Invista’s New DuPont Teflon Fabric Protector Product Targets Industrial, Hospitality Markets

Uniform manufacturers and retailers will soon have another stain-fighting finish available to them, thanks to Invista, the licensed marketer of Teflon fabric protectors. Billed as the “toughest stain fighter to date,” Industrial Dual Action Teflon finish is designed to meet the needs of the workwear, career apparel, contract fabric and uniform rental markets.

“We recognized unique demands from people who encounter dirty work or career apparel as part of their daily jobs,” says Lisa Hardy, North American Effects Manager, Invista. “The product was designed to provide and easy way to help keep hard-working clothes resist stains these people encounter, from ketchup to motor oil.”

Products that resist and repel stains have been around for years, and several companies manufacture apparel using the technology. What is different here, however, is the product’s durability. “I don’t know of another product on the market today with the same industrial capability,” says Hardy. Industrial Dual Action Teflon finish shows good water and oil repellency results out to 50 industrial laundering cycles, which typically includes hotter wash temperatures, higher mechanical stress and stronger detergents.

For the most part, stain-fighting technology can be classified into three types of solutions: stain repellent; soil release; and dual action, a combination of the two. What’s the best product for your customer? The answer depends on the end users’ needs. Understanding a target customers’ stain-fighting requirements, as well as the differences among stain-resistant technologies, can help retailers, brands and manufacturers make smart and strategic decisions about developing and applying the most appropriate technology for the garment at hand.

Applied at the fabric level, Industrial Dual Action Teflon works as both a repellent and release stain agent. On the repel side, Industrial Dual Action Teflon works to lower the surface tension of the fabric. “Put simply, if you spill water, the water will bead up, without even leaving a wet mark” says Dr. Michelle Watkins, senior research engineer for Invista. In addition to water-based products, stain-repellent products also provide excellent protection against oil.

On the release side, the product allows laundry detergent to penetrate fiber and release stains. The technology was developed to fight stains that are ground into clothing and was, in fact, first developed to counteract the types of stains common to work wear, such as motor oil and cooking grease.

The introduction of Industrial Dual Action Teflon, expected to launch in the Fall, extends the DuPont Teflon product portfolio to seven, housed within four families of technology: repel, release, dual action and ultra release. Other DuPont Teflon protector products include Repel, High Performance Repel, Release, High Performance Release, Ultra Release and Advanced Dual Action.

While Invista markets a dual action product for the ready wear industry, Industrial Dual Action Teflon specifically targets the uniform market. “There are two segments of the market on which we are initially concentrating,” says Hardy. “The first is restaurants or hospitality settings where it is important to look good on the job, and the next is really dirty job professions in industrial settings.” Invista is also keeping a watchful eye on the school apparel and health care markets and sees potential for expansion into these arenas.

Hardy says that while the finish works best on garments constructed of 65 percent polyester and 35 percent cotton, Industrial Dual Action Teflon can be used on all fabric types.

Though it is being touted as a product that can withstand extreme temperature cycles, the greatest benefit is that the fabric protector can also remove stains at lower temperatures – as much as 20 degrees cooler than typical industrial laundering wash temperatures, also helping to lower energy costs. And there are additional cost-savings benefits: because garments don’t get as dirty as those not treated with the finish, they may not have to be laundered as often, according to Hardy. “This saves both energy and time for the busy home launderer and extends the life of the garment,” she says. Moreover, if workers are throwing away uniforms because they can’t get them clean, “then this is a product that companies will want to take a serious look at,” adds Hardy. Lastly, because clothing looks good longer, the need – and cost – for replacement uniforms also decreases.

Why not just put this dual action performance product on all garments, and eliminate the guess work for suppliers? There are several very good reasons why this would be unnecessary and even undesirable. First, and perhaps most important, is cost. Dual action products cost more, so it’s wasteful if you don’t need it. What will a typical fabric treated with Industrial Dual Action Teflon cost? That’s difficult to determine according to Hardy. “The durability of the product and type of product being used will determine price,” she says.

Secondly, in some occupations, a spotless look just isn’t expected. Athletes, for example, aren’t concerned with staying clean during a game, but they do want clean uniforms after a game or event. Here, a soil release product would be the better choice.

Finally, if your customer has specifically asked for a garment with wicking properties, Industrial Dual Action Teflon is not an option for you. “It’s an opposite science,” says Watkins. “The stain-repellency feature would counteract the moisture-management property.” Instead of absorbing sweat and wicking it away from the body, a garment treated with a stain repellent would cause sweat to bead up. The finish can, however, be used with other treatments commonly available today, including anti-microbial finishes and those offering winkle resistance. And both Hardy and Watkins stress that even without moisture management abilities, comfort is not compromised. “Wear test respondents have no complaints,” they add.

Lab testing to confirm results has taken place over the past two years, and a real-life wear test is in process. Patens are also pending for this new technology.

Visit www.teflon.invista.com to learn more.