Down is an efficient, sustainable and excellent thermal insulation material. However, when the down is damp, its ability to keep warm will be significantly reduced. In order to solve this problem, ALLIED pioneered the first commercially available water-repellent down product in 2012.
Since then, ALLIED has been studying the properties of water-repellent down and exploring whether chemical treatment of down is the best way to solve the problem. Through years of research, ALLIED has made some significant discoveries. First of all, the main reason for the loss of fluffiness of down is not direct contact with water, but the high humidity environment. Second, traditional water-repellent down hinders its own drying. These findings prompted ALLIED to rethink how to effectively control humidity inside the product, which eventually led to the cooperation with FUZE Technologies and the birth of ExpeDRY.
"Traditional, chemically water-repellent down feathers perform well when in direct contact with water, but this direct contact with water is not common in actual use," said Matthew Betcher, creative director of ALLIED. "In fact, down is more susceptible to human sweat or external humidity. ExpeDRY uses a treatment mechanism that is completely different from traditional water repellent technologies to prevent moisture from invading the down, thereby effectively helping the wearer stay dry and warm."
ALLIED worked closely with FUZE Technologies to permanently bond gold particles to a single down to create an ExpeDRY. This humidity management solution outperforms any existing water-repellent down in practical applications with minimal environmental impact. It does not contain traditional chemical treatments and can be applied to any size or quality of down.
At present, ExpeDRY has been adopted by many top sports brands and technology brands around the world. By expanding production scale, ALLIED is now able to introduce ExpeDRY to the Chinese market, providing support for high-performance and high-end clothing.
ALLIED will present ExpeDRY to China at Booth F06 of Shanghai International functional textiles exhibition in August 6-7. Please visit the official website of ALLIED https://alliedfeather.com/info-room/events-shows make an appointment.
About ALLIED Feather + Down
Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Montebello, California, USA, ALLIED Feather + Down has been adhering to the concept of responsible procurement and sustainable processing for more than 30 years, while continuously promoting technological innovation in the field of thermal materials. As a family-run business, ALLIED has grown into a trusted and responsible supplier of down materials to the industry.
Through the creation of "Responsible Down Standard" (RDS) and TrackMyDown and other projects, ALLIED is not only committed to safeguarding animal welfare, but also actively fulfilling its environmental commitment. Today, as a family business, ALLIED has multiple production bases around the world, and continues to provide high quality down solutions for high-end brands in industries such as outdoor, fashion and high-end hotels.