Polartec, the premium provider of innovative textile solutions, has created new waterproof NeoShell fabrics that offer an unprecedented combination of supple stretch, breathability, and overall comfort. The new versions of Polartec NeoShell, termed the most breathable waterproof fabric, have been created specifically for Japanese apparel brand Teton Bros. When Polartec introduced breathable comfort and waterproof protection with NeoShell, Teton Bros—the Japanese brand focused on functional backcountry apparel—became one of the first brands to use it to make more functional and versatile waterproof gear. Polartec creates versions of NeoShell with different fabrics on either side of the membrane, all of which can be engineered to achieve different performance characteristics. Given these capabilities, Nori Suzuki, co-founder of Teton, challenged Polartec to create even more breathable, stretchier, more supple, but still highly durable NeoShell fabrics for the brand’s TB 2.0 Jacket, its flagship product. The Polartec development team worked to create NeoShell fabrics specifically for the needs of Teton Bros. This resulted in a more supple mechanical stretch nylon woven NeoShell fabric that balances drape and stretch with high durability for greater mobility in the body of the garment, and an extremely abrasion resistant and durable Supplex nylon woven face NeoShell fabric for use over the shoulders and waist of the jacket. Both fabrics are paired with a proprietary fine gauge circular knit textile on the interior that is softer, stretchier, and less prone to snagging than traditional tricot waterproof fabric linings. These specific iterations of Polartec NeoShell are exclusive to Teton Bros., and according to Suzuki, are “like wearing air”. “There are other stretchy waterproof fabrics on the market, but not with the breathability of NeoShell,” says Peter Lord, Polartec global product manager for weather protection. “The new knit NeoShell styles we’ve engineered are the softest, most breathable, and most comfortable NeoShell fabrics ever created.”
