Regatta to use ion-mask treatment
UK-based outdoor footwear, apparel and accessories firm Regatta has signed-up for the ion-mask enhancement from P2i.
The process, which offers breathability and performance protection, will be used to produce selected products in the company’s spring-summer 2009 footwear ranges.
Initially developed to protect soldiers from chemical attack, ion-mask applies a protective layer, just nanometres thick, over the urface of the shoe using an ionised gas or ‘plasma’. This adds a nano-coating to the external surfaces of the shoe as well as to the inside, between and around the individual fibres in the shoe, making it particularly effective for shoes containing synthetic materials. Unlike conventional waterproof treatments that require additional layers to be sewn into the shoe during manufacture, which add weight and can affect fit, the treatment is applied after the shoe has been manufactured and does not affect the shoe’s fit or weight.
