(Andover, Mass.) - November 2, 2021 - Polartec®, a Milliken & Company brand, and premium creator of innovative and sustainable textile solutions, announces the switch to peppermint for metal-free odor resistance treatment across its line of performance fabrics. The bluesign®-certified peppermint oil odor resist treatment is an easily renewable, highly sustainable and biodegradable solution for inhibiting odor at the source. The more environmentally friendly push to use peppermint oil is just the latest in Polartec’s ever growing Eco-Engineering initiative.

Performance fabrics have long included anti-odor additives to improve product quality, lifespan, and reduce energy usage through washing. Under Polartec’s Eco-Engineering initiative, the company is constantly exploring better solutions for technical fabrics that meet and exceed the highest possible standards of quality, performance and sustainability.

Knowing that body odor occurs when bacteria metabolize fatty acids and proteins in sweat, and secrete waste, Polartec turned to peppermint oil, which effectively inhibits the growth of odor-causing microbes in the fabric.

The odorless peppermint oil-based treatment was proven in R&D trials to achieve a 99% microbial reduction, even after 50 wash cycles (per industry standard testing JIS L1902).  According to those results, the treatment is effectively permanent. In garment use trials, where it really counts, Polartec’s “sniff judges” rated the odor control as better than or equal to the protection offered by past metal containing treatments. A bellwether of peppermint oil-based treatment, all Polartec® Power Dry®, Polartec® Power Grid™, and Polartec® Delta™ fabrics will have permanent odor resistance. Production in Italy and China will begin in the late fall, with the United States to follow in 12 months. 

“This new odor-resist treatment using responsibly sourced,  all natural peppermint oil aligns with our overarching Polartec® Eco-Engineering™ mission, which is to develop performance materials based in sustainable science, says Karen Beattie, Senior Polartec Product Marketing Manager. 

Sustainably harvested using an eco-friendly steam extraction process, peppermint oil is a naturally derived solution to an age-old problem.

About Polartec®

Polartec®, a Milliken & Company brand, is the premium provider of innovative and sustainable textile solutions. Since inventing the original PolarFleece in 1981, Polartec engineers continue to advance the science of fabric by creating problem solving technologies that improve the user experience. Polartec fabrics offer a wide range of functionality, including lightweight wicking and cooling, warmth and insulation, breathable weather protection, fire resistance, and enhanced durability. Polartec products are used by performance, lifestyle, and workwear brands from around the world, the U.S. Military and allied militaries, and contract upholstery markets. For more information, please visit Polartec.com and follow Polartec on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.