Technology and Materials Glossary
Technology and Materials Glossary
AT KATHMANDU, WE USE A WIDE RANGE OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND GROUND-BREAKING MATERIALS IN OUR OUTDOOR PRODUCTS. YOU’LL FIND THIS COMPREHENSIVE GLOSSARY ORGANISED ALPHABETICALLY FOR YOUR EASE OF USE.
B-DRY
There’s no denying that feet sweat and trails can get muddy. Oboz have created their own waterproof, breathable membrane which is designed to let sweat escape while keeping moisture out.
There aim is for your feet to stay dry in any conditions such as rain and wet grass.
Find out more about B-DRY.
BETTER COTTON PARTNERSHIP
Better Cotton is a non-profit that works to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment. Cotton fibres used in our Better Cotton products are sourced via a system of mass balance and therefore may not contain Better Cotton, but help smallholders, farm workers, and farming communities have a voice in their industry’s practices. To learn more about our partnership, visit our Better Cotton page.
BLOOM
As a way to help solve emerging problems with pollution in our environment, BLOOM™ was created as an alternative algae-based technology.
It’s a sustainable ingredient in flexible foams for high rebound applications such as shoes, sporting products and accessories.
Find out more about BLOOM – the world’s first algae biomass foam that also helps clean up waterways.
BLUESIGN
bluesign® is a system that provides solutions in sustainable processing and manufacturing to industries and brands. It encourages the textile industry to increase its efforts in sustainable processes, step by step.
bluesign aims to provide safer and more sustainable environments for people to work and live in. Products that meet the bluesign criteria:
- Have the highest degree of consumer safety
- Are manufactured with the lowest possible impact on people and the environment
- Ensure responsible use of resources
CIRCUITEX
Circuitex™ is a smart fibre technology that enables us to integrate electronics into our apparel. Currently it lines the pockets of a select few pieces of our travel clothing to help protect your passport or credit card information.
Circuitex fabric is lightweight and flexible – and can be incorporated into wearable garments so it’s almost invisible.
Find out more about Circuitex.
CORDURA
Cordura™ fabric is a highly durable nylon that we’ve utilised in some of our packs and apparel. It’s well recognised for its long-lasting durability and resistance to abrasion.
Products with Cordura are generally easy to care for.
Find out more about Cordura.
DOWNTEK
For insulation with loftier aspirations, choose a down product with DownTek™ that will:
- Repel water
- Maintain loft, temperature range and packability DownTek aims to shield insulating air-trapping down clusters from all things wet.
DRIMOTION
Our driMOTION fabric technology is designed to:
- Wick moisture
- Dry quickly
- Keep you feeling cool, fresh and comfortable
DRIRELEASE
A pioneer of textile technology, drirelease™ is part of the best performance fabrics and activewear in today’s marketplace. It’s what helps you move more comfortably – by wicking, drying, cooling and freshening.
drirelease pulls moisture away from your skin and dries fast. We’ve integrated it into a bunch of our travel and adaptable garments. In fact we have some history here, having won drirelease’s Summer 2017 Innovation Award.
Find out more about drirelease.
DRIRELEASE E.C.O (Environmentally Correct Origins)
An eco-friendly version of drirelease™ – E.C.O. – also pulls moisture away from your skin and dries fast. It won’t wash out, diminish over time or release harmful chemicals into the environment.
Find out more about drirelease E.C.O.
DURABLE WATER REPELLENCY (DWR)
Almost all our rainwear is treated with a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish. DWR encourages water to bead off the surface of your fabric, preventing precipitation from soaking it.
DWR does become less effective over time – due to dirt, abrasion, body oil and washing. However, you can revive your jacket’s performance easily at home.
EARTHCOLORS
EarthColors™ dyes are made from natural waste materials that can be traced back to their source – both their location and the type of waste. They’re a more environmentally friendly way of dying clothing.
We’re excited to be utilising these high performing, revolutionary dyes that are made from non-edible agricultural waste.
ECONYL
ECONYL is a nylon that’s 100 percent regenerated.
Aiming for no waste and no new resources, ECONYL’s regenerated nylon comes from landfill and ocean waste. It’s indefinitely recyclable making it a closed loop regeneration process.
Find out more about ECONYL.
ECOYA
Ecoya fabric is created through an eco-dyeing process that adds colouration at the raw material stage, rather than traditionally at the yarn phase.
As a result, there are many benefits to creating Ecoya fabric. It:
- Saves water
- Uses less energy and fewer chemicals
- Has reduced CO2 emissions
- Gives a more colourfast fabric that stands up better to light, water and washing
GORE-TEX
GORE-TEX® does a superb job protecting you against wind and rain. It’s a membrane that doesn’t let water molecules get through but allows moisture vapour and sweat to get out via the membrane’s microscopic gaps.
GORE-TEX offers you three core benefits. It’s:
- Waterproof – even in the heaviest storms, rain and snow can’t get through
- Breathable – water vapour can escape so you’ll stay cool when sweating
- Windproof – able to block out wind and keep the cold at bay
Find out more about GORE-TEX and Kathmandu.
GORE-TEX PACLITE PLUS 2-LAYER
GORE-TEX® PACLITE® PLUS 2-layer fabric is the ultimate backup for adventures that bring unexpected weather. It offers a number of benefits, including:
- Packable and lightweight – takes up minimal space in your pack
- Durably waterproof – will keep you dry even in harsh rain
- Highly breathable – sweat escapes easily so you stay comfy
- Totally windproof – keeps wind out which prevents you getting wind chill
GORE-TEX SHAKEDRY
GORE-TEX® SHAKEDRY™ is a revolutionary design that has eliminated the need for a face fabric. The membrane itself is the outer surface, so your jacket will be one layer less.
The result of this unique tech are jackets that are extremely light and breathable.
SHAKEDRY offers you the following benefits:
- Uniquely water repellent – the membrane works like an outer layer so light rain will bead up and run off the surface
- Super lightweight – due to the lack of a face fabric
- Extremely breathable – sweat escapes easily so you stay comfy
- Durably waterproof – ensures you stay dry even in harsh rain
- Totally windproof – keeps wind out which prevents you getting wind chill
GORE WINDSTOPPER
The GORE® WINDSTOPPER® membrane is an ultrathin protective layer that’s laminated to a lightweight textile layer – making in completely windproof.
Windstopper has plenty of benefits. It will:
- Block the wind
- Let perspiration escape
- Minimise the wind’s chilling effects
- Reduce the risk of overheating when you’re active
- Dry quickly
INSULITE
When you need your gear to perform in the outdoors, even under damp conditions, consider our insuLITE™ synthetic filled products. They’ll offer you:
- High thermal performance
- Low bulk insulation
- Comfort
LAVALAN
The word Lavalan™ is derived from the Latin term ‘washable wool’. It’s a sustainably-sourced, highly functional wool insulation that’s made from:
- Renewable raw materials
- European sourced virgin wool
- A corn based synthetic fibre called polylactic acid (PLA)
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At the end of its lifecycle, Lavalan doesn’t turn into waste because it’s renewable, recyclable and biodegradable.
Find out more about Lavalan.
LYCRA BLACK
For a performance fibre that resists damage caused by perspiration, sunscreen, UV rays, lotions and chlorine, choose body-hugging garments with LYCRA™ BLACK technology.
This tech offers many benefits like:
- Maximum coverage without grin through
- Durability by resisting fibre damage and fading
- Long-lasting comfort, fit and shape
Find out more about LYCRA BLACK.
MERYL SKINLIFE
Antimicrobial Meryl™ Skinlife is able to regulate the level of bacteria on your skin. It’s a soft yarn that feels like silk which:
- Uses permanent silver ion to eliminate smelly odours
- Maintains the natural balance of your skin
Find out more about Meryl Skinlife.
MOISTURE CONTROL SYSTEM
Moisture Control System (MCS™) is essentially a wicking finish on some of our synthetic fabrics that:
- Absorbs and wicks moisture away from your skin
- Releases this moisture on the fabric’s surface so it evaporates quickly
- Helps keep you cool, dry and comfortable
NGX
ngx™ does a superb job protecting you against wind and rain. It’s a membrane that doesn’t let water molecules get through but allows moisture vapour and sweat to get out via the membrane’s microscopic gaps. ngx offers you three core benefits. It’s:
- Waterproof – rain won’t get through
- Breathable – water vapour can escape so you’ll stay cool when sweating
- Windproof – able to block out wind and keep the cold at bay
NUYARN
Nuyarn™ is the world’s first performance stretch yarn. It’s a new way of making fabric that offers you incredible benefits such as being:
- Ultralight – with a unique open structure, Nuyarn technology crafts incredibly lightweight fabrics that will behave like heavier ones
- Stretchier – more stretch and regain* to withstand losing shape over time
- Stronger – with more resistance to abrasion, holes and damage, Nuyarn’s 47% stronger* making it suitable in varying conditions
- Comfier – a distinctive spinning method creates a completely twist-free yarn that’s 35% loftier* which greatly improves your next-to-skin comfort
- Drier – stays fresher for longer and dries five times faster* with the ability to wick moisture away from your skin
- Warmer – Nuyarn’s structure helps keep air trapped for 35% more warmth*
- Tougher – durably strong in both directions with 120% tougher seams* ensuring garments keep performing at their best after many uses and washes
Find out more about Nuyarn.
*than conventional Merino Wool
ODEGON
Wouldn’t it be great to just get on with your day without unwanted smells caused by a hard day’s work?
Odegon™ uses ultra-porous technology to absorb body odour molecules. It’s an odour-absorbing fabric that will instantly neutralise smells. It’s also:
- Durable
- Chemical free
PACK&GO
Our extensive range of pack&GO gear is designed to pack away in seconds so you can quickly move on with your day.
A solution to the ongoing issue of limited space, pack&GO products:
- Pack away into their own attached pockets, or
- Come with compact packs, or
- Are packing cells.
PERTEX ENDURANCE
Pertex™ Endurance technology is a perfect material as a top coat on down jackets and sleeping bags – which greatly increases their resistance to water.
This fabric technology is:
- Highly breathable
- Water and wind resistant
PERTEX EQUILIBRIUM
Pertex™ Equilibrium uses a unique double weave construction that balances weather protection with breathability.
This fabric technology is:
- Wind and water resistant – the tightly woven outer face protects against the elements
- Breathable – the openly woven inner face helps move moisture away from your body
- Tough and durable
- Fast drying
PERTEX QUANTUM
Pertex™ Quantum uses a tightly woven structure to provide a light and soft fabric that allows insulation to fully loft. It’s precisely constructed from incredibly fine yarns that are designed to trap still air and improve the efficiency of your insulation.
This fabric technology is:
- Lightweight
- Windproof – to help you retain warmth and keep the cold out
- Soft to the touch
PERTEX QUANTUM AIR
Pertex™ Quantum Air is a fabric technology that gives you a balance between being breathable and wind resistant.
It allows airflow through the fabric to help regulate your body heat and keep you comfy in the mountains for longer.
This fabric technology offers:
- Higher air permeability
- A balance between breathability and wind resistance
- Weather protection during intense activity
PERTEX QUANTUM DIAMOND FUSE
Pertex™ Quantum Diamond Fuse technology is a fabric that’s made up of unique diamond-shaped filaments. These yarns are woven together to create an interlocking structure which can offer twice the abrasion resistant of a fabric woven with conventional yarns.
This fabric technology is:
- Durable
- Highly resistant to abrasion
- Stable over extended wear and washing
- Flat – which improves shedding of water
PERTEX QUANTUM ECO
Pertex™ Quantum Eco technology is a fabric that utilises recycled yarns while allowing your down insulation to fully loft.
It represents a commitment to using sustainable fabric design, development and production.
Find out more about Pertex technologies.
PERTEX SHIELD
When you’re planning an intense mountain pursuit, Pertex™ Shield fabric helps you move fast while staying comfortable. This fabric technology is:
- Waterproof
- Windproof
- Lightweight
- Highly breathable
- Packable
POLARTEC
Remember polarfleece? Polartec™ was the inventor of the original synthetic fleece way back in 1981.
These days they create technical fabrics that are designed to be:
- Tough and durable
- Capable of effectively managing moisture
Find out more about Polartec fleece.
POLARTEC ALPHA DIRECT
Regulate your comfort in changing conditions with Polartec™ Alpha Direct™ insulation. It’s an evolutionary technology that eliminates the need for a backing fabric.
This fabric tech:
- Helps regulate warmth
- Is lightweight and fast drying
- Offers advanced breathability
- Compresses and is highly durable
POLARTEC DELTA
Polartec™ Delta™ cooling fabric cleverly uses your own natural cooling process (sweating) to help cool you down.
It’s essentially a fabric cooling system that offers:
- Superior wicking through faster moisture dispersal
- Maximum breathability when its wet
- Odour control
- Natural cooling by elevating touch points to increase airflow
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Find out more about Polartec Delta.
POLARTEC POWER DRY
Polartec™ Power Dry™ is a fabric technology that efficiently manages moisture to ensure you get a comfortably cool workout.
It’s designed so that every fibre works with maximum efficiency. Moisture is quickly pulled away from your body and transferred to the outer surface to keep you dry.
Polartec Power Dry is also:
- Highly breathable
- Odour resistant
- Lightweight
- Fast drying
POLARTEC POWER STRETCH
Polartec™ Power Stretch™ is a performance fabric that has raised the bar for what a stretch fabric can do.
The key benefit of Power Stretch is the ability of the fabric to stretch four ways and still recover its shape. But there are other benefits, like:
- High breathability
- Moisture wicking
- Fast drying
POLARTEC POWER WOOL
Polartec™ Power Wool™ is a revolutionary knit fabric that combines the best of both natural and synthetic fibres.
It’s a hybrid design that’s made with a soft Merino Wool base and a highly durable synthetic exterior.
You’ll enjoy the best of both threads – warmth, comfort, durability and optimised wicking.
Find out more about Polartec Power Wool.
POLARTEC THERMAL PRO
Polartec™ Thermal Pro™ is a fabric technology that embraces unique textures which are highly breathable and enhance overall efficiency.
It harnesses a diverse variety of knitting techniques that create unique surface structures without sacrificing performance.
This fabric technology offers:
- Warmth and comfort without weight
- Quick drying
- Resistant to pilling
- High durability
POLARTEC WINDBLOC
Polartec™ Windbloc™ is your barrier against bad weather. It’s a fabric that will keep out 100% of wind to give you maximum protection from wind, water and cold conditions.
Windbloc’s unique, durable membrane blocks out moisture at a microscopic level. It’s a technology that helps ensure apparel is:
- Windproof
- Water repellent
- Breathable
POLARTEC WIND PRO
Polartec™ Wind Pro™ has been engineered to repel freezing winds. It has a compact structure that offers up to four times greater wind resistance than regular synthetic fleece.
Thermal air pockets help retain the warmth you need from an insulation layer, while the tighter knit construction deflects wind yet maintains comfort and breathability.
Dependable and versatile in unpleasant weather conditions, Polartec Wind Pro is:
- Water repellent
- Highly breathable
- Wind resistant
- Lightweight warmth
POLYGIENE
Polygiene™ is a finish that’s applied to apparel which helps to control odours while you’re outdoors and active. It offers plenty of benefits, including:
- Body odour control – keeping bad smells at bay so you’ll be able to wear your clothes multiple times before washing
- Reduced environmental footprint – by using less water over your clothing’s lifespan
- Longer life – with less abrasion from less washing, your clothes will enjoy a longer lifespan
PRIMALOFT BIO
It’s becoming increasingly important that we address the amount of microplastics in our oceans and landfills. Primaloft™ Bio™ fleece is a responsible, sustainable fabric that’s designed to return to nature under certain conditions.
Help reduce microplastics by choosing a product with Primaloft Bio - made from 100% recycled fabric and best for the environment.
Find out more about Primaloft Bio.
RECYCOLOR
Recycolor is a blend of recycled cotton fibres with new organic cotton. A unique process is used that keeps the original colour of the textile’s waste without requiring any additional dyeing.
Some of the benefits of using Recycolor include:
- A more eco-friendly product – that’s better for the environment than using conventional cotton
- Saving energy – while growing and dyeing the cotton
- Not needing water or chemicals for dyeing
REPREVE
Billions of plastic bottles go into landfills every year – but by choosing products made with polyester created from recycled plastic bottles (like REPREVE™), you’ll be actively making a difference.
At Kathmandu, we’ve been recycling plastic bottles into our gear for more than 20 years. We currently prefer utilising REPREVE which is a performance technology that’s heading in the right direction for a more sustainable future.
RESPONSIBLE DOWN STANDARD CERTIFICATION
The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certifies down and feathers against animal welfare requirements and tracks it from farm to final product. We understand the down supply chain is complex. Through Responsible Down Standard certification, we are able to independently certify the down and feathers used in our products against animal welfare requirements, with tracking from farm to final product.
100% of our down has been RDS certified since 2016.
Find out more about Responsible Down.
RESPONSIBLE WOOL STANDARD CERTIFICATION
The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) aims to improve the welfare of sheep and the land they graze on.
By 2025 we aim for 100% of our wool to be Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified.
Find out more about Responsible Wool.
RFIDTECH (RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION)
If you decide to keep your valuables on your body, you may want the added security of RFID blocking accessories to help prevent digital theft. RFIDtech will help keep your passport and credit card information safe.
RFIDtech is used as a wireless way of transmitting information from a chip to a scanner (or reader). An RFID scanner needs to be in close proximity to a chip in order to read its radio waves.
Whether RFIDtech is hidden in a pouch, belt bag, travel wallet or a safe pocket in your clothes, it can be your extra barrier of protection.
TENCEL LYOCELL
TENCEL™ Lyocell fibres are produced from sustainably sourced wood using environmentally responsible processes.
They offer benefits like:
- Feeling soft and naturally-comfortable
- Being versatile enough to combine with other textile fibres
- Offering strength and efficient moisture absorption
THERMORE ECODOWN
Ecodown™ is a synthetic insulation that can keep you warm, even in damp conditions – and Thermore™ is a leading player in the field.
Ecodown is created from 100% recycled polyester by breaking down plastic bottles into resin, then giving them a new life as polyester fibres.
Compared to traditional down, a jacket with synthetic fill has some significant advantages, such as:
- Keeping you insulated, even in slightly damp conditions
- Not clumping or getting cold spots after being washed
- Fast drying times
ULTRAVIOLET PROTECTION EFFECTIVENESS (UVE)
Some of our beach equipment carries a UVE rating which indicates how well it reflects (or absorbs) solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) to protect against the sun’s harmful effects.
We test our shade, shelter and beach umbrella fabrics in an accredited lab to determine their UVE rating. For instance:
- 80-90.9% UVE is defined as effective
- 91-94.9% UVE is defined as very effective
- 95+% UVE is defined as most effective
Shade, shelter and beach umbrellas provide you with shade ‘at a distance’ – so we can’t test them to Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) ratings as these are only applicable for next-to-skin clothing.
ULTRAVIOLET PROTECTION FACTOR (UPF)
Some of our clothing carries a UPF rating which indicates how well it protects against the sun’s harmful effects, such as blocking solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR).
The higher a garment’s UPF rating, the more solar UVR is blocked by the fabric – and the less solar UVR exposure to your body.
We test our fabrics and give them a UPF rating if they have sun protection qualities. For instance:
- UPF 30 is defined as good protection
- UPF 50+ is defined as excellent protection
WOOLMARK
The Woolmark™ brand is the global authority on wool – it works alongside Australian woolgrowers to research, develop and certify Australian wool.
Woolmark is a commitment between woolgrowers, brands and consumers on the authenticity and quality of the wool. When you see products bearing the iconic Woolmark logo, you can trust that the wool has quality, is authentic and offers value.
Find out more about Woolmark certification.