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What is Moisture Wicking?

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What is Moisture Wicking?

Moisture Wicking is where moisture is drawn out or away from something. In the instance of clothing textiles, moisture is drawn away from the skin to the outer side of the material where it is evaporated.

How Moisture Wicking Works

Bamboo fibers are made up of a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers. They are knitted in such a way that the fibers work together to push moisture to the surface of the material. The hydrophobic fibers repel moisture while hydrophilic fibers use capillary action (where moisture travels through a narrow space without the assistance of external pressure). This action repels moisture from the skin to where it can evaporate on the outer surface of the material.

Benefits of Moisture Wicking Material

Most notable benefits when wearing material that draws moisture away from the skin:

  • Cooler body temperature in a warmer climate
  • Warmer body temperature in a cooler climate
  • Skin stays drier
  • Heat is evenly distributed
  • Clothing is more breathable
  • Clinging is prevented when perspiration occurs

Compare Moisture Absorption in Common Materials

Let’s see how common materials stack up against each other:

Material % Moisture Absorption Wicking Ability
Cotton 7.0% Very Poor
Polyester 0.4% Average
Wool 30.0% Good
Bamboo 14.0% Very Good

Our Bamboo Gloves are Moisture Wicking

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Sources:
The Butterfly Effect – Why Bamboo?
Wool Sports – Benefits of Wool
Otago University Applied Science – Natural Fibres in Australasia
Cool Hiking Gear
How Stuff Works – Health
Discovery Trekking
Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic fibers explained

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AZO Dye – The Controversial Colourant

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What is AZO Dye?

AZO dye is a synthetic dye used to colour a wide range of consumer goods such as carpet, clothing, food, textiles and paints etc. Currently, AZO dyes make up over 50% of all commercial dyes in the market today.

How AZO dyes are made

A diazonium salt solution is coupled with a sodium phenoxide solution to form the AZO dye. The solutions are mixed under 5 degrees c to ensure the salts don’t decompose.

Issues with products containing AZO dyes

The European Union banned the use of certain AZO dyes in 1995 after identifying that some pigments released carcinogenic amines. Exposure to those amines has been linked to bladder cancer and basal cell carcinoma, a locally invasive skin cancer.

The list of banned aromatic amines (a derivative of AZO compounds) stated in the European Ban on Ceratin AZO dyes – 2004 had increased to include 22.

How do I know if my clothing contains AZO dyes?

In 2012 the European Committee for Standardisation had approved a new standard, EN 14362-1, to detect the use of certain aromatic amines derived from AZO colorants. Look for this standard when reviewing product documentation, or if that documentation isn’t available at store-level contact the distributor or manufacturer directly.

Environmental Effects

Due to lack of regulation, sub-standard products still enter the market under the radar leaving the environmental effects of landfilling these products unknown.

Alternatives to AZO

Plant-based dyes can be coupled with natural or chemical based colour fixatives to produce a non-toxic alternative. Try Pioneer Thinking for ideas.

Our Bamboo Gloves are made from non-toxic dyes that are AZO-free

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Sources:
Product Safety Australia – AZO Dyes
Science Direct – Analysis of carcinogenic amines
Science Direct – Carcinogenicity of azo colorants
European Ban on certain AZO dyes
The Ecological and Toxicological Association of Dyes – Restrictions on the use of AZO colourants
Karger Medical & Scientific Publishers – AZO pigments & basal cell carcinoma