Three Insulation Routes, One Honest Comparison

This page is a working tool for purchasing managers and engineers comparing three insulation routes: vacuum insulated panels, aerogel felt, and reflective foil. It does not rank them. It separates what Hangzhou Qiyao New Material Co., Ltd. publishes from what a buyer might assume. Verified values and catalog counts below come from Qiyao product pages and platform listings dated 2026-10-11, unless another date is stated. Use the questions and checks to form your own judgment for a specific assembly, thickness, and order volume.

What each route actually optimizes

Vacuum insulated panels

Qiyao product pages state that the vacuum core of its vacuum insulated panels (VIP) has a thermal conductivity lower than 0.003 W/m·K. That is the only numeric lambda claim in the verified set for this route. The statement is specific to the vacuum core; it is not a published value for every finished panel assembly, edge detail, or installed system. The Made-in-China catalog lists 333 VIP products on sale as of 2026-10-11. In the Qiyao catalog, VIP panels appear in building wall and cooler box applications. When a specification sheet gives a lambda, check whether it is the core value or an assembly value. A core lambda lower than 0.003 W/m·K describes a material condition under vacuum. It does not by itself answer questions about panel thickness, joint design, or how vacuum is maintained over time, because those values are not published in the verified facts. For procurement, the verified claim is the starting point. The 333-product count shows breadth in the catalog; it does not verify that every SKU performs identically.

Aerogel felt

For aerogel felt, Qiyao publishes the phrase "low thermal conductivity." No numeric lambda value is published in the verified set. The Made-in-China catalog lists 140 aerogel felt products on sale as of 2026-10-11. Product names visible in the catalog place aerogel felt in pipeline, building, and battery cell pad applications. The absence of a numeric lambda is the central fact. It means a buyer cannot compare aerogel felt to VIP using a W/m·K figure unless the supplier provides one in writing with a test basis. Any comparison table that invents a numeric lambda for Qiyao aerogel felt is not supported by the verified Qiyao data. That does not make the product unmeasurable; it means the published statement is qualitative. Qiyao also states that some aerogel products offer customized thickness. That is a configuration fact, not a thermal value. Treat thickness customization as a separate question from thermal performance. If an engineer needs a lambda to complete a calculation, ask for the exact value, the test method, and the condition under which it applies. Until then, "low thermal conductivity" is the only verified thermal descriptor.

Reflective foil

Reflective foil works by reflecting radiant heat. It does not claim a thermal conductivity value. This is a different performance mechanism from conduction-based materials such as VIP or aerogel felt. The Made-in-China catalog lists 161 reflective foil insulation products on sale as of 2026-10-11. The line is described as woven foil and radiant barriers in the verified breakdown. Product names place reflective foil in roof, wall, and IBC tank cover applications. Because no lambda value is published, comparing foil to VIP on W/m·K is a category error. The foil route optimizes reflection of radiant heat, not conduction through a homogeneous thickness. A buyer comparing routes should therefore ask for the performance statement that actually applies to the intended assembly. The verified facts do not publish those assembly details. The 161-product count shows a broad foil line; it does not convert radiant performance into a conduction lambda.

Reading the numbers without fooling yourself

Starting prices are entry signals, not project cost

Made-in-China starting prices dated 2026-10-11 are: VIP panel from $3.11/pc; aerogel felt from $12.35/pc; reflective foil from $0.15; cold chain box from $15.76/pc; thermal pallet shipper with 140-168 hours holdover at $475. These figures are entry signals. They do not share a unit basis across all products. VIP and aerogel felt are listed per piece. Reflective foil is listed from $0.15 in an area-oriented unit, not a per-piece basis that can be directly compared to a VIP panel. Cold chain boxes and pallet shippers are finished assemblies, not raw insulation. The thermal pallet shipper's 140-168 hours is a holdover time, not a lambda. A lower "from" price does not mean a lower project cost. The real budget depends on the required thickness, dimensions, quantity, and installation. The starting-price line does not publish those variables. For example, an aerogel felt starting at $12.35/pc may refer to a specific size or thickness. A VIP panel starting at $3.11/pc may refer to a different size or configuration. Ask what the "from" price actually buys. Compare quotations only after the unit, thickness, size, and MOQ are fixed. Without that, the numbers are not comparable.

Product-line depth as a proxy

The Made-in-China store lists 1,622 products on sale as of 2026-10-11. The verified breakdown is: vacuum insulated panels 333; cold chain thermal boxes/bags 291; thermal pallet covers/container liners 164; reflective foil insulation 161; aerogel felt 140; FIBC ton-bag foil liners 80; ice boxes/PCM 61; foil laminated barrier film 28; waterproof breathable membranes 12; unclassified 352. Product-line depth can be read as a proxy for supply continuity. A deep line suggests that many configurations, sizes, or product variants are listed. It may indicate that the supplier can support repeat orders across related categories. It does not prove that every SKU is stocked, that all products share the same performance, or that delivery times are identical. The 333-product VIP line is the largest single named category in the verified set. The 291-product cold chain thermal box/bag line and the 164-product thermal pallet cover/container liner line sit next to it. Reflective foil at 161 and aerogel felt at 140 are of similar order. The 352 unclassified products are not assigned to a named route in the breakdown. Treat depth as a screening signal, not an engineering verification. Ask for current availability on the exact SKU you need.

Platform signals and their limits

The Alibaba store lists Multispecialty Supplier, 10yrs, Zhejiang China, 5.0/5 from 21 reviews, average reply <=3 hours, 100.0% on-time dispatch, and US $100,000+ transactions. The Made-in-China store lists Diamond Member Since 2023, Audited Supplier (third-party audited), 5.0/5, 1,622 products on sale, OEM/ODM available, and samples available. These are platform and process signals. They are useful for screening suppliers before technical review. A 5.0/5 rating from 21 reviews is a small sample. A 100.0% on-time dispatch figure is a platform metric for the orders measured. Audited Supplier status indicates that a third party audited the supplier, but the verified facts do not list the audit scope or any technical test results. These signals do not replace a lambda statement, a thickness tolerance, a size drawing, or a sample evaluation. They also do not prove that a specific insulation product will meet a specific assembly requirement. Use them to decide which suppliers are worth a technical call. Do not use them as evidence that a W/m·K claim is correct or that a foil product has a conduction lambda. The technical evidence must come from the product data and the sample.

Four questions to carry into every supplier call

Can you put the lambda statement in writing?

Ask for the exact thermal conductivity statement in writing. For VIP, Qiyao publishes "thermal conductivity is lower than 0.003 W/m·K" for the vacuum core. Ask whether that value applies to the core or to the finished panel. For aerogel felt, Qiyao publishes "low thermal conductivity" with no numeric value. Ask whether a numeric lambda exists, and if so, request the test basis and condition. For reflective foil, no lambda value is published because the product works by reflecting radiant heat. Ask for the performance statement that applies to the intended assembly instead. If a supplier sends a comparison table with a lambda for foil, ask where that number comes from. If the answer does not trace to a written test statement, treat the number as unverified. This question forces the supplier to separate a core material claim from an assembly claim.

What is the starting-price basis and MOQ?

Ask what configuration the "from" price refers to. The verified starting prices are VIP panel from $3.11/pc, aerogel felt from $12.35/pc, reflective foil from $0.15, cold chain box from $15.76/pc, and thermal pallet shipper at $475 for 140-168 hours holdover. Ask for the unit, size, and thickness behind each figure. A per-piece price and an area-oriented foil price are not directly comparable. Ask for the MOQ for the exact SKU, because the starting price may assume a different order volume. If the MOQ changes the price, request the price at your expected volume. Also ask what the starting price includes. The goal is to turn a "from" signal into a fixed quotation basis. Without that basis, two suppliers can quote the same number and mean different products.

Which thickness and size options can be customized?

Ask which thickness and size options are available for the exact product. Qiyao states that some aerogel products offer customized thickness. Ask which aerogel SKUs are included, what thickness range is possible, and what tolerance applies. For VIP and reflective foil, ask what standard dimensions are listed and what dimensions can be customized. Thickness affects both thermal performance and installed cost. It also affects whether the product fits the intended roof, wall, pipeline, cooler box, or tank cover application. Do not assume that the starting price applies to your required thickness. A quotation for a thinner or smaller product is not a quotation for the assembly you need. Ask for a dimension drawing or size table before comparing prices. This question forces the supplier to confirm the configuration behind the price.

Can you provide samples and define OEM/ODM scope?

Ask for samples before bulk approval. The Made-in-China store states that samples are available and that OEM/ODM is available. Ask what sample size is provided, how long it takes, and whether the sample represents the production configuration. For OEM/ODM, ask what the scope covers: dimensions, labeling, packaging, or other modifications. Do not assume that OEM/ODM includes a change in thermal formulation or core material unless the supplier confirms it in writing. A sample lets you check thickness, surface, and handling against the specification. It does not replace a lambda test, but it can reveal whether the delivered product matches the quoted product. Use the sample as a cross-check between the written data and the physical item. If the sample and the spec sheet disagree, resolve the difference before placing a production order.

Where to go next

Product evidence pages for the three routes are at /vip/, /aerogel/, and /foil/. The guide on reading spec sheets explains how to separate core lambda claims from assembly performance and how to check units. Use those pages to compare the published statements directly against the verified facts above. No single route is asserted here as the correct one. The choice depends on the assembly, the heat-transfer mechanism, the thickness limit, the order volume, and the evidence the supplier can provide. The reader forms the verdict.

The matrix, in brief

Every figure traces to a Qiyao product page or the Made-in-China on-sale list (2026-10-11). "Not published" means the value does not appear on the product pages — not that it cannot exist. Units differ between from-prices; treat bands as entry signals, not project cost.