Polartec Launches Plant-Based Odor-Fighting Agent
Polartec’s latest innovation aims to help outdoor adventurers fight the funk.
The company this week announced the launch of Fresh Face, an odor reducer for fabric technologies that is natural, renewable and biodegradable. The plant-based deodorizing agent is made with botanical mint oil, providing a non-toxic alternative to conventional fabric fresheners.
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The innovation will debut this season across Polartec’s breathable, fast-drying Delta line of fabrics, which offer a cooling sensation through moisture wicking and dispersal. The odor-fighting technology was derived from a non-GMO mint oil plant extract harvested and distilled in Willamette, Ore. using a steam extraction process with minimal ecological impact. The process is Bluesign and Oeko-Tex Standard 100-certified, Polartec added.
The company also assessed the effectiveness of the mint-based fabric additive against its previous silver-based odor-control technology, analyzing their performance over six weeks. Garments were worn by testers throughout that time, followed by a comprehensive smell test, which was conducted to gauge Fresh Face’s ability to keep odors from becoming embedded. Researchers subsequently put the clothing through 50 wash cycles to simulate accelerated wear-and-tear. Afterward, it was reintroduced into everyday conditions for another six weeks.
“Fresh Face represents a significant breakthrough in our quest for sustainable textile solutions,” Polartec director of product management Karen Beattie said. “It is a natural, renewable, and biodegradable odor reducer that not only outperforms our existing technologies but also aligns with our commitment to environmental responsibility.” Fresh Face is currently being used across summer line products from 66°North, ThruDark, and a number of outdoor and active sports brands.
The textile solutions provider and its parent company, Milliken & Co., are known for performance fabrics with qualities like moisture-wicking, odor control, flame resistance, durable water repellency (DWR) and soil release, developed for the outdoor industry as well as workwear, military gear and medical use. In recent years, the company has kicked its eco-engineering efforts into high gear.
Earlier this year, Milliken became the first multi-market textile manufacturer in the U.S. to eliminate PFAS from its product lines, having begun the process of scrubbing the forever chemicals from its supply chain over three years ago. Its research lab developed a proprietary soil-repellent chemistry with analogous performance to standard PFAS-based solutions, allowing it to replace the compounds while continuing to serve existing clients.
Meanwhile, Polartec’s Power Shield weather protection fabric guards against the elements using a solution derived from non-GMO and non-human food consumption feedstocks. The PFAS-free DWR, used across its soft shell fabrics, allows for breathability while keeping water from getting through to a wearer’s skin.
As it broadens its bio-based offerings, Polartec is also deepening its commitment to U.S. manufacturing. Headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., Milliken announced last fall that it was investing $27.4 million into expanding operations in the state to add production lines that will increase capacity.
