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Do You Know the Rain Jacket’s DWR?

Dec. 18, 2021

Rain Jacket

 

What is DWR(Durable Water Repellent)?

Virtually all rainwear is treated with a DWR, or a durable water repellent finish. While a waterproof/breathable membrane will stop water from penetrating a rain jacket’s interior, a DWR is also needed to prevent precipitation from saturating the jacket’s exterior. When the DWR breaks down, the rain jacket’s exterior becomes waterlogged and heavy. That can leave you feeling wet and chilled or wet and clammy—and lead you to erroneously conclude that your jacket’s waterproof/breathable membrane is failing.

 

What many people fail to realize is that DWRs diminish in performance for a number of reasons—the buildup of dirt and body oils or abrasion. Fortunately, a jacket’s performance can be revived with proper cleaning and can be bolstered by reapplying a DWR with a wash-in or spray-on product, an easy process you can do at home.

 

How to Test Your Rain Jacket’s DWR

Test your rainwear by sprinkling or spraying some drops of water on it. Does it bead up and roll off? Your DWR is in good shape. If you give the fabric a single strong shake, do most of those water drops fly off? Ditto.

If, however, the water sits on the fabric and that section begins to darken slightly, water is making its way into the fibers and wetting the fabric. It’s time to revive your DWR.

Good news: Adding a DWR coating does not impair the performance of your rain jacket’s waterproof/breathable membrane. Rather than coating a textile’s entire surface, DWR coats individual fibers, leaving the space between the fibers open for breathability.

 

How to Revive a Rain Jacket’s Water Repellency

First step: cleaning. Washing away dirt and oils does much to restore DWR water-shedding abilities. You can usually find care instructions on the label or on the manufacturer’s website. Technical fabric cleaners work best for this because they contain no additives that can interfere with garment performance.

Next step: drying. Many jackets can go in a dryer on low or medium heat. Not all can so double-check your care instructions.

Next step: apply heat again. This is key to DWR revival and should be done every time you launder your jacket. After washing, place it back in the dryer on low or medium heat for 20 minutes to reactivate the DWR finish. Warm-iron alternative: If you don’t have a clothes dryer or your care instructions require hanging to dry, you can use a clothes iron to revive the DWR. Set the iron on no steam, with the heat setting on warm, not hot. Then iron your garment, making sure you have a thin towel or cloth between it and the iron as you do so.

 

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