Waterproof fabric
Summer is a rainy season. For people who love the outdoors, there are good and bad aspects. When you go hiking, you may encounter rain. If you continue climbing with an umbrella, it will inevitably cause a lot of inconvenience. Climbing a mountain is a very physically demanding exercise and will expel a lot of sweat, but the temperature on the mountain is too low to allow you to take off your clothes. How to solve this kind of title? In fact, people have begun to study this topic very early, that is, wearing a piece of clothing that is both waterproof and breathable (usually professionals often call it breathable fabric. This kind of breathability is not permeable to gases in the air, but permeable to the evaporation of sweat) steam, in fact the more professional term is moisture permeability).
Waterproof breathable fabric means that water cannot penetrate into the fabric under a certain pressure, and the sweat emitted by the human body can be transmitted to the outside world in the form of water vapor through the fabric, thereby preventing sweat from accumulating and condensing between the body surface and the fabric to keep the wearer comfortable. It is a functional fabric with high technology and unique characteristics. Waterproofing is not a difficulty for the fabric industry. The key is how to achieve both breathability and super windproofness. Below, we will give an in-depth explanation of new high-tech products from the perspective of waterproof, windproof and breathable fabric types.
1. Breathability is achieved through lamination (also called film, Lamination in English) and waterproof breathable film
1. PTFE film
The diameter of water vapor molecules is 0.0004 microns, the diameter of light mist in rainwater is 20 microns, and the diameter of drizzle is as high as 400 microns. If a film with a pore diameter between water vapor and rainwater can be made, it can be both waterproof and waterproof. Breathable. The American Gore Company became the first company to produce this film using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It was laminated with fabric and then named GORE-TEX (Gore-TEX™) film. After continuous efforts, it is laminated with other hydrophilic films to form a composite film, and special treatment is performed on the film to greatly improve its fastness. It is generally believed that the water pressure of this fabric can reach 10,000mm, and the water pressure will drop significantly after washing 6-7 times; the air permeability can reach 10,000g/sqm*24hrs, but it is not possible to reach this value just after it is made. After several times of washing, part of the glue is washed away, and the available pores are increased and the air permeability is increased. At the same time, the clothing made of this fabric can also block the intrusion of cold wind and prevent the wind from taking away the heat emitted by the body through the fabric, making the body more comfortable. No windchill due to heat loss; in addition, the fabric can resist 97.5% of ultraviolet rays.
Tips. I am not allergic to water pressure or air permeability (also called moisture permeability). Some manufacturers claim that they can withstand water pressure of 20,000mm and moisture permeability of 20,000g/spm*24hrs. In fact, each country has its own testing standards. China is GB. Japan is JIS and the United States is ASTM. In fact, most fabrics sold in China are only 5,000, 5,000, and high-end ones are only 8,000, 8,000. The Reison jacket I bought at Yangfan this time is said to cost 5,000, 5,000. Although it is not high-end, it is cheap
PTFE fabrics are currently mainly represented by Gore and Donaldson in the United States. Gore produces and laminates its own films and does not sell films separately. It designates better clothing manufacturers to make clothing and has separate sales staff to cooperate with them. After Gore produced the unique waterproof, windproof and breathable fabric, it can be said to have written a myth in the outdoor field. It was known as the “Century Fabric” in Europe and the United States, and the clothing, shoes, hats, and gloves made of it have been used for many years. It has been protecting American astronauts and countless explorers for a long time. The military forces of Germany, France, Nordic countries, South Korea, Singapore and other countries have also partially adopted this fabric. It was listed as one of the top 100 American products by Fortune magazine. Almost all the top outdoor clothing brands use GORE-TEX (Gore-TexTM) fabrics to provide comprehensive protection for outdoor sports enthusiasts and enable them to fully enjoy the fun of outdoor sports. Among them, the brands that are familiar to Chinese consumers There are: Arc’Teryx, TheNorthFace, BlackYak, Ozark, Bonton, Garmont, ArcticFox, Nautica, Timberland, Tecnica, Vasque, Treksta, etc. In recent years, Gore has made continuous efforts to accurately position the different functions and practicalities of GORE-TEX fabrics and developed four categories that can meet the needs of different outdoor sports: GORE- TEXProShell, GORE-TEXPerformanceShell, GORE-TEXSoftShell and GORE-TEXPacliteShell have established their absolute position in the functional fabric industry; Donaldson only produces films and does lamination at Japanese lamination manufacturers.
There is also a company in China that makes PTFE film fabrics called DENTIK. DENTIK fabric is developed and produced by the domestic company DENTIK. Its waterproof and breathable principle is basically the same as GORETEX fabric. They both use PTFE microporous membrane material. The membrane has many microporous structures, with more than 1 billion holes per square centimeter, and the opening rate is Up to 80%, the pore size is 700 times larger than water vapor molecules, sweat can pass through; the pore size is about 10,000 times smaller than water droplets, liquid water cannot pass through. In this way, DENITK fabric can not only allow the human body to naturally discharge sweat, but also resist the entry of wind, rain and cold current, especially in harsh climate environments, keeping the human body dry and comfortable.
Tips. But after all, it is a domestic enterprise, and the technology is not very mature. I heard from some of their customers that sometimes their fabrics will leak when they do waterproof tests. It seems that there are still some problems with the film technology. Of course, they are used in the market. Clothes sold with fabrics generally do not leak, and professional clothing factories have generally tested them. Shanghai weekThe method of making holes allows sweat to be discharged from the body, which is the moisture-absorbent and sweat-wicking fabric currently on the market.
{:soso_e100:}Tips: The difference between waterproof and water-repellent:
Waterproof, English waterproof/waterresistant, abbreviated as W/P, generally refers to making a rubber base on the bottom of the fabric, which is divided into two types: coating and lamination. This is true waterproofing.
Water repellent, also called water repellent, English waterrepellent, abbreviated as W/R, is generally a layer of coating applied on the surface of the fabric to prevent water droplets from penetrating into the fabric surface easily, and generally water droplets will be formed on the fabric surface (like Like lotus leaves). But it is not really waterproof, water will still seep inside if it stays for a long time. Fabrics treated with W/R will fail due to washing and long-term use. Even Gore-Tex W/R is only more durable than ordinary W/R.
Ps. Regardless of Gore-tex, DIAPLEX, Sympatex, or domestic factories invested and opened by Taiwanese, in fact the surface fabrics are all made in China, except for Gore-tex, Diaplex, Sympatex’s PTFE, and high-end PU films. The Chinese cannot master the same quality technology, so Gore-tex films are produced in the United States, imported to China, and laminated in Chinese factories. Japan’s Diaplex first imports fabrics from China, produces films in Japan, and When it comes to fit and sold everywhere, sympatex uses similar methods to diaplex. bw7we5vf0d
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