DURABILITY

Durable, long lasting performance is the foundation of all Pertex fabrics and is never a point of compromise. From tear strength and abrasion resistance to water repellency and air permeability, our fabrics are subjected to rigorous lab-testing, ensuring that each of them meets the Pertex performance specification. A garment made using durable fabrics has an extended useful live, which maximises the value gained from the materials used in its production.

Our Diamond Fuse Technology was specifically developed to increase the durability and abrasion resistance of Pertex fabrics. Fabrics with Diamond Fuse Technology have 2X the abrasion resistance of comparable fabrics.

Another of our shaped filament innovations, Y Fuse Technology, further increases durability by providing a highly stable construction which remains so over extended periods of washing and use.

RECYCLED CONTENT

As part of our aim to reduce our reliance on virgin fossil-fuel based resources, wherever possible we are moving our fabric to recycled content. We use both recycled nylon and recycled polyester, most of the recycled nylon that we use is sourced from post-industrial waste. The recycled polyester content that we use is currently sourced from post-consumer waste, specifically mechanically recycled PET bottles. Using recycled content not only provides a use for waste material, it also reduces CO2 emissions compared with using virgin content.

For 2020, 54% of Pertex fabrics use a minimum of 50% recycled content. Our aim is to reach 80% of Pertex fabrics with a minimum of 50% recycled content by 2022.

Going forward we are looking at incorporating other waste nylon and polyester streams into our fabrics, including chemically recycled polyester and post-consumer nylon waste.

RESPONSIBLE CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT

We are committed to responsible chemicals management and have been a longstanding partner in the Bluesign® System, an organisation that sets standards and controls for environmentally friendly and safe fabric production. Our partnership helps to ensure that we eliminate potentially harmful chemicals from our entire supply chain.

Durable water repellent (DWR) finishes applied to fabrics cause water droplets to bead up and roll off their surface. This prevents the fabric from ‘wetting out’ affecting its performance, which can be dangerous in extreme environments. Fluorinated finishes are widely understood to be the most effective DWR finishes. These are based on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and are able to repel water and oils for extended periods.

We recognise the concern regarding the release PFAS into the environment and the impact which they can cause because they do not break down. For over 10 years we have been investing significant research and development into new high performance non-fluorinated DWR finishes.

For 2020, 30% of Pertex fabrics use non-fluorinated DWR finishes.
We are working closely with our partners to completely eliminate fluorinated finishes from Pertex fabrics by 2022.

SOLUTION DYED TECHNOLOGY

Conventional bath dyeing of fabric is a highly water intensive process. For Spring 2022, we are introducing Pertex fabrics with Solution Dyed Technology which removes the need for this process.

Solution dying colours the polymer before it is spun into yarn. Providing a vibrant fabric with outstanding colour fastness. Pertex fabrics with Solution Dyed Technology use at least 50% less water than conventionally dyed fabrics.