PLAY PODCASTS
Nikwax & the Future of DWRs
Episode 76

Nikwax & the Future of DWRs

GEAR:30 · BLISTER

November 29, 201937m 4s

Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (sphinx.acast.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.

Show Notes

DWRs — or “Durable Water Repellent” coatings — play a huge role in the performance of your outdoor gear, and are used on nearly every waterproof garment on the market. But most DWRs are made with chemicals called PFCs, which can be harmful to you and the environment.

Nikwax, however, makes products intended to extend the lifespan of outdoor gear, and none of their specialized cleaning, conditioning, or waterproofing products have ever used PFCs. So we talked with Heidi Allen from Nikwax about how DWRs work; the dangers of PFCs; how the industry is attempting to shift away from PFCs; garment care; and more.

TOPICS & TIMES:

  • Heidi’s background growing up off-the-grid (1:00)
  • Durable Water Repellent (DWR) overview (2:54)
  • DWRs vs. Membranes? (6:50)
  • Hydrophobic vs. Oleophobic? (11:38)
  • Why do clean garments perform better? (17:15)
  • Alternatives to PFCs (19:06)
  • Environmental & transparency initiatives at Nikwax (27:01)
  • The future of DWRs (31:09)
  • Páramo (33:30)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.