Sustainable Water-Repellent Solutions for the Outdoor Textiles Market 2017

Water resistance is a fundamental function of any outdoor or sportswear garment to ensure the body stays dry. But, achieving this requirement has often resulted in the use of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) - often considered harmful due to the by-products they generate. Sportswear brands and performance textiles companies are therefore upping their efforts to replace PFCs with environmentally-friendly alternatives, with some research projects focusing on organic-based non-PFCs and nanotechnology-based methods.

Water resistance is a fundamental function of any outdoor or sportswear garment to ensure the body stays dry. But, achieving this requirement has often resulted in the use of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) - often considered harmful due to the by-products they generate. Sportswear brands and performance textiles companies are therefore upping their efforts to replace PFCs with environmentally-friendly alternatives, with some research projects focusing on organic-based non-PFCs and nanotechnology-based methods.

This report will examine the history of water repellency in outdoor textiles, and the properties of PFCs that deem them suitable for DWR fabrics. It will also analyse the hazardous effects of PFCs, including toxic pollutants, and the factors that cause them. Furthermore, focus will be placed on regulations which address the use of PFCs, and what these regulations could mean for the performance textiles market in future.

It will also discuss sustainable initiatives developed by environmental organisations, such as Greenpeace, that are supporting the PFC-free movement, and the approaches leading sportswear brands are taking to meet their environmental goals. In addition, the report will discuss consumer trends, stressing the importance of understanding who the target audience is that is interested in sustainable innovations.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive summary

2 Introduction

3 Water repellency and textiles - learning from nature

4 Evaluating repellency of different surfaces
4.1 Smooth surface
4.2 Rough surface

5 Water repellency in outdoor textiles, history and properties of PFCs

6 Hazardousness of PFCs

7 Regulations

8 Initiatives and support for elimination of PFCs

9 Brands Trends

10 Consumers Trends

11 Alternative solutions to hazardous PFCs
11.1 Short-chain fluorochemical-based substitutes
11.2 Non-PFCs organic based substitutes

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/gptt32/towards

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