A dry January looks like a tough ask for some retailers

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With a blanket ban on the use of highly effective fluorine-based water and oil repellent finishes on textiles being proposed in Europe, retailers may find themselves out of pocket if sub-standard clothing regularly fails in harsh or extreme conditions. But science may be close to finding a suitable replacement.

Fluorine-free clothing can never be waterproof
More research is needed on the physiological impacts of outdoor clothes failing and wetting out.

Reports are coming back to the Ecotextile News news desk direct from the ski slopes of Europe – with unhappy tourists complaining about sub-standard outdoor clothing that’s leaving people wet, cold, and miserable.

The problem seems to be that PFAS-free waterproof and water-resistant outdoor apparel is simply not as durable and effective as is being claimed by many brands and fabric suppliers. Given the current range of PFAS-free durable water repellent (DWR) finishes will never be effective as the soon to be outlawed PFAS-treated garments – says the laws of physics – what does it mean for retailers, and maybe even the future of extreme outdoor pursuits?

 

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