With its new DEFEND PRO membrane technology, FLYTEC won the coveted Performance Award at Performance Days in October 2026. The award recognizes a material that combines PFAS-free, solvent-free microporous stretch PP membrane technology with high levels of waterproofness and breathability in a lightweight construction designed for high-performance hardshells.
Technical innovation plays a central role in outdoor collection development. Materials are becoming lighter, more waterproof, and more breathable – while increasingly addressing the industry’s demand for more responsible solutions. But how much do these advances actually benefit the wearer? And does the market really need another hardshell material? FLYTEC has a clear answer: Yes, if it makes the finished product better.
From Laboratory Performance to Real-World Experience
“End consumers don’t buy technology. They buy a product,” says Karrine Fang, Product Manager and Marketing Director at FLYTEC. After all, consumers are rarely interested in impressive laboratory results if the benefits are not reflected in the actual wearing experience. For FLYTEC, the decisive question behind every new development is therefore whether it genuinely improves the finished product.
Its latest development, DEFEND PRO, is a lightweight, PFAS-free and solvent-free membrane solution designed to deliver an exceptional combination of waterproof protection, breathability, and wearing comfort. At its core is a microporous polypropylene membrane engineered specifically for high-performance hardshell jackets. The hydrophobic properties of the membrane system also prevent the outer fabric from becoming saturated with water.
Key technical specifications include:
- Waterproofness: 30,000 mm hydrostatic head (JIS test)
- Breathability: 25,000 g/m²/24h (JIS B1)
- Weight: 94 g/m²
- Chemistry: PFAS-free and solvent-free membrane technology
These figures matter, but for FLYTEC, the more important question is what they mean in practice. In the rain, liquid water must stay out. During physical activity, heat and water vapor need to escape. The objective is not simply to achieve impressive laboratory values, but to give wearers a genuine sense of protection, dryness, and comfort.
“We are not simply offering a membrane. What we want to deliver is the wearing experience – feeling dry on the inside and outside,” Fang explains.
So FLYTEC also took DEFEND PRO beyond the laboratory. During outdoor testing at Nackareservatet / Hellasgården in Stockholm, participants wore garments made with the material while walking and hiking, evaluating the construction under real-world conditions. The aim was to assess how the material performs in motion and how its technical properties translate into protection, breathability, and comfort during actual use.
Looking Beyond Today’s Regulatory Requirements
FLYTEC also takes a clear position on sustainability, arguing that eliminating a particular chemical does not automatically result in a better product. A material solution with a reduced environmental impact only makes sense if the finished garment continues to deliver the performance wearers expect.
The DEFEND PRO platform combines two sustainable approaches in one membrane concept: PFAS-free material chemistry and a solvent-free membrane manufacturing process.
The decision to eliminate solvents is intended as a forward-looking step rather than simply a response to current regulations. FLYTEC is not only addressing today’s concerns surrounding PFAS, but also anticipating the material and manufacturing requirements that may become increasingly important in the future.
System Optimization Rather Than a Single Performance Figure
But a high-performance hardshell jacket depends on much more than its membrane. The outer fabric construction, water repellency, membrane performance, lamination, hand feel, durability, and production consistency all contribute to the final result.
DEFEND PRO is therefore more than the launch of a new membrane. It is part of a broader product solution approach in which material technologies are selected and developed around a clearly defined wearing experience.
The commercial perspective is equally important. Brands do not adopt innovations simply because they are technically new. They invest in technologies that can be translated into products whose benefits consumers understand and appreciate. FLYTEC therefore views performance, sustainability, and commercial viability as interconnected development goals rather than separate priorities.
It was precisely this combination that impressed the Performance Days jury: PFAS-free and solvent-free chemistry, non-swelling membrane technology, lightweight construction, stretch and improved softness. The award recognizes not just a new membrane technology, but an approach to innovation that puts the finished product and its wearer at the center.
