The latest study from W.L. Gore & Associates on durable water repellents (DWR) suggests that outdoor products made with non-fluorinated DWR may have a stronger impact on the environment than others made with fluorinated DWR, because users are more likely to be unsatisfied about the performance – and will thus wash and reapply DWR treatment more often, or even replace the jacket. The claims by the company behind Gore-Tex emanate from its third Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study, focusing on DWR treatment for functional outerwear. The company points out that it was conducted with input from third parties, such as the Institute for Environmental Research in the U.S. Gore says that currently-available non-fluorinated DWR treatments aren't optimal, because the outerwear quickly saturates with water, which increases the weight of the garment and causes discomfort. The consumer's use of after-market treatment to maintain repellency influences environmental impact more than the chemistry used to make DWR treatments, Gore says. Greenpeace has taken a booth at Ispo Munich this year and it will hold a press conference on Monday morning, which may well bring up other views on the environmental impact of fluorinated DWR treatment.

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