Why All Your Jackets Are Going to Change: Ditching PFAS w/ Outdoor Research
GEAR:3022 Sep 2023

Why All Your Jackets Are Going to Change: Ditching PFAS w/ Outdoor Research

“PFAS” or “Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances” are a hot topic today, especially in the outdoor apparel world, where they’ve been used for decades, most notably in the “DWR” or Durable Water Repellant finishes that are applied to a lot of clothes these days. But that’s going to be coming to an end in the near future.

So, to learn more about why this matters and what it means for manufacturers and consumers alike, Luke Koppa sat down with Alex Lauver, the Senior Director of Materials, Innovation, and Sustainability at Outdoor Research.

They cover why PFAS have been so prevalent in technical apparel for so long; how their use in clothing is just the tip of the iceberg; their downsides and why we’re seeing this recent push to completely eliminate them; the challenges presented by coming up with PFAS-free alternatives; how this shift affects the entire apparel supply chain; how Outdoor Research has approached this transition and worked to stay ahead of the curve; and much more.

TOPICS & TIMES:

Alex’s background (3:41)

PFAS vs PFC (8:38)

How long these compounds have been in use (10:41)

Prevalence in the outdoor industry (17:21)

PFAS alternatives (25:28)

Regulatory aspects and timeline (34:08)

What’s next? (50:15)

Crashes and Close Calls (55:42)

RELATED LINKS:

Episode Sponsor: OpenSnow

Become a BLISTER+ Member

Blister Summit 2024

PFAS FAQs from Outdoor Research

CDC Factsheet on PFAS

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:

Off The Couch

Bikes & Big Ideas

Blister Podcast

CRAFTED

Happy Hour (for Blister Members)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(386)

Trends, Favorite Gear, and Most / Least Durable Products, with Eric Helmbrecht of Powder Hound AK

Trends, Favorite Gear, and Most / Least Durable Products, with Eric Helmbrecht of Powder Hound AK

Alaska is a place where your gear really needs to hold up. So we talk to Eric Helmbrecht, owner of Powder Hound Ski Shop in Girdwood Alaska, about the trends he’s seeing in skiing and snowboarding; th...

22 Mar 201955min

19/20 Apparel — Sustainability, New Tech, & the Death of Full-Zip Jackets??

19/20 Apparel — Sustainability, New Tech, & the Death of Full-Zip Jackets??

Blister editors Sam Shaheen, and Luke Koppa, talk about the enormous amount of new apparel that has arrived at our HQ over the past few weeks. Sam and Luke are both serious nerds when it comes to this...

15 Mar 201929min

Prior Snowboards & Skis, with Dominic Morin

Prior Snowboards & Skis, with Dominic Morin

We talk to Prior’s head snowboard and ski shaper, Dominic Morin, about the origins of Prior, their philosophy of ski and snowboard shaping, their craziest designs, their new shapes for 19/20, and the ...

9 Mar 201946min

Moment Skis 19/20 Lineup

Moment Skis 19/20 Lineup

We talk to Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, about next year’s lineup of skis; space movies; Ryan Gosling; Tyler Curle’s ski preferences; the “Google Bump”; and … more Ryan Gosling.TOPICS & TIMES:“Frees...

26 Feb 20191h 2min

New Skis from LINE, Nordica, 4FRNT, and J Skis + a Confession & Sneak Peek

New Skis from LINE, Nordica, 4FRNT, and J Skis + a Confession & Sneak Peek

Today we’re talking about a whole bunch of skis, including the new Line Outline and new Sir Francis Bacon; the new Nordica Enforcer 104 Free; the 4FRNT InThayne; and the J Skis Friend. We also talk a ...

18 Feb 201932min

2019 Outdoor Retailer / SIA Show Highlights

2019 Outdoor Retailer / SIA Show Highlights

The Outdoor Retailer / SIA show ended yesterday, so we sat down right after to debrief and discuss some of the most notable trends we saw, talk about the products we’re dying to try (and were most tem...

2 Feb 201935min

New Innovations in Bootfitting with Pulse Boot Lab

New Innovations in Bootfitting with Pulse Boot Lab

Are you one of the many people who have ever wished that your ski touring boots were a bit stiffer or more comfortable? Well then listen up, because the bootfitters at Pulse Boot Lab in Revelstoke hav...

25 Jan 201932min

New K2 Mindbender Skis

New K2 Mindbender Skis

We talk to K2 ski designer, Jed Yeiser, about the 13 new skis that make up K2’s brand new “Mindbender” series.TOPICS & TIMES:Background: the Mindbender series (2:55)The individual skis: Mindbender 85 ...

15 Jan 201944min

Populært innen Sport

fastlegen
rss-gukild-johaug
ballspark
fotballpodden-2
alt-fortalt
viaplay-motor-pod
rabona
tv-2-spiss-vinkel
unitedno
breaking-marathon-limits
united-we-podkast
fotballpreik
rotsekk-en-podcast-i-sort-hvitt
lopeprat
puckpodden
rss-aftenball
treningspodden
studio-a
liverpoolno-pausepraten
tv-2-hockeyprat