Ensuring sailors stay warm and dry in salt water environments has long been a challenge to technical protective clothing designers, brought into even sharper focus by the growing awareness of the need for sustainable choices.
NIKWAX, the specialist in aftercare and waterproofing solutions, has made a marine-first partnership with GILL MARINE, a global leader in technical marine apparel by integrating NIKWAX DIRECT.DRY, a factory-applied, PFAS-free Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatment, into its updated flagship OS1 Ocean System.
It marks a significant first for the marine industry. The partnership delivers both high-performance waterproof protection and sustainable material choices, addressing a key market demand for more sustainable, professional-grade gear.
Nikwax Direct.Dry DWR achieves the highest rating on the AATCC 22 spray test while also maintaining wash durability, a crucial benefit for long-term use in extreme marine environments.
Waterproof gear treated with Direct.Dry can also be renewed with Nikwax’s aftercare products. The globally trusted cleaning and re-waterproofing products maintain the performance and extend the life of waterproof gear.
Direct.Dry DWR is currently featured on award-winning outdoor products, including Outdoor Research’s Foray and Aspire jackets, but this is its first appearance in marine apparel.
“Gill has a reputation for being a leader in creating waterproof systems for harsh, ocean adventure, and it was an honor to use our 50 years of experience producing PFAS-free DWR to support the OS1,” said Brian Davidson, CEO of Nikwax.
“This partnership demonstrates that high-performance marine apparel does not need to rely on PFAS chemistry. Nikwax Direct.Dry DWR delivers dependable water repellency and can be renewed with our globally known aftercare products, ensuring the garments last longer. This is exactly the kind of collaboration that moves the marine industry forward.”
The OS1 Ocean System is Gill’s most advanced ocean-level apparel to date, combining rigorous in-house laboratory testing with over 5000 miles of real-world Arctic sailing validation by sailing enthusiasts from the YouTube channel SAILING YACHT FLORENCE.
“In the Arctic, the real challenge is the wind chill coming off ice and glaciers,” said Matt Humphreys from Sailing Yacht Florence. “We wore the OS1 constantly and never had to dry out our mid or base layers. When the outer layer got wet, we shook it off and let it dry in the cockpit. That tells you everything about how well it performed.”
With a 50-year track record of PFAS-free DWR, Nikwax is committed to minimising environmental impact across its product range. Nikwax is a pioneer in sustainability and actively supporting how outdoor and now marine brands can transition away from ‘forever chemicals’.
Nikwax encourages brands interested in exploring how they can utilise Direct.Dry DWR to contact Direct.Dry@nikwax.com.