Alternatives Assessment of Adhesives in PFAS-Free Waterproof-Breathable Fabrics

MS Environmental and Green Chemistry Capstone

Spring 2023

Dimpora's mission is to help outdoor enthusiasts enjoy nature without damaging it. Unfortunately, outdoor brands are faced with two unsatisfying alternatives: they can use fluorinated membranes, which are efficient in providing both breathability and waterproofness but are harmful. Alternatively, they can turn to fluorine-free membranes, but these membranes often perform well in only one aspect and not both simultaneously. To that end Dimpora is developing fully performant and damage-free membranes to the market that have equal, if not better, properties than the currently available ones. The goal of this capstone project was to promote Dimpora’s mission of reducing hazard in the outdoor apparel industry. Our study helped inform Dimpora’s choice in the adhesives they use to bind their membranes to the fabric. The capstone report provided the necessary technical information for Dimpora’s adhesive suppliers to rely on polyester-based adhesives and guidance on future research into safer alternatives. The results can be leveraged by other companies that use adhesives to make an informed decision about the overall hazard of their products. This capstone project is another step for industry to incorporate green chemistry techniques into their products to reduce environmental and human health hazard.

Project Partners:

Dimpora

SaferMade

ACS GCI

Patagonia

Eastman