Fabric having a waterproof barrier
Provided herein are waterproof fabrics that include a base fabric having a body-facing surface and an outward-facing surface, and a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier disposed on the outward-facing surface of the base fabric, a seam through the waterproof fabric, and a waterproof tape disposed on an outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier and aligned to seal the seam against water ingress. The base fabric may be a wicking fabric or may be treated with a compound that enhances wicking, and the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier may include a plastic polymer, polyurethane, polyethylene, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene. The waterproof fabrics also may include an abrasion-resistant coating and/or a durable water repellant (DWR) agent disposed on an outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier, and one or both of the abrasion-resistant coating and/or DWR agent may be discontinuous. Also provided are methods of making a waterproof fabric.
1. An article of clothing, body gear, sporting gear, gloves, headwear, or footwear, comprising a waterproof fabric, the waterproof fabric comprising:
a base fabric having a first body-facing surface and a second opposing surface;
a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier on the second opposing surface of the base fabric, the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier having an exposed outward-facing surface when the article is worn on a body;
a seam running through a full thickness of both the base fabric and the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier;
a discontinuous abrasion-resistant coating on the outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier; and
a waterproof tape bonded directly to the outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier and oriented to seal the seam against water ingress.
2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the waterproof tape is applied over a portion of the abrasion-resistant coating, and wherein the waterproof tape bonds to both the abrasion-resistant coating and the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier.
3. The article of claim 1 , wherein the abrasion-resistant coating is applied across the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier and covers about 15-50% of a total outward-facing surface area of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier.
4. The article of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier is pigmented.
5. The article of claim 1 , wherein the abrasion-resistant coating is visible to a user.
6. The article of claim 5 , wherein the abrasion-resistant coating is pigmented.
7. The article of claim 5 , wherein the abrasion-resistant coating creates a texture perceptible by a user.
8. The article of claim 1 , further comprising a DWR agent on the outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier.
9. The article of claim 1 , further comprising a DWR agent on an outward-facing surface of the abrasion-resistant coating.
10. The of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier comprises a plastic polymer, polyurethane, polyethylene, polyester, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene.
11. The article of claim 10 , wherein the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier comprises a plastic polymer, polyurethane, and/or polyethylene.
12. The article of claim 1 , wherein the abrasion-resistant coating comprises a high molecular weightpolyurethane.
13. The article of claim 1 , wherein the base fabric is a wicking fabric.
14. The article of claim 1 , wherein the base fabric is treated with a compound that enhances wicking.
15. The article of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier is coated on the second opposing surface of the basefabric.
16. The article of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier is laminated on the second opposing surface of the basefabric.
17. The article of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier comprises polyurethane and the abrasion-resistant coating comprises a high molecular weightpolyurethane.
18. An article of clothing, body gear, sporting gear, gloves, headwear, or footwear comprising a waterproof fabric, the waterproof fabric comprising:
a base fabric having a first body-facing surface and a second opposing surface;
a hydrophobic, waterproof barrier comprising polyurethane disposed on the second opposing surface of the base fabric, the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier having an exposed outward-facing surface when the article is worn on a body;
a seam running through a full thickness of both the base fabric and the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier;
a discontinuous abrasion-resistant coating comprising a high molecular weight polyurethane disposed on the outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier; and
a waterproof tape bonded directly to the outward-facing surface of the hydrophobic, waterproof barrier and oriented to seal the seam against water ingress.