WATER RESISTANCE IS a fundamental function of any outdoor or sportswear garment to ensure the body stays dry. This performance is usually achieved via durable water repellent (DWR) finishes that can be added to fabrics to make them water-resistant. The pores on the water-repellent fabric should remain open so it can 'breathe', making the garments comfortable to wear. Durability is also repeatedly emphasised as a necessary characteristic of these garments as these kinds of finishes usually wear off over time and retreatment (e.g. spray-on products for consumers to use) can sometimes be necessary. But, achieving this requirement has often resulted in the use of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) due to their superior water, oil and soil repellent abilities. PFASs - polyfluoroalkyl substances - are also used as this group of chemicals is closely related to PFCs. with both containing fluorine and carbon atoms.
展开▼
