Fluorocarbon polymers are used to create water and/or oil barriers, for instance on high-performance outdoor wear.

The industry has been working towards safter durable water repellents for many years, in part spurred by Greenpeace’s 2012 report that prompted some brands to look at the chemistry more closely.

Archroma said “As a global leader in the area of repellency treatments, we have the responsibility to develop and produce products with the highest level of sustainability – economically and ecologically. 

“The price increase has become necessary to support the increasing regulatory and other costs, as well as ongoing investments that Archroma continuously makes in its own manufacturing technology and process, to produce fluorochemicals in the safest possible way for the consumer and the environment.”