OUR COMMITMENT TO PREFERRED MATERIALS

At Karpos, we’ve increased our use of preferred-origin fabrics and technologies (bio-based, recycled, and recyclable) in developing our new collections, thus reducing the impact on the environment, animals, and people compared to the (fossil fuel–based) alternatives commonly adopted in the manufacturing industry.

The preference for responsibly sourced materials has been guiding our research and development activities since the design of the Spring/Summer 2021 collection, with the aim of ensuring the “responsible performance” of our products. Our commitment starts with sharing the “Recycle, Reuse, Rethink” approach to the development of new collections promoted by MVC Group and is made possible thanks to the evolution of our network of suppliers, who are committed to offering more sustainable solutions.

DWR TREATMENT WITHOUT INTENTIONALLY ADDED PFAS

The C6 DWR treatment (which until 2025 was the standard in the outdoor industry) applied to water-repellent garments contains molecules such as fluorine (PFC, PFOA, or PFAS are the acronyms most used to indicate them), which has hydrophobic properties. These substances form a film that, in contact with the outer layer, the insulation, or the intermediate layer of a jacket, fleece, or pair of pants, traps moisture, thus preventing its passage into the underlying layers.

However, multiple studies have shown how these compounds are gradually released into our bodies (especially attacking the endocrine glands), into waterways, and into the environment, with medium- to long-term negative effects on the health of the user, animals, the soil, and the air we breathe.

The effects of “forever chemicals” were first denounced in 2012 by Greenpeace, which has provided supporting evidence of these substances’ toxicity with investigations and studies. In recent years, laws issued by national and international bodies first restricted the number of PFAS permitted and then banned their use. This is what has happened in some U.S. states, where the production and sell of garments containing PFAS is prohibited as of January 1, 2025. Starting from the development of FW24 collection, at Karpos we are committed to using DWR treatments without intentionally added PFAS, both in continuing products from previous collections and in the new products, although the ban has not been officially announced yet in Europe.

The DWR treatment without intentionally added PFAS is obtained by replacing chemical substances with silicones or other wax-based polymers or those derived from plants, which are nontoxic to the skin and the environment and are naturally fluorocarbon free.