net for attachment to the headboard


    Look forward to the coming years with further product innovations and convenient new features from Grüezi bag!