Entire garments can now be protected from oil, alcohol and other liquid substances

Following the commissioning of its plasma pilot plant in September, P2i has been working with leading clothing companies and brands to put its super hydrophobic coating onto entire items of clothing from ties and handbags to suits and uniforms.

“We have been delighted by the interest from the fashion wear, industrial and military apparel industry in our ability to protect clothing from a range of liquids from red wine to engine oil,” commented P2i’s CEO, Quentin Compton-Bishop. “Since we commissioned our pilot plant we have had a constant stream of enquiries from manufacturers and designers asking us to plasma enhance different garments, footwear, accessories and fabrics. This in turn has generated a number of revenue opportunities with companies, some of them well-known global brands, aimed at getting exciting new products launched in their respective markets.”

P2i’s patented plasma process was originally developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the UK Ministry of Defence’s research laboratories, to protect the armed forces and emergency services personnel against chemical attacks. Applied by means of an energised gas or “plasma”, P2i’s proprietary super liquid repellent penetrates deep into fabrics and binds to fibre surfaces at the molecular level creating an invisible protective layer. The coating is so thin that even the finest and most delicate materials retain their look and feel, while providing protection against a range of liquids from oil to red wine.

“Leading fashion designers are telling us that consumers who have invested a lot of money in a piece of designer clothing don’t want to risk ruining it on their first night out,” stated P2i’s Technical Director and developer of the technology, Dr Stephen Coulson. “Our industrial and military collaborators similarly want to protect their customers and personnel from the hazards and spills of the work environment, while also reducing cleaning costs “.

These early successes mean that P2i is actively designing its next full-scale production facility where customers can carry out pre-launch production trials. It is also applying its expertise in scaling up plasma technology for commercial production to new surface finishes. “Companies aren’t just interested in repelling water, oils and alcohols,” said Dr Coulson, “they are also asking us about how materials can be made antimicrobial or to take out odours, for example, but without affecting the desirable underlying qualities of linen, silk or suede. They are also interested in our more environmentally-friendly processes, which use tiny amounts of chemicals compared with the processes of the traditional surface finishing industry.”