发布时间：2008.5

摘要

Garments which are waterproof and breathable help to provide wearers with greater comfort. For consumers, comfort is an increasingly important consideration when buying performance apparel. For manufacturers, a garment which is both waterproof and breathable can often command a significant price premium. However, price differences have narrowed over the years as waterproof breathable garments have become more affordable than in the past. Waterproofness and moisture permeability are mutually contradictory. It has therefore proved to be a major challenge for manufacturers to produce a material which has both these properties. In the past, fabrics which offered protection from wind and rain did not breathe, and this made them uncomfortable to wear. But great strides have been made in waterproof breathable technology over the past 30 years.

USA-based W L Gore & Associates (Gore) has been given credit for giving birth to the performance outerwear segment and to the 3-layer approach to dressing for the outdoors. In 1976 it introduced Gore-Tex, a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) membrane, which revolutionised the waterproof apparel market. Since then, a myriad of functional alternatives to Gore-Tex have been introduced including Conduit from Mountain Hardwear, Entrant from Toray Industries, EPIC (Encapsulated Protection Inside Clothing) from Nextec, eVent from BHA Group, H2No Storm from Patagonia, Helly Tech from Helly Hansen, HyVent from The North Face, MemBrain and PreCip from Marmot, Omni-Tech from Columbia Sportswear, Pertex from Mitsui, Reflex from MacPac, Storm-FIT from Nike, Sympatex from Sympatex Technologies, and Triplepoint from Lowe Alpine. The introduction of new waterproof breathable fabrics has greatly increased the range of choice for consumers. It has also led to greater segmentation in the market, as technologies have been developed for specific end uses and weather conditions. Also, competition has intensified as new players have entered the marketplace and have challenged Gore-Tex’s domination. Such competition seems set to intensify in the future, leading to an increase in the tempo of innovation as companies scramble to raise comfort levels for those who pursue outdoor activities.

目录及图表

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

WATERPROOF BREATHABILITY IN PERFORMANCE APPAREL

Development of waterproof breathable constructions

Waterproofness

Water repellency

Breathability

TESTING STANDARDS FOR WATERPROOFNESS, WATER REPELLENCY AND BREATHABILITY

Waterproofness

WAYS OF ACHIEVING WATERPROOF BREATHABILITY

Fabric density

Waterproof breathable technologies

Water repellent finishes

APPLICATIONS OF WATERPROOF BREATHABLE MATERIALS

KEY PRODUCERS OF WATERPROOF BREATHABLE MATERIALS AND THEIR PRODUCTS

W L Gore & Associates: Gore-Tex

Gore-Tex Performance Shell

Gore-Tex Paclite Shell

Gore-Tex Soft Shell

Gore-Tex Pro Shell

Nextec Applications: EPIC

Sympatex Technologies: Sympatex

Awards

Mitsui & Co: Pertex

Pertex Endurance

Pertex Equilibrium

Eco-friendly fabrics

Lowe Alpine: Triplepoint

Toray industries: entrant

BHA Group: event

Marmot: MemBrain and Precip

MemBrain

PreCip

Award

Columbia Sportswear: Omni-Tech

Patagonia: H2No Storm

Helly Hansen: Helly Tech

MacPac: Reflex

The North Face: HyVent

Mountain Hardwear: Conduit

Nike: Storm-FIT

List of tables

Table 1: RET values and wear comfort

Table 2: Waterproof breathable garments: required resistance to water pressure in different rain conditions and selected applications

Table 3: Toray: active sport fabric specifications

List of figures

Figure 1: Waterproof breathable fabric

Figure 2: Cross-section of the EPIC waterproof breathable coating

Figure 3: Sympatex waterproof breathable membrane

Figure 4: Triplepoint waterproof breathable technology

Figure 5: Microporous structure of the Omni-Tech hydrophobic polyurethane membrane, magnified 5,000 times

Figure 6: Reflex waterproof breathable fabric technology

Figure 7: HyVent waterproof and breathable polyurethane coating

Figure 8: HyVent DT waterproof breathable 2.5-layer fabric