Remember when Gortex came out? A Portland start-up company says it has the next best thing
Green Theme International claims to have found a way to waterproof clothing without polluting the environment.
"It's a super green product, we have zero waste stream," said Martin Flora, the company's founder and CEO.
Here's how its technology works: Instead of washing the fabric in a bath of chemicals, which is the more common practice, GTI's system bonds chemicals directly to the fabric's fibers using pressure and heat.
"The current water repellent fabrics are just washed on the surface," explained Flora. "What we do is we take it and actually push it into the actually yarns."
It's a process, Flora said not only creates a better product, but also protects the environment. The chemicals won’t wash off over time and the process doesn't generate any waste water.
"We're able to deliver a waste-free fabric treatment process," Flora said. "It is the next generation of what to expect from your clothing."
Currently the Marmot brand is using the technology on some of its rain gear. But GTI is also in talks with several other outdoor clothing brands and fashion lines.