Jacket fabric
Clothing is made from fabric, which is the material used to make the clothing. As one of the three elements of clothing, fabric can not only interpret the style and characteristics of clothing, but also directly affect the color and shape of clothing. From GORE-TEX to Snow Wolf and other domestically produced jackets, now everyone pays more attention to jackets and pants, but I believe that not many people understand the principles of this kind of waterproof and breathable clothing. Let’s learn about it together. These things are very complicated, and although there is a lot of information online, it is difficult to guarantee its authoritativeness. If you don’t see anything, please correct me so I don’t make mistakes.
First, copy a paragraph from Gore China’s website: Founded in 1958 in DELAWARE, USA, Gore & Associates (W.L.GORE & ASSOCIATE SINC.) has developed into a well-known high-tech multinational company. The multifunctional fabric invented and produced by Gore and named after the GORE-TEX® brand has been listed as one of the “100 Good American Products” by > magazine; since the Apollo spacecraft landed on the moon for the first time in 1969 Since then, astronauts have begun wearing spacesuits made of GORE-TEX fiber; Gore has been listed as one of the “100 Good American Products” by magazines for eight consecutive years; since the Apollo spacecraft launched in 1969 When they landed on the moon, astronauts began to wear spacesuits made of GORE-TEX fiber; Gore has been selected as one of the “100 Most Desirable American Companies” by > Magazine for eight consecutive years.
Since the invention of plastic and synthetic rubber, waterproofing has become an easy task, but waterproofing and breathability have always been an incompatible contradiction. Until the 1970s and 1980s, professional outdoor warriors were still wearing bulky rubber-coated raincoats. The pioneering feature of Gore-Tex is that it is both waterproof and breathable. Its core is a special synthetic material called expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE). Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is actually a very common chemical material. If you have seen plumbers repairing water pipes, they will use a white thing called raw material tape to wrap around the thread buckle to seal the water. , this raw material tape is polytetrafluoroethylene. Gore-Tex jackets are expensive, but polytetrafluoroethylene is not worth much. You will understand after seeing how a plumber uses raw material tape. PTFE materials have the following characteristics: low mechanical strength, but very good chemical stability, resistant to strong acids and alkalis, impermeable to water, but with certain moisture absorption and drainage properties. Of course the raw tape is not GTX. A special process is used to mechanically stretch the polytetrafluoroethylene film in both directions to change the microphysical properties of the film and form a network microporous structure. The polytetrafluoroethylene film becomes an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene film ( e-PTFE), and then tightly cover it with nylon fabric, which becomes a complete Gore-Tex fabric.
Because each micropore of the e-PTFE film is many, many times smaller than liquid water molecules (or agglomerated water molecules?) and 700 times larger than gaseous water molecules, rainwater cannot penetrate at all, but sweat can It is relatively easy to penetrate, and because its mesh-like microporous structure is irregular and multi-layered, it is difficult for air to circulate directly, so it is completely windproof. The indicators of Gore-Tex fabric are: water pressure resistance >10000mm water column, moisture permeability >6000g-8000g/m2.24h (that is, each square meter of fabric can transmit 6-8 kg of gaseous water every 24 hours). As mentioned before, PTFE This material has very good chemical stability, and it is said that the Gore-Tex fabric has been specially treated to prevent oil stains, so the chemical stability of GTX is very good and will not degrade no matter how many years it takes. However, the mechanical strength of the PTFE film is very low and must be protected. The outside is naturally protected by a base cloth. The difference in the inner protective layer is the so-called two-layer GTX and three-layer GTX.
Two layers of GTX are the base e-PTFE film, and then a lining is sewn inside the clothes as a protective layer to prevent the e-PTFE film from being directly exposed. The two-layer jacket feels like two layers. When we open the back, we see a lining similar to what we usually wear. The three-layer GTX is the protective layer of the base fabric e-PTFE film, that is, the protective layer is directly laminated on the e-PTFE film, so the lining can be omitted when making clothes. The three-layer jacket feels like a single layer. Open the back and you can see the bare silver-white mesh protective layer. In addition, there is a so-called two and a half layer (GORE-TEXPACLITE), which replaces the complete protective layer of three layers of GTX with uniform and fine embossed dots directly bonded to the e-PTFE film. Generally speaking, jackets and pants made of two-layer GTX fabric are softer and have more pockets inside. The three-layer structure is more monotonous and the fabric feels harder, but has slightly better breathability and lighter weight. Generally speaking, two-layered ones are more comfortable than three-layered ones. However, if you want to pursue functionality in harsh conditions, you must be willing to spend more money to buy a three-layer one. The starting point of the two-and-a-half-layer design is the pursuit of lightness, while also improving the breathability. As Gore-Tex becomes more and more popular in outdoor applications, Gore has developed a series of related products.
There are mainly the following categories:
1. XCR of GORE-TEX. This material is an improvement on the processing technology of e-PTFE membrane, which significantly improves the breathability (Gore claims a 25% improvement), but the waterproof and windproof performance has not changed, and now it ranges from professional MHW to less professional black yak , their high-end jacketsThe material is waterproof and breathable. I still don’t know whether it is Gore-Tex, but it seems that it doesn’t matter whether it is Gore-Tex or not. After all, the waterproof and breathable performance is the buying point, the name and brand are not important. In addition, you can also check the workmanship and accessories of the clothes. Gore-Tex clothing must use GoreTapeSeam (adhesive strip) designated by Gore. The density of the stitch length also has special requirements, it cannot be too sparse or too dense. There should be tiny holes in the black fiber of the mesh lining, and all zippers should be YKK. Most of the outdoor clothing sold in the US market now is Made in China. A Gore-Tex jacket sells for US$200-450 in the United States. Even in off-season clearance, the price is 120-250 US dollars. If you buy a Gore-Tex jacket worth 300 or 400 yuan, you can be sure that it is fake.
Maintenance methods
Method 1: The fabrics of jackets and soft-shell jackets are functional fabrics. These fabrics are often composite or laminated. Generally, there are two-layer lamination and three-layer lamination. No matter how many layers are attached, excessive tearing or the strong water pressure of the washing machine may cause the base fabric to separate and cause irreversible damage to the fabric. In addition, the reason why jackets and soft-shell jackets are fully waterproof is because the seams have been heat-pressed and waterproofed. The strong water pressure of the washing machine can also cause damage to the waterproofing process here.
Method 2: Soft-shell jackets are also waterproof. If there is some small dirt, just wipe it with a towel dipped in soapy water. Soft-shell jackets are often worn for a long time before they need to be washed. The dirtier fabric base of soft-shell jackets is made of chemical fiber. The material is also easy to remove stains. Soak it in neutral laundry detergent for about 20 minutes. Use it on dirty areas (it is not recommended to use a brush for soft shells to prevent the surface fibers from becoming rough). You can wipe it clean with a sponge. There is no need to twist it after cleaning. , just dry it on a clothes hanger. K5YZZ8E
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