Down Decor uses lipids to add water repellency to down
12/08/2014
“We’re acutely aware of the irony,” said Down Decor principal Andy Payne. “In nature, the fats and oils found on geese and ducks is what keeps them dry. Those fats and oils are almost entirely removed during the washing process.
“For DownTek Zero, we’re using triglycerides similar to those same fats and oils to reintroduce water resistance back to the down.”
The lipids result from water-fowl production, aerosolized to nano-sized particulates, which answers ”a difficult manufacturing challenge” regarding their disposal.
Payne admitted DownTek Zero is not as water-repellent as original DownTek. “While it is true that fluorocarbons perform better than a natural solution, DownTek Zero has been shown in independent testing to outperform untreated down by a factor of 10."
DownTek Zero is expected to fulfil the needs of brands that are seeking to eliminate PFCs in their garments.
“Europe is leading the movement away from PFCs in DWR treatments,” said Down Decor founder Daniel Guigui. “We expect to see our European brand partners have a great deal of enthusiasm towards DownTek Zero.”
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