The North Face materials

The North Face products are made with the help of advanced production technology, which allows the clothes to serve their purpose to the best extent.

DESCRIPTION OF TECHNOLOGIES:

• Goose down filling: All The North Face products use only the highest quality down from Hungarian geese, which is previously tested in three stages of production for moisture resistance, volume capacity and the ability to regain volume after compression. Down filling is an indicator of two very important properties of a garment: warmth-to-weight ratio and compressibility.

• Primaloft® is the ideal material for fast movement with minimal weight. Thanks to good compressibility and softness in an ultra-lightweight pack, it's ideal for fast-paced adventures where reduced weight is key.

• ThermoBall™ is a new synthetic alternative to down. Thermoball™ insulation is compressible just like down. Small air pockets trap and retain heat, providing effective insulation even when the material gets wet.

• DryVent™ 2L is a two-layer waterproof and breathable material created from a polyurethane (PU) coating. And the mesh lining adds durability and comfort by physically separating the DryVent™ 2L PU coating from the skin.

• DryVent™ 3L is the three-layer best waterproof and breathable material of The North Face clothing. It maintains its impermeability even in the worst weather conditions. Its multi-layer membrane allows sweat to pass through the material, ensuring you stay dry and comfortable and warm.

• GORE-TEX® : clothing created with GORE-TEX® technology is permanently waterproof and windproof and optimally breathable. Durable products that increase the protection and comfort of the user. The two-layer construction used in GORE-TEX® products is created for a wide range of outdoor activities. The specific GORE-TEX® membrane is connected to the outer material and protected from the inside by a separate layer, which ensures greater comfort and versatility.

• Polartec® Classic is a warm and light material, it breathes very well and dries quickly. It is very durable and can be washed in the washing machine.

• FlashDry™ technology is innovative material that includes micro-porous additives, only these improve moisture and temperature regulation. In this way, the clothes wick away excess sweat more easily during your toughest endeavors, speed up drying time, and perform perfectly in a variety of weather conditions.

Patagonia materials

Patagonia the products are made with the help of advanced production technology, where they try to make the products as durable as possible and at the same time offer you great comfort in use.

DESCRIPTION OF TECHNOLOGIES:

• Hemp fabric: Hemp is a natural fiber that is grown with a low impact on the environment. It does not require pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or genetically modified seeds. Growing hemp improves soil health by replenishing vital nutrients and preventing erosion. It is one of the most durable natural fibers on the planet and results in a fabric with a beautiful coat comparable to linen.
  Although the hemp used by Patagonia is not "certified organic," it is grown organically using all natural ingredients: compost, animal manure, and available rainfall. Patagonia makes clothing with 100% hemp or blends it with other fibers such as recycled polyester, organic cotton and spandex.
  
  
• Organic cotton: As a natural material that grows in the field, cotton is said to be "pure and natural". But in cultivation, they use a lot of agricultural chemicals, which pollutes the soil, water, air and many living things. In 1996, Patagonia began using exclusively organic cotton in all of our cotton products. As it turned out, the shift didn't compromise quality. It provoked a fundamental change in our attitude towards agriculture. At first glance, conventionally grown cotton is difficult to distinguish from organically grown cotton. To ensure that we are purchasing organic cotton as defined by the USDA's National Organic Development Program, we need certificates issued by an authorized independent certification body.
  
  
• Recycled Nylon:
  Like polyester, nylon fiber is made from petroleum. Although Patagonia has been substituting non-recycled polyester for a recycled version for 20 years, it's only in the last five years that they've started swapping out non-recycled nylon for its recycled replacement. Nylon is more difficult to recycle than polyester. After many years of research, development and testing, they have finally found some recycled nylon fibers that are suitable for clothing and pass rigorous tests for processability and product quality.
  Some of the recycled nylon used by Patagonia comes from post-industrial waste fibers, yarn collected from the spinning mill, and waste from weaving mills that can be processed into reusable nylon fibers. Another recycled nylon is created anew from discarded industrial fishing nets.
  
  
• 100% recycled feathers: Recycled feathers are a mixture of goose and duck feathers with 600 or 700 fill obtained from pillows, bedding and other used items that cannot be recycled.
  
  
• Recycled Polyester: In 1993, Patagonia began making recycled polyester from bottles - the first sportswear manufacturer to turn trash into fleece. Today, they recycle used bottles, useless production waste and used clothes (including old Patagonia clothes) into polyester fibers to make clothes. Using recycled polyester reduces our dependence on oil as a source of raw materials. Limits discarded waste and thus extends the life of landfills and reduces toxic emissions from incinerators. It helps promote new streams for recycling polyester clothing that is no longer worn.
  
  
• HeiQ® provides permanent odor/freshness control: sweat itself is odorless - bacteria that metabolize fats and proteins in a moist, warm environment actually cause clothing to smell after prolonged use. HeiQ Fresh permanent odor control is harmless to your skin and body and will last the life of the garment. This technology will allow you to wear your garment a few times before you need to wash it. Save time, water and energy by doing less laundry. HeiQ Fresh is bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® approved.
• Capilene: Patagonia uses variations of this material for two reasons - to add extra warmth or to cool the skin on contact with the fabric. Capilene ® Baselayer gives you extra warmth. This technology is used to make layers of clothing that have contact with the skin in cold weather (baselayer). When you are active, your skin produces sweat despite the cold, but the Capilene ® Baselayer fabric quickly absorbs it from the skin, drying you out and keeping you warm. Cool Capilene® technology traps moisture, dries quickly and is designed to manage heat. It helps you feel comfortable in your clothes even during activities at higher temperatures.

• TENCEL® lyocell: TENCEL® is a brand of lyocell fibers derived from the pulp of trees grown on sustainably managed farms certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The wood pulp is dissolved in a non-toxic organic solvent. The solution is squeezed through tiny holes to form the fibers and the solvent is recycled in a closed loop process - over 99% of the solvent is recovered and reused. Patagonia ensures that the processing of TENCEL® lyocell fiber fabrics does not use harmful chemicals (such as formaldehyde) that are sometimes used to finish this type of fabric. TENCEL lyocell can be used instead of other regenerated cellulose fibers such as viscose rayon. The advantages of using TENCEL lyocell include the traceable and sustainable origin of wood pulp and the use of non-toxic chemicals and solvents in the fiber processing. In addition, LENCEL TENCEL is a high tenacity cellulose fiber that gives the fabric high tenacity properties.
  
  
• Recycled Cotton: All too often, the life of a cotton garment ends in a landfill. Growing, spinning and weaving leads to sewing, which leads to use, which eventually leads to landfill.
  Thanks to a partnership with the TAL Group, one of the largest clothing manufacturers in the world, Patagonia has been able to take cotton consumption and spin it closer to the elusive closed loop. Since 2011, the TAL Group has been saving cotton waste by washing the floors of its factories in China and Malaysia, saving hundreds of tons of usable cotton.
  These scraps are then recycled into fully functional fabrics. Basically, we can turn the scraps from 16 girls' cotton t-shirts into one recycled cotton t-shirt. If you consider the amount of work that has been done at the TAL group premises, this means a lot of saved resources.
  
  
• DWR water repellent coating: DWR (durable water repellent) fabric repels light rain and snow and reduces drying time. When DWR is used in conjunction with a waterproof/breathable barrier, the DWR prevents the outer fabric from becoming saturated, allowing the breathable barrier to do its job. Patagonia has long relied on perfluorinated compound (PFC) DWR, but due to the adverse environmental impacts, we diligently sought an alternative.
  
  
• H2No ™ performance standard: Patagonia uses controlled tests in a test lab to simulate the actual use of their clothing. They test the fabric's water resistance in three ways: they simulate light rain, long-lasting rain, and finally push water through the face of the fabric. Breathability is tested by measuring the fabric moisture transfer rate (MVTR). And they test durability by lining the fabrics with "Killer Wash". Killer Wash is Patagonia's wet flex and abrasion test that simulates years of use in wet conditions.
  If the fabric passes their rigorous tests, it achieves H2No ™ Performance Standard status. The H2No ™ Performance Standard is Patagonia's benchmark for waterproofness, breathability and durability. H2No ™ Performance Standard provides the highest level of long-term waterproof properties. These products undergo the most rigorous testing in the industry. H2No ™ performance standard for waterproof shell garments was 20,000 MM before and 10,000 MM after their Killer Wash test (according to JIS L 1092 B).
• H2No ™ Performance Standard double-layer fabrics are completely waterproof, windproof and breathable. They combine a water-repellent shell fabric with a waterproof/breathable membrane. They also have a Taffeta or mesh inner lining for added durability and next-to-skin comfort.
• 2.5-layer H2No ™ Performance Standard shell fabrics are waterproof, windproof, breathable and highly packable. They combine a water-repellent shell fabric with a waterproof/breathable membrane and protective barrier for the upper coat, allowing the garment to be constructed without the need for an inner lining fabric. A distinctive raised print layer is applied for reduced surface tension and increased moisture management.
• The H2No ™ Performance Standard three-layer fabrics are waterproof, windproof and breathable through an advanced combination of elements: a water-repellent shell fabric, a waterproof/breathable membrane and an ultralight knit lining. The entire fabric package is highly packed, comfortable next to the skin and built to withstand prolonged exposure in extreme environments.
  
  
• UPF fabric: Humans do not have natural protection (fur, hair, feathers, scales...), so we have to think of smart ways to protect ourselves from the sun. UPF-rated products offer built-in sun protection that doesn't wear off. To achieve sun protection, Patagonia takes a varied approach depending on the level of protection desired and the fabric used. Elements of the strategy can range from yarn selection, to fabric construction, to the use of special coatings (especially for light colors, which generally provide less protection).
  
  
• Fair Trade Certified : Workers who make Patagonia clothing earned an additional $1,000,000 from Fall 2014 to July 2017 through Patagonia's participation in the Fair Trade program. How it works: Patagonia pays a premium for every product that is Fair Trade ™ certified and bears the Patagonia label. The extra money goes directly to the factory workers and they decide how to spend it. But that's not all. The program also promotes worker health and safety as well as social and environmental compliance and encourages dialogue between workers and management. As of July 2017, the program has benefited more than 15,700 people who work in factories that make Patagonia clothing.
  
  
• Bluesign® Certified Fabric : Patagonia has been working with bluesign® technologies since 2000 to assess and reduce resource consumption in our materials supply chain and help us manage the chemicals, dyes and colors used in the process. Based in Switzerland, Bluesign® technologies work at every step of the textile supply chain to approve chemicals, processes, materials and products that are safe for the environment, safe for workers and safe for end customers. Every fabric approved by bluesign® offers the highest level of consumer safety by using methods and materials in its production that conserve resources and reduce the impact on people and the environment.
  
  
• PrimaLoft® Insulation: For warmth, compressibility and softness, Patagonia uses PrimaLoft® insulation in insulated garments. While the human body uses energy to stay warm, PrimaLoft® insulation uses a patented microfiber structure that helps the body retain heat and energy. The ultra-fine fibers of PrimaLoft® insulation form a tight collection of air pockets that draw heat away from the body and keep cool air outside. This ensures an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio. Usually, when the insulation gets wet it loses these air pockets and consequently its insulating properties. And PrimaLoft® ultra-thin fibers are waterproof, so your insulation stays drier and maintains its insulating properties. Fiber diameter directly affects softness. PrimaLoft® fibers are made to be very fine and mimic the softness of down. The ultra-thin fibers of the PrimaLoft® insulation mimic the compressibility of goose down, breathe and allow the transfer of moisture vapor through the fibers and away from the skin. PrimaLoft® has a variety of products to meet specific needs. PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation is a premium microfiber insulation that mimics the softness and flexibility of down. It is a compressible, breathable material and offers superior water repellency, so you stay dry, warm and comfortable even in extreme conditions. PrimaLoft® Silver Insulation Hi-Loft is constructed with two different fiber sizes for high thermal values ​​and incredible breathability. It is comfortable, durable and retains 85% of its insulation value even when wet. PrimaLoft® Silver Insulation Eco is made from 70% recycled polyester and provides superior thermal performance, water and wind resistance, compressibility and breathability. It uses recycled material to create highly breathable, thermally efficient, planet-friendly insulation. About 28 recycled bottles are used to make each kilogram of PrimaLoft® Silver Insulation Eco, which means about six bottles per garment.