2846: Innovating Wellness: The Groundbreaking CELLIANT Technology by Hologenix

[00:00:00] Welcome back to The Tech Talks Daily Podcast. Now as you all know by now every single

[00:00:06] day I'll get a different guest from a different industry talking about how technology is impacting

[00:00:12] or transforming their life, their business or indeed their world.

[00:00:17] I'll also get a big kick about getting people thinking differently about areas that they

[00:00:22] see everyday in life without even thinking about technology or associating that with technology

[00:00:29] and for example if I was to say to you textiles, I don't think you'd be thinking about tech.

[00:00:34] I recently come across Celiant technology which is a proprietary blend of naturally occurring

[00:00:40] minerals and elements that are embedded into fibers, yarns and fabrics or applied as a

[00:00:46] printed coat into textiles infusing them with a power of infrared light and cell in ultimately

[00:00:53] captures and converts your body's heat into infrared energy, helping you perform stronger,

[00:00:59] recover faster and sleep better. But how does this technology work? How is it made? How

[00:01:06] is it sourced? How is it tested? What is the science behind it? As a guy with a curious

[00:01:11] mind these are just a few other things I wanted to learn more about. So when I turned to our

[00:01:16] friend Google I quickly came across Seth Kasm who is a pioneer in textile innovation and creator

[00:01:23] of Celiant. But I wanted to learn more about the story behind the technology too, how he

[00:01:28] dislocated his shoulder underwent painful surgery but this technology transformed his recovery.

[00:01:34] And I suspect that would be the spark that would impact his desire to help others have

[00:01:39] that same experience. But I don't want to reveal too many spoilers here. A great story

[00:01:44] behind this one great technology and hopefully get everybody thinking differently about textiles

[00:01:49] infrared, health and wellness and everything in between. But before we get today's guest on

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[00:02:39] Now let's get today's guest on. So buckle up and hold on tight as I beam your ears all the way to the US

[00:02:46] where Seth is waiting to share his story. So a massive warm welcome to the show. Can you tell

[00:02:53] everyone listening a little about who you are and what you do? Yes thank you for having me.

[00:02:59] This is Seth Kassden, I'm the CEO of HoloGenix and our product is Celiant

[00:03:05] and we patented a proprietary technology that's embedded in basically any type of textile to improve

[00:03:12] health and wellness. Well there's so much I want to dive in and talk about with you today but I think

[00:03:18] probably the best way of setting the scene is asking you to share your story of your personal

[00:03:23] experience with Celiant and how it played a pivotal role in your very personal recovery process

[00:03:30] how did they experience inspire the mission and vision of everything that you're doing there?

[00:03:35] I'd look for you to share that story. Thanks Neil, I'd be happy to for me it's started out as a

[00:03:41] labor of love or a passion project at one point I was thinking about being a geologist

[00:03:47] and I've always had an interest in understanding new technologies and particularly how

[00:03:55] the world of health care is evolving and looking at really more umil pathic or alternative methods

[00:04:04] of healing and I became fascinated in the powers of certain minerals to emit infrared and looking

[00:04:13] at what infrared can do and I've always been one that's been interested in what people previously

[00:04:20] thought was not possible so if you look over the last you know a few centuries from going

[00:04:28] the earth is flat to you know the earth is the center of the universe to you know we can't fly

[00:04:37] you know we're always we're always challenging ourselves and kind of breaking barriers

[00:04:41] of what we think is possible and when it comes to infrared and this invisible energy

[00:04:47] it does sound to be the stuff of science fiction and so I was fascinated to see if there's anything

[00:04:52] there and I had an injury rock climbing on my shoulder and I needed a procedure called a bristop

[00:04:59] procedure and I was able to use some salient gauze and wadding and had just an incredible experience

[00:05:07] in terms of shortening with the normal recovery period is and the healing period my doctor really

[00:05:14] validated that my shoulder was getting back to 100% much quicker on the on the short end of what

[00:05:22] is normally seen and I also had some incredible experiences with animals and horses and cats and

[00:05:29] dogs and you know sometimes people say well it's a placebo effect but with animals there

[00:05:34] there really is no placebo effect so seeing the effect on me personally and seeing on animals

[00:05:41] convinced me that there is something here beyond just what the science says

[00:05:47] it's incredibly cool what you're doing here and I love how you almost reimagining the role of

[00:05:51] textiles in our lives as active contributors to health and wellness but can you just explain

[00:05:57] the core principle behind this innovative approach and what makes it different and stand out from

[00:06:03] other wellness items on the market right now. Sure the technology is bounded on the idea that

[00:06:12] infrared energy is an energy source for the body and when you expose the body to infrared

[00:06:20] energy there's a whole host of things of improvements that we see and the one that is overarching

[00:06:28] is an increase in circulation and increase in blood flow and when you have that increase in

[00:06:35] circulation it helps the body maintain homeostasis it helps with thermoregulation and that leads to

[00:06:42] a whole host of of performance and recovery benefits and helping to improve sleep as well our

[00:06:50] body is trying to stay in balance at 98.6 or 37 c and that takes an incredible amount of energy

[00:06:59] to maintain and so at any given time our bodies giving off around a hundred watts of energy

[00:07:06] and that is energy that just dissipates into the atmosphere and what Celiant does is absorbs

[00:07:12] that heat and the minerals convert that heat to infrared and direct it back to the body

[00:07:18] and that's what really gives this boost to our performance, to our recovery, to our sleep.

[00:07:23] So we've taken something that we need every day, we need to close ourselves, we need to sleep on a bed,

[00:07:30] sheets, we're surrounded by textiles throughout our day and we're doing more than just providing

[00:07:37] a fashion statement or covering the body, we're actually now able to provide a physiological benefit

[00:07:43] to the person using the technology. And your flagship product which you mentioned a few moments ago,

[00:07:49] a few months ago that really helped you Celiant that harnesses infrared energy to improve human

[00:07:55] health but can you tell me a bit more about the science behind it and how it works and obviously

[00:08:00] the benefits that it offers particularly in terms of athletic performance all recovery like what

[00:08:05] you encounter there. The premise is that when you increase circulation to a given part of the body

[00:08:13] it's going to provide more nutrients, provide an uptake and oxygen absorption and really our cells

[00:08:20] are the building blocks of our body. There is no energy organ all of our energy is made in each cell

[00:08:28] individually the ATP process if you go back and remember your your iSchool or university chemistry class

[00:08:36] and so what infrared does what Celiant does is it directs energy into the mitochondria of the cells

[00:08:44] that enable it to basically increase the cellular respiration rate and we know through studies that

[00:08:50] if you increase blood flow to a muscle for example that increases the strength and the performance

[00:08:57] of the muscle and when you're looking at recovery from a marathon or just a jog on the weekend

[00:09:05] the removal of lactic acid and metabolic waste is based on the flow of circulation, the rate

[00:09:11] of circulation. So if you can increase circulation you're going to help eliminate the the lactic acid

[00:09:18] and the metabolic waste at a higher rate which helps your body recover faster and helps eliminate

[00:09:23] and reduce soreness at a faster rate. So all of our body's performance is really tied to circulation

[00:09:31] and blood flow and by being able to enhance that Celiant provides a proven performance and recovery

[00:09:39] benefit. Just to bring to life some of what we're talking about here is anything you can share around

[00:09:45] how Celiant has enabled some huge world class brands to differentiate their products and

[00:09:51] if you can provide a few examples of how incorporating Celiant as enhanced consumer products

[00:09:58] and indeed their user experiences because I think this is what really brings it to life.

[00:10:03] Absolutely Neil, thank you for the question. I think we're at our heart and soul

[00:10:10] providing a benefit to brands that are looking to differentiate themselves so

[00:10:16] we partner with leading brands to incorporate this technology to reach their consumers and

[00:10:21] their customers. We have the pleasure of sponsoring the San Francisco marathon a few years back

[00:10:27] had some incredible testimonials from that event and really seeing how this affects people in

[00:10:33] real time. We've partnered with brands like Under Armour, KTT, Excel, Wetsuits, Bear mattress.

[00:10:41] What our technology allows those brands to do is incorporate this performance benefit or

[00:10:48] recovery benefit as a case may be into their products and do more than just provide lip service

[00:10:54] to innovation. It's obviously a crowded marketplace and brands are looking to distinguish themselves

[00:11:01] in whatever manner they can and we give them a proven 10 published clinical studies of support

[00:11:10] and validation to go to the market and really provide their brand, their customers a product that

[00:11:20] can back the claims up. I'm curious what have been some of the significant challenges that you've

[00:11:26] had to face in developing and commercializing Celiant because I would imagine that it's not all

[00:11:32] been plain sailing and we only learn from those kind of trials and tribulations along the way

[00:11:38] and bringing the product to market. Anything you can share around those challenges and how

[00:11:43] you overcome them? Absolutely. I smirk or chuckle at that question because it's been quite the

[00:11:53] challenge for a number of years. It wasn't really clear if it was possible. I don't have a

[00:12:00] textile background and so I came into that pretty blindly. When you go to an extruder of polyester

[00:12:08] and nylon or really any material that's used in knitting a fabrics telling them that you want

[00:12:15] to add a mineral matrix is like a contaminant. Their machines are designed with filters and screens

[00:12:22] to eliminate any kind of particulates. You're basically adding dirt minerals into their system

[00:12:32] and it's incredibly abrasive and corrosive and we lost some accounts in the beginning by not

[00:12:40] being able to deliver the goods so to speak. It took really just some great partners at the

[00:12:48] supply chain level and partnering with brands that were committed to help drive and pull through

[00:12:52] the product and also just improving the technology of grinding and getting the particles smaller

[00:13:00] and smaller and being able to disperse them. The average particle size is around one micron which

[00:13:08] is about 100th of a thickness of a human hair just to give you an idea of the scale.

[00:13:13] Those challenges at one point seem insurmountable but we were able to really get enough efficiency and

[00:13:22] improvement to deliver a product. That was really a huge turning point in milestone in our

[00:13:28] company's history. I'm not sure how much you'll be able to share with me today but if we dare

[00:13:35] to look ahead into the future, how do you envision the future of textiles evolving and other

[00:13:41] helps and wellness benefits that you might be exploring to further enhance these human experiences?

[00:13:48] Everyone is shouting from the rooftop, innovation and innovation and health and wellness

[00:13:56] to be able to really deliver something that is more than just words as been our mission.

[00:14:04] And especially in a post-COVID world where there's such an emphasis on maintaining our health

[00:14:12] and our quality of life and doing everything we can to support that. Most, if not all brands that are

[00:14:20] looking forward have been tasked with incorporating some type of health and wellness, mandate or innovation

[00:14:26] into their products. For us being at the leading edge of that and the forefront of showing the

[00:14:33] world what's possible in terms of what can be done just in your everyday life to harness really

[00:14:40] just the energy around you and convert that into a usable form or manner that can boost your

[00:14:49] performance and your recovery. I think that's really attractive to a lot of brands out there and

[00:14:57] when you look at the innovation in textiles, going back, there really hasn't been my sense. We

[00:15:04] invented synthetic fibers and nylon and polyester and a lot of the innovation has been around hand

[00:15:10] and feel and readability and moisture wicking and waterproof. And for us we're now trying to change

[00:15:18] the paradigm that instead of looking at what the performance of the material, the fabric,

[00:15:25] looking at the performance of yourself and with the explosion of wearable devices and this

[00:15:33] growing ability to look at your body's measurements in real time and quantified self-care.

[00:15:42] We see just a huge opportunity to show the world that we have a technology that you can

[00:15:49] measure and see in real time. If not see with your eyes, you can see with the results

[00:15:54] just the impact. And as we look forward, I think more and more companies will want to innovate

[00:16:02] that to actual benefits for the body. And for us, our mission is to just get to a place to a

[00:16:09] tipping point where unequivocally people agree that our product does what it says it does. And

[00:16:16] I think we're close. And you've had an incredibly inspiring career and I love everything that you've

[00:16:23] achieved here. And I suspect there'll be a lot of startup founders and business leaders listening

[00:16:27] all around the world at various stages of their own careers. So I was to ask you to look back.

[00:16:33] What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs and innovators that might be looking to

[00:16:37] following your footsteps make a meaningful impact in their own industries, especially for those

[00:16:42] working at the intersection of technology and wellness because it's incredibly tricky path to

[00:16:50] take and build with so many obstacles and tremendous dips and climbs. It's so much going on

[00:16:57] there, but what would you advise to that person that's listening to our conversation to?

[00:17:02] Well, I always hesitate to give advice without knowing the situation or the person

[00:17:08] and what they're facing. But I think something that you could agree or I would say is universally true

[00:17:17] is that the most important factor in the success of an entrepreneur and whatever endeavor

[00:17:24] they're undertaking is a clear and convincing understanding of themselves and their mission

[00:17:32] and what they're trying to do. And if you've been at it as long as I have, that can change over time

[00:17:40] and you want to make sure that you're always being true to who you are because it takes an incredible

[00:17:45] amount of energy and dedication the lift to really do something truly innovative when you have a

[00:17:54] sea of daughters and skeptics surrounding you requires an unflinching confidence in your vision

[00:18:01] and yourself. So I always encourage people to go into that process of self-discovery and self

[00:18:09] understanding and that's sometimes where the darkest shadows are and the biggest fear is when

[00:18:16] you can face those and really understand why you're doing what you're doing and come out the other

[00:18:20] side and you have all the confidence in the world to achieve what you're doing. And I really like

[00:18:27] the adage that I shouldn't say I like but I think it's very true we're most likely to give up

[00:18:34] one around the verge of success. So just stay with it and if you have that confidence and belief in

[00:18:41] yourself, I think you'll be very happy with the result. Fantastic advice. I can't thank you

[00:18:48] enough for sharing your story and your insights today but I'd like you to leave everyone listening

[00:18:53] with one final gift. And that is always a spot I guess to leave everyone listening with either

[00:18:58] a book that they'd recommend that they check out that we'll add to our Amazon Wishlist or

[00:19:03] a song that means something to you, it could be a power song or a guilty pleasure whatever it might

[00:19:08] be that will add to our Spotify playlist but what would you like to leave everyone listening with

[00:19:12] another one? Well Neil, I hope you'll forgive my hubris but I'm going to answer both.

[00:19:20] I would, the alchemist is just an all-time favorite of mine. I won't spoil it for those that

[00:19:27] haven't read it but for those that have no secrets within you and as far as a song when I'm

[00:19:37] struggling or not really sure what my mission is or if I'm on a long run training for a

[00:19:43] triathlon, I love my friend by Groove Armada. Oh great, a great track there. I love that.

[00:19:52] Great one for working out as well and also a great book so I'll get them both added to the

[00:19:57] Amazon Wishlist or the Spotify playlist. Obviously we've been talking a lot about the work that you're

[00:20:02] doing here. Now I will add a video so people can see it because I know this is an audio podcast

[00:20:07] but I'll add a video to the show notes and the blog posts that I will

[00:20:10] promote this episode with but for anyone listening just want me to dig a little bit deeper,

[00:20:15] find out more information about anything or even connect with you or your team. Where would you

[00:20:19] like to point everyone listening? Well I would encourage people to go to our website selling.com,

[00:20:26] c-e-l-l-a-n-t.com or look for us on LinkedIn, look for me on LinkedIn,

[00:20:31] Seth Kassden be happy to engage with anyone that reaches out.

[00:20:38] Well you really are a pioneer in textile innovation but creator of salient which is this

[00:20:43] fiber additive that increases blood flow and increases speed of recovery through infrared

[00:20:49] energy. Incredibly cool what you're doing here with the technology but I think what brings

[00:20:53] it all to life is your personal journey and how it transports your life and impacted your

[00:20:58] desire to help each other. One of the things that I always end every episode of this show is

[00:21:03] technology works best when it brings people together. I love what you're doing here with

[00:21:07] technology and how you're making a big difference so thanks for sharing your story today.

[00:21:11] Thanks for having me in the other, it's been a pleasure. So as we wrap up our conversation

[00:21:15] with Seth today I think it's clear that the horizon of textile technology is not just about

[00:21:21] aesthetic and durability but it is increasingly about health, wellness and recovery.

[00:21:29] And the journey of salient technology from a personal recovery aid to a major innovation

[00:21:35] embedded in the products of leading brands for me underscores this transformative shift in how

[00:21:40] we view textiles in our daily lives and that is why I invited Seth on the podcast today

[00:21:46] to share that story. And hopefully get everybody thinking differently about a future where every

[00:21:51] textile product could contribute positively to our health and wellbeing is not only innovative

[00:21:57] but also inspiring for me. As we continue to navigate a world where health and wellness are

[00:22:02] paramount the potential of technologies like salient to enhance our quality of life is immense

[00:22:07] and this is just one example that we're talking about here. So again Seth if you're listening

[00:22:13] back thank you for sharing your personal journey professional insights and leaving English with a

[00:22:18] great book and a killer tune too. And I invite you to join the conversation let me see a glimpse

[00:22:24] into the future where our environment works in harmony with our bodies and unlock its full potential.

[00:22:29] Let me know what you think of all this everything you've heard today. I'd love to hear your thoughts

[00:22:33] too and equally there's a space on here to come and join me on the podcast if you'd like but equally

[00:22:38] if you just like send me a quick message tech blog writer outlook.com twitter linked in instagram

[00:22:43] just at Neil C Hughes easy sky in the world to find but other than that it's time for me to prepare

[00:22:50] for tomorrow's guest yeah we're going to take a completely different topic tomorrow textiles

[00:22:54] today what will he be tomorrow well you're going to have to come back and join me one more time

[00:22:59] so thank you for listening today though and until next time don't be a stranger