This week we talk to Patagonia’s senior material developer, Pasha Whitmire, about how Patagonia designs, develops, and tests their technical fabrics; myths surrounding waterproof / breathable materials; why the future of fabric development lies in sustainability; the advantages and disadvantages of working with big names like Gore-Tex; and a whole lot more outerwear geekery.

TOPICS & TIMES:

• The “Killer Wash” and Patagonia’s other fabric tests (3:50)
• The relationship between fabric and garment (12:50)
• Waterproof laminates — 3L? 4L?? 5L?!?! (19:00)
• What comes first: concept or material? (22:43)
• Designing fabrics to be recycled (23:45)
• Gore-Tex — challenges and advantages of working with the fabric juggernaut (29:44)
• Biggest misconceptions about waterproof / breathable fabrics (34:52)
• Why the future of fabric tech is green (46:08)
• Other brands that Pasha is excited about (48:04)

Sam and Luke’s article on Outerwear Care

Outerwear 101

Outerwear 201

Information on Breathability Testing

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