Today, not only professional athletes choose membrane clothing and love it: skiers, snowboarders, but also tourists and ordinary people who like to feel comfortable and comfortable in different weather conditions. Such products are unique due to their high-tech properties.
A little about the properties of the membrane
The membrane is a thin film with very small holes-pores, which is produced according to a certain technology. The shape of the pores has such a structure that provides the material one-way permeability. Membrane tissue is mainly a synthetic material, on the inner side of which a membrane film is applied in a special way. It allows you to remove the moisture that is formed under the clothes in the environment, and the moisture outside does not allow to get inside.
Thus, the fabric "breathes" and guarantees comfort to people who exercise physical activity in the fresh air.
Usually, the surface of the membrane tissue is treated with a special, water-repellent impregnation, due to which moisture, falling on clothes, rolls down in drops. This can significantly reduce the load on the membrane and additionally ensure the protection of things from getting wet. Also, the membrane perfectly protects against wind. Higher characteristics of such a fabric, make it much stronger, and also much easier.
By design features such a fabric is of three types:
- Double Layer Here the membrane, as if “welded” to the outer layer of fabric from the wrong side. In such clothes there is always a lining, which is used to protect the membrane from clogging and various damages;
- Two-layer and a half. In the structure of this fabric, the membrane is protected by a foamed protective layer, which is coated on the inside with a two-layer fabric. Membrane clothing made from such material is much lighter than three layers and requires a lining;
- Three-layer, where the reverse side is a fabric with a rather fine mesh. All components of this fabric: the membrane, the upper part and the mesh of the knitted fabric are glued together into a single structure by means of lamination, where exactly the mesh performs the protective function of the membrane against deterioration and contamination.
Membranes in structure, are pore, besorovye and combined:
- Porovaya has a large number of microscopic pores on the outer layer, and because of their incredibly small size, the material does not let moisture in from the outside, but allows evaporations that are collected under clothing to go outside. The main disadvantage of such a fabric is that during the process of wearing the product, the membrane pores become clogged, and the air ceases to circulate efficiently, and with improper care or washing, the product will start to leak;
- Surface without a fee membrane in its structure has no pores, so due to the lack of access routes, water can not seep into the clothing. The warm air that forms inside accumulates on the inner layer of the membrane and evaporates very slowly, so the material may seem damp over time;
- Combined characterized in that a protective coating is applied to the surface of the pore base. It combines the functions of both the pore and non-pore membrane, therefore, it is considered the best composition of membrane tissue, the most effective in use. Her pores are not clogged, and the accumulated in the clothes of steam freely displayed outside.However, a fabric with such a composition and products made from it have a rather high cost.
The properties of such a fabric allow to produce various high-quality and comfortable sportswear for competitions, tourist and alpine skiing holidays, hunting and fishing. These can be snowboard jackets, ski suits, warm overalls. Very popular, especially in winter, children's clothing made of similar fabrics, it is light, allows you to move freely and does not get wet. With the use of membranes also produce snowboarding elements of clothing for skiing: gloves, hats, sweatshirts. Today, in the Russian market, there are many different membrane tissues, but gore-tex is one of the most famous, popular and high-quality.
It is impossible to buy such a membrane in the form of a fabric, and only certified manufacturers have the right to produce things with its use.
How to wash?
Membrane tissue is a high-tech material that requires proper and delicate care in order not to damage its protective properties. Washing, especially hand, is a very good way to clean the jacket, overalls or other items of equipment from a similar fabric from dirt. Subject to compliance with all the recommendations and rules of care, such clothing will not lose its properties, even as a result of multiple machine washings.
To wash products from membrane fabric do not use ordinary powderBecause it contains aggressive substances, chlorine, bleach, it is poorly soluble in water, which can damage and damage the membrane.
Ideally, it is better to use special products for washing membrane fabrics; they are sold in any hardware stores.
They can be just cleansing, but you can buy a special gel, which also includes impregnation. So after washing with such a tool, there is no need to additionally soak your clothes with water-repellent.
One of the best special detergents is considered Nikwax Tech Wash. It removes dirt well, retaining all the functional features of the membrane. Also perfectly wash off various contaminants. Denkmit Fresh Sensation Gel, DOMAL Sport Fein Fashion Balsam. But if such a tool was not at hand, you can use simple gel-like liquids.
You can also use household or liquid soap as a washing element. They do not have an aggressive environment and are ideal for any products of membrane tissue.
Important, to agents for cleaning such clothes contained more natural componentsc, were mild in chemical properties, which will help membrane products to retain their quality functions longer.
Washing Features
Machine washable various membrane products has a number of features. To wash the clothes of the membrane fabric in the car correctly, You must perform the following steps:
- Before loading such clothes into the washing machine, it is necessary to fasten all the locks, zippers and pockets;
- Carefully study and follow the recommendations for the care of clothing indicated by the manufacturer on the label;
- Choose the most gentle washing mode available in your washing machine, for example, delicate or manual;
- If there are several things, it is advisable not to put everything in the machine at once, but to erase each separately;
- Washing membrane clothing is best done at a temperature not higher than 30 degrees. The lower the temperature of the water, the better, the water should in no case be hot;
- It is important to turn off the spin mode completely, since any mechanical effect on the membrane will lead to the destruction of the pores, so even manual spin is contraindicated;
- After washing, the product must be rinsed well to get rid of residual detergent. Then you need to gently get clothes, hang it on a hanger and allow to drain excess water;
- It is forbidden to dry a similar fabric on heating appliances, near an open fire, or in a washing machine. In order to dry the item well, it must be straightened out carefully, laid horizontally on a dry, clean cloth or towel and turned over periodically. It is desirable that the room at the same time was well ventilated.
Useful tips
In the process of washing any clothes from the membrane fabric, it is impossible to use all sorts of solvents, means for removing stains, various aggressive mixtures, in order not to destroy the membrane. It is also contraindicated to use air conditioners, as they create a film on the fabric, which is very harmful to the material.
It is impossible to iron such fabric, the effect of high temperature can damage its structure. Just level the thing to avoid wrinkles and wrinkles.
Note that membrane jackets, overalls do not pre-soak. Prolonged exposure to water significantly impairs the properties of such a fabric, and such clothes can be well washed without soaking for a long time.
If you constantly wear products made of membrane fabric, then you should wash them at least once a month so that particles of dust and dirt do not clog the pores of the membrane.
In order for such things to serve you for a long time, they must be treated with fluorine, which is produced in the form of a spray and applied to the washed and well-dried surface of the product. It is desirable to apply such a spray after each wash, it provides additional protection to the membrane properties of clothing, eliminates burnout and increases wear resistance.
At small pollution there is no need to use a machine wash. In this case, it is better to clean the soiled areas of the top of the product manually. You can do this with a soap solution or a special tool. It is necessary to gently handle contamination with a brush or sponge, without exerting a lot of effort to damage the fabric.
When storing, folding and twisting items made of membrane fabric is not recommended, so after streaking your jacket, suit or overalls you need to hang on a hanger in a straightened form, pre-packed in a garment bag or bag. If dust gets on the clothes, it will forget the membrane pores and reduce the consumer qualities of the product.
Proper care and washing of products from membrane fabric will allow you to serve for many years, without losing their basic functions, and will provide an opportunity to spend a long time in nature, in comfortable conditions, even with a sufficiently low air temperature.
For more information on how to wash membrane clothes in a washing machine, see the following video.
