Waterproof fabric
If you need to stay completely dry in driving rain or snow, your best option is to wear a properly designed garment made from waterproof breathable fabric.
The conventional waterproofing treatments work by covering the pores with a layer of polymer or a membrane. Covering is a general term referring to applying one or more layers of adherent polymeric products on one or both sides of a textile material. The liquid can not pass the fabric because the film of polymeric material is formed on the surface of the textile. That means waterproof materials are generally obtained using surface finishing treatments.
Water-repellent fabric
Water-repellent fabric usually resist wetting when worn in intermittent rain, but this fabric does not provide adequate protection against driving rain. So it does not like waterproof materials, water-repellent textiles have open pores making them permeable to air, water vapor, and liquid water (at high hydrostatic pressure). To obtain a water-repellent fabric, a hydrophobic material is applied to the fiber surface. As a result of this procedure, the fabric remains porous, allowing air and water vapor to pass through. A downside is that in extreme weather conditions, the fabric leaks.
The advantage of hydrophobic textiles is enhanced breathability. However, they offer less protection against water. Water-repellent fabrics are used mainly in conventional clothing or as an exterior layer of waterproof clothing. The hydrophobicity can be either permanent such as due to the application of water repellents, DWR. Of course, it could be temporary too.
Water-resistant fabric
The term “water resistance” describes the degree to which water droplets are able to wet and penetrate a fabric. Some people use the terms words, so they argue that water-resistant and waterproof are the same. Actually, This fabrics are in-between water-repellent and waterproof textiles. Water-resistant fabrics and clothes are supposed to keep you dry in moderate to heavy rain. So they provide better protection against rain and snow than water-repellent textiles.
Rain-resistant clothes are often made from tightly woven man-made fabrics such as (ripstop) polyester and nylon. Other densely woven fabrics such as taffeta and even cotton are also readily used for manufacturing water-resistant clothing and gear.
Applications of waterproof, water-resistant, and water-repellent textiles
Waterproof, water-resistant, and water-repellent fabrics are quite popular for manufacturing outdoor and indoor products. Unsurprisingly, the main use of such textiles is for clothing and gear (boots, backpacks, tents, sleeping bag covers, umbrellas, fasteners, ponchos) for outdoor activities like hiking, backpacking, winter sports, etc. They are also used for products used at home such as bed covers, bed sheets, pillow protectors, covers for garden chairs and tables, pet blankets, etc.
Fuzhou Huasheng Textile Co.,Ltd. is a qualified water-repellent fabrics supplier. If you want to know more product knowledge and purchase fabrics, please feel free to contact us.
Post time: Oct-26-2021