Key takeaways

1. Sustainability pressures shifting DWR coatings – With increasing scrutiny of PFAS, a one-size-fits-all approach to textile water repellency is no longer viable. With increasing scrutiny on PFAS, companies are exploring shorter-chain chemistries or entirely PFC-free solutions for durable water repellency.
2. Lamoral adapts satellite technology for textiles – The Dutch company has leveraged its proprietary substrate anchoring system to create high-performance, PFAS-free water-repellent coatings with strong wash durability.
3. Expanding beyond outdoor apparel – Lamoral’s latest solutions are finding applications in swimwear, workwear and technical textiles, offering both water repellency and stain release capabilities.

Water repellency remains a key requirement across all kinds of textile products, with industrial and outdoor applications often demanding the highest-performing solutions. Nevertheless, sustainability pressures on the use of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has meant stakeholders in the industry – from brands through to ingredient providers – have had to critically evaluate their use of conventional durable water repellent (DWR) chemistries.

The circumstances have attracted innovation from players old and new, zeroing in on less persistent shorter chain