follow up on supplex

SUPPLEX

Why I believe 4 ply Supplex is as close as we may ever get to creating a material that is as close as possible to being an extremely water repellent as well as vapor permeable fabric.

Construction is as follows;

The warp of a fabric represents the yarns that run the length of the roll of material and are 70 denier yarns. Denier refers to the thickness of the yarn and these yarns are round. There are 132 yarns per inch in the warp. The filling refers to the yarns that go across the material. This part of the fabric is the 4 ply part. It is comprised of 4 – 80 denier yarns (slightly thicker than 70 denier yarns) that are braided together just like rope is braided. There are 49 of these 4 ply yarns per inch. Actually there are 196 individual yarns if you were to separate them, the total yarn count would be 132 in the length direction and 196 in the cross or width direction. However, by braiding the yarns become 49 across, creating ridges as is seen with rope. When these yarns are woven into a fabric they are pushed very close to each other and then when the fabric goes through the dyeing and finishing process they get even closer. The ridges seat into each other so to speak closing the distance between the yarns much more so than if you were to weave single ply 70 denier yarns which we know have no resistance to stopping water from penetrating. They do not stay as close and with use separate somewhat from each other causing a larger space between yarns. It is for this reason that single ply nylon taffeta which has been laminated to PTFE film does not stop the water penetration when the DWR wears off.

It is my opinion while the Supplex I purchase does have a DWR treatment on it when it wears off the fact that the weave which is very tight and because of the 4 ply yarns interlocking so to speak make the fabric more water repellent than if the yarns were all round as in a 70 denier nylon taffeta. Keep in mind that the fabric is not coated so it does retain a vapor permeable status.

In the early 1990’s I was making many samples for the Barrow Alaska police department so they could test my Antarctic parka which were made from a variety of fabrics. To make the story short after about two winters of testing they told me the best fabric was the 4 ply Supplex. Hence that is the reason why I use it.

It is also my opinion from personal experience that water beads up on the garments that I make and just isn’t absorbed into it. However, I would never suggest that my garments are vapor permeable and water-proof, but I do think it is as close as you can get. My Alaska Range parka is my advice for a rain garment.