Anyone who refuses to succumb to inclement weather lives by the adage: “There’s no such thing as bad weather; only unsuitable clothing.” Polartec®, a Milliken™ & Company brand, has taken this to heart and the material science company continues to innovate with ways for its partner brands to keep consumers comfortable and dry, come rain, sleet or snow.
Newest innovations enhance Polartec’s Power Shield—a bio-based fabric technology that set a new standard for sustainable weather protection when it was launched in 2022. The introduction signified Polartec’s continued pivot to source living matter substitutes for petroleum-based products while increasing the efficiency and performance of fabrics and materials.
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“At the center of Polartec Power Shield’s revolutionary functionality is a major advancement in membrane technology. The highly durable monolithic membrane is a barrier specifically engineered to be impermeable to outside weather, while transporting moisture vapor from skin-to-surface via molecular diffusion,” said Ramesh Kesh, senior vice president, research, sustainability and textile development at Milliken.
Building on that success are Polartec® Power Shield™ Pro and Power Shield™ RPM.
Power Shield Pro
Made for the “wet outdoors,” Polartec® Power Shield™ Pro is a planet-conscious weather protection shell fabric technology that is waterproof, breathable, windproof and highly durable. To be easier on the planet, it is made with plant-based Biolon™ nylon, which reduces reliance on fossil fuels and lowers carbon footprint by up to 50 percent compared with virgin Nylon-6,6, without impacting human food sources.
Polartec® Power Shield™ Pro is a highly durable, highly breathable non-PFAS monolithic membrane construction provides 20/20 breathable waterproof protection (20k mm water resistance (ISO 811)/20k g/m²/24hrs breathability (JIS L1099, B1). Its 48 percent plant-based content lowers carbon footprint by up to 50 percent, while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and also without impacting human food sources.
Brand adopters for Power Shield™ Pro include the: Snaefell Jacket from 66°North (named after the largest freestanding mountain in Iceland), PRO Rain Jacket from PEARL iZUMi, 3L Rain Jacket and Pant from Sun Day Red, and Adapt Multi Jacket from Santini, all enhancing their existing products.
As a specific example, 66°North Snæfell jacket’s overall design and qualities has already won it both the prestigious ISPO Outdoor Award and the Scandinavian Outdoor Award, and the updated fabric has made it more waterproof, breathable and sustainable. The updated fabric tests greater than 20,000 mm in the Hydrostatic Pressure Test for Waterproofness and 20,000 g/m2/24h Moisture Vapor Transmission Rating for Breathability. While remaining super soft to the touch, the jacket, available in both men’s and women’s silhouettes, still provides a tough barrier to outside rain and snow that is incorruptible over time.
Power Shield RPM
For runners, cyclists, golfers and other outdoor athletes who want to stay dry and comfortable during more high-intensity activities but refuse to sacrifice sustainability, Polartec has rolled out its stretchy Polartec® Power Shield™ RPM recycled weather protection fabric with high performance. This waterproof fabric offers high performance in all conditions, while its high breathability keeps users from overheating. This highly breathable and resilient membrane construction—available in recycled polyester or polyurethane monolithic membrane—provides high-stretch, 10/20 weather protection and comfort, meaning 10k mm water resistance (ISO 811)/20k g/m²/24hrs breathability (JIS L1099, B1).
To reduce impact on the planet and enable a circular process, Power Shield™ RPM uses 100 percent recycled polyester fiber content with styles containing the recycled polyester membrane.
The fabric enables wearers to stay dry and comfortable on their run, ride or route, while withstanding wear and tear for resilience. It reduces impact on the planet with its 100 percent recycled fiber content, and it is made to enable circular processes on styles using the recycled polyester membrane.
Brand adopters for Power Shield RPM include: MAGIC Jacket from Santini, Ultra Rain Cape from Castelli. Specifically, the new MAGIC rain jacket by Santini with Polartec® Power Shield™ RPM includes a recycled 2-layer polyester fabric that revolutionizes weather protection by offering best-in-class waterproofness and breathability, as well as high-stretch comfort and resilience. Completely thermo-sealed and wear resistant, Santini MAGIC is also extremely light, with the fabric weighing only 100 g/m². A size M is just 155 grams, making it perfectly portable.
Click links for more information on Polartec Power Shield Pro and Power Shield RPM.
