Shows Excellent Results in Regard to Abrasion Resistance
ecorepel® – the environmentally sound water and mud repelling high- tech finish from Schoeller Technology is cited as a positive alternative in the Greenpeace Outdoor Report, as it is free from fluorocarbons, biodegradable (in accordance with OECD 302 B (80 – 100%), passes the OEKO-TEX® – Standard 100 test and complies with bluesign®. Furthermore, ecorepel® shows outstanding performance in regard to abrasion resistance. Greenpeace calls on textile manufacturers to replace hazardous production chemicals with harmless alternatives. ecorepel® offers modern and clean water repellence inspired by nature.
ecorepel® offers high performance water and mud repellence and is based on long, biodegradable paraffin chains that wrap themselves as a spiral around the individual fibers, filaments or yarns in a very fine film. This reduces surface tension so that water droplets and even mud with significantly higher surface tension run off simply. What makes ecorepel® the right choice is not only its environmentally friendly aspect, but also its outstanding performance. In internal tests, ecorepel® has been compared against other textiles finishes (with and without perfluorinated compounds). The results are excellent; beside the high performance in water repellence ecorepel® shows best results in regard to abrasion and chafing. The possible uses for ecorepel® are wide-ranging. Applications on various fiber types such as wool, cotton and synthetic fibers have already tested successfully. Its effectiveness on fabrics like denim, soft-shell and fleece has also been proven.
Schoeller’s sustainable DWR ecorepel® has won the renowned OutDoor Industry Award 2013 in Friedrichshafen in the category “products of high ecological and sustainable value”. What impressed the Jury of this year’s OutDoor is the combination of exemplary environmental safety and uncompromising performance. ecorepel® ’s success at the fair confirms the rising expectations of the community for sustainable outdoor apparel. The discussions around fluorocarbons (PFC’s) have gained attention through the publication of the Greenpeace study in October 2012, making the public aware of these non-degradable compounds. ecorepel® resigns the use of fluorocarbons that have commonly been considered essential for DWR, and instead works with eco-friendly paraffin. Similar to a thin layer of wax, the long paraffin chains wrap themselves around individual fibers, thereby reducing their surface tension so that water droplets and even mud with significantly higher surface tension run off simply. ecorepel® contains neither PFOA nor PFOS and is biodegradable. Nevertheless, the finish shows excellent test results in terms of wash permanency and resistance to abrasion. The factthat ecorepel® has now won the OutDoor Industry Award may well be read as a trend-setting sign for the trade.
ecorepel® is a registered trademark of Schoeller Technologies AG, Switzerland
