Schoeller Technologies is launching a new fluorocarbon free textile finish which repels water at this weekend’s ISPO in Munich. The Swiss company, known for its innovative products, will exhibit its ecorepel finish for the first time at the Munich event which runs from 29 January until 1 February.

Visitors to the Schoeller Technologies booth at ISPO will hear how ecorepel biomimics the way ducks and other water fowl emerge from water with dry feathers.

“Isn’t it fascinating how ducks can dive under water and re-emerge with their feathers still dry? Ducks and all water fowl produce an oily secretion that makes their plumage repel water,” the Sevelen based company says.

“The textile finish ecorepel from Schoeller Technologies biomimics this natural impregnation water repellent function. ecorepel imitates this natural protection as a highly functional, odourless, high-tech finish.”

The water repellent eco finish is said to be based on long paraffin chains that wrap themselves spiral-like around individual fibres, filaments or yarns in a very fine film. This reduces surface tension so that water droplets and even mud with significantly higher surface tension simply run off. Schoeller says the breathability of the treated fabric is not affected and the handle remains pleasantly soft.

According to Schoeller, what makes ecorepel an ecological technology is that it consists of biodegradable paraffin chains that do not contain any fluorocarbons.

“ecorepel passes Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and complies with bluesign, the world’s most stringent textile production standard. ecorepel is a high-tech performance finish that does not negatively affect our environment, in its manufacture or its use,” Schoeller technologies said in an ISPO press release.

Schoeller Technologies is a subsidiary of Schoeller Textil AG and the holder of the intellectual property rights, including patents and trademarks for textile technologies developed by Schoeller Textil.