Patagonia on the Forefront of a Chemical-Free Waterproof Discovery

Patagonia on the Forefront of a Chemical-Free Waterproof Discovery

"We look for better, cleaner, safer ways to do things,
we apply our own R&D and look for
brilliant companies to partner with."
- Rose Marcario, Patagonia CEO

Patagonia, an outdoor gear and clothing brand, has recently partnered with Switzerland-based textile firm Beyond Surface Technologies to invest in finding a chemical-free solution to waterproof their outerwear.



While current research is underway to discover an eco-friendly alternative, C8 fluorocarbons have been the long standing nasty "ingredient" in making Patagonia's activewear (along with many other outdoor apparel brands) so effective in withstanding fluctuating outdoor conditions. When combined with the garment's fiber these harsh chemicals bind together to form a water-repellent barrier. Despite the durable result though, these chemicals are so toxic to the environment that "governments around the globe [have] advised chemical companies to stop making C8" (Fitzgerald, Le Souk) which is what sparked Patagonia to take action in finding a substitute approach. Patagonia has experimented with many different water resistant finishes, but through several trials have yet to find one that performs as well as its C8 chemical counterpart. However, giving up on this research is not an option for Patagonia and their "financial and ethical committment to Beyond Surface Technologies" is a testament to the integrity of their brand. In a statement given by BST's CEO Matthias Foessel on the subject, "Patagonia's investment gives us the opportunity to accelerate testing and reduce time to market for our pipeline of ground-breaking new treatments for the entire apparel industry...benefiting the environment and enhancing product performance." What's really outstanding is Patagonia's intentions to "share any breakthroughs BST may produce with the entire outdoor industry in order to amplify the environmental impact to the greatest extent possible" (Fitzgerald, Le Souk). We truly admire Patagonia's strong investment in discovering a chemical-free solution for waterproofing its active wear and praise their commitment in helping advance the apparel industry's approach to sustainability along the way!

We credit the following source for helping guide the inspiration of our blog content this week:
Patagonia Invests In Chemical-Free Waterproof Textiles by Benjamin Fitzgerald for Le Souk Magazine

Posted by RxOrganics