In November 2021, members of the Masaryk University scientific expedition received jackets from the Czech outdoor clothing manufacturer Faramugo to test them at the J. G. Mendel Czech Scientific Station in Antarctica from December 2021 to March 2022. These were special tailor-made jackets that served as an outer layer of clothing for the scientists during their stay in the field.
"For almost 4 months, the jackets were exposed to rapidly changing temperatures, intense UV radiation, strong winds, rain and snow. In Antarctica, the negative impact of human activity is minimized, making it unique among the continents. Polar explorers take all their garbage back home, and renewable energy sources are preferred. Therefore, even clothing must meet the strictest environmental standards, along with demands on material quality and workmanship. We took extreme care of all this, which is why we are pleased that our jackets passed and can now boast the Masaryk University trademark," said Vladimír Bureš, Managing Director of Faramugo s.r.o.
Thanks to Masaryk University, companies have a unique opportunity to get feedback on their products and to expose them to extreme conditions that they would not reach during normal testing. This can also give them a competitive advantage – by obtaining a trademark and getting the marketing communication right, they can better present the quality of the product to their customers. "We publish the results of all consumer tests on the website www.tested-in-antarctica.com. There, interested parties can find information on how our evaluators think the product stood out, why it deserved the trademark or what its reserves are," explains Jana Daňková, business manager of the MU Technology Transfer Office, which is in charge of the Tested in Antarctica project.
The tested Faramugo Expedition jacket withstood the extreme conditions of Antarctica and the manufacturer has the right to mark this product with the Masaryk University trademark "Tested in Antarctica".