PolyCore's coatings are unique in that they are water-based rather than solvent-based. Solvent-based coatings are the norm in the outdoor industry. Solvents are chemicals used for various textile finishing processes such as coating, laminating, printing, and equipment cleaning. Solvents facilitate dispersion, so they act as a base for other chemicals to be dissolved in. The resulting solution is applied to the textile, and as it dries, the solvent evaporates as a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC).
VOC is a general term for chemical gasses that are emitted into the air we breathe. Not only are VOCs toxic to inhale, they are also considered a greenhouse gas. When these particles get into our air and our atmosphere, they contribute to climate change.
GWP or Global Warming Potential units are used to compare and contrast the effects of different greenhouse gasses. The base unit for GWP is CO2. 1 lb of CO2= 1 GWP.
CO2e is a term for describing different greenhouse gasses in a common unit. It stands for CO2 Equivalent.
VOCs have an average GWP of 11, meaning they are 11 times more potent than CO2 when it comes to radiating heat in the atmosphere.
In 2023, we partnered with RTI labs to measure the VOC content of our Eco-Coating compared to a commonly used solvent-based PU. This is what we found.
Typically, 1 yard of fabric used for manufacturing backpacks requires 3.7 lbs of VOCs for the coating process.
3.7 lbs x 11 GWP= 40.7 lbs of CO2e per yard of fabric coated with Solvent-Based Coatings.
Therefore, every yard of fabric coated with a water-based coating prevents over 40 pounds of CO2e from entering our atmosphere.
Source: https://www.genano.com/
