By Liz White, UT staffWilmington, Delaware-DuPont Engineering Polymers aims to push growth of its 'Active Layer' film in performance clothing and other uses through a new sales deal with US company Omniflex. DuPont describes Omniflex as "a leading supplier of super-thin, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and other thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) films since 1994," in a statement on the arrangement. The agreement with Omniflex will combine what DuPont says is its "strong brand recognition and reputation for science-based innovation" with Omniflex's "well-established experience and solid customer relationships" in the markets Active Layer is aimed at. These include clothing, backpacks and footwear in outdoor and in healthcare uses-ones currently using TPU and coated polyurethane, said DuPont. DuPont is coy about the exact nature of its Active Layer technology, launched this summer, and declines to reveal any details of the materials used. The firm says Active Layer works by forming a layer which is 'breathable' one way, but waterproof the other. It is also recyclable if used with 100-percent polyester fabrics, claims DuPont, an attribute that makes it seems likely to be a type of polyester-based TPE. Omniflex itself makes non-lubricated barrier, waterproof and breathable films for a wide variety of high-performance applications. The firm, headquartered in Greenfield, Massachusetts, specialises in making non- lubricated barrier, waterproof and breathable films for a wide variety of high-performance applications, using aromatic polyether or polyester TPUs, copolyesters, copolyamides and ether-amides."
