New fabric is a step forward in breathable weather protection, Polartec says
Fabric developer Polartec has launched a new air permeable laminate fabric, AirCore. The new fabric has a recycled face and back and is 100% free from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Polartec said a combination of air permeability and its nano-fibre membrane can keep wearers dry while maintaining windproof and water repellency functionality. Business manager for Polartec and senior vice-president at parent group Milliken & Company, Ramesh Kesh, said traditional waterproof-breathable membranes rely on moisture vapour diffusion. AirCore, though, uses “a highly engineered nanofibre membrane technology to enable controlled airflow”.
He said this construction actively pulls moisture and heat away from the body during intense aerobic activity. His colleague, Polartec’s director of product management, Karen Beattie, explained that this facilitates a continuous moisture vapour exchange, harnessing ambient airflow to deliver faster dry times, reduced clamminess and high levels of comfort, even during peak exertion.
Polartec has described AirCore as a lightweight material with a high level of stretch. It has calculated the fabric’s moisture vapour transmission rate at more than 25,000 grammes per square-metre per 24 hours. It has air permeability ranging from 0.4 to 1 cubic feet per minute.
“We are empowering people to embrace their most ambitious adventures,” Karen Beattie added. “This represents a bold step forward in breathable weather protection and is a concrete example of our commitment to creating performance fabrics that enable excellence while staying true to our values of environmental stewardship.”
