Odor-Control Finishes
We are transitioning from silver-salt treatments to plant-based ones to help block or prevent odors.
Why
When we sweat, body oils and dirt inevitably cause some smells. But treating clothing and gear with odor-control finishes can help prevent stink on the garment.
These finishes don’t just help with funk. While the most energy-intensive part of a garment’s life cycle is the making of the product, laundering is the second. Since anti-odor finishes help keep your gear smelling fresh, you’ll need fewer washes between wears, saving water and energy.
Where We Are
Select Patagonia items, like baselayers and other next-to-skin products, are currently treated with HeiQ® Pure. The silver-salt-based odor-control finish helps inhibit the growth of odor-causing microbes. When Patagonia began using HeiQ Pure, it was considered the best technology of its kind. But when we learned about the potential environmental impacts of silver-based odor-control finishes, we began researching alternatives.
Silver can be applied to textiles in different ways, but it can wash off when laundered, depending on how it was applied. Recent studies show that the silver-containing runoff from laundry can accumulate in sediment and harm marine ecosystems. HeiQ uses non-leaching silver salts, which are more strongly bound to the textile’s surface and less likely to be released into the environment than other forms of silver (like silver nanoparticles). Yet, we were committed to finding a more responsible finish that would prevent odors without compromising breathability, hand-feel or wicking performance.
In 2019, we conducted a study that analyzed more than 30 alternatives to silver, then narrowed the list down to the top five options and ran extensive lab and field trials, including having our field-testers try out “half-half” garments that were treated with two different finishes—one on each side—so we could more accurately differentiate performance.
HeiQ Mint was the clear standout. This plant-based odor-control finish uses pure food-grade mint oil, steam-extracted directly from the plant with no other solvents or additives. This isn’t to be confused with perfume-grade essential oils, which are known for their strong aromas. HeiQ Mint is very strongly bonded to the fabric, so there’s no oily appearance or chance you’ll smell like peppermint. The finish works on a deeper chemical level to help prevent odors.
Because of our long-standing relationship with HeiQ, we worked with them to co-develop, refine and commercialize HeiQ Mint so it could be more widely available to the clothing industry. Our Capilene® Cool Daily and Capilene® Cool Lightweight tech tees, among others, are some of the first products to use this plant-based odor-control technology.
What’s Next
We are always evaluating and testing new anti-odor finishes to find the best performance with the lowest environmental impact—and of course finding ways to keep your shirt smelling fresher for longer. Our goal is to convert all our products with odor-control technology to HeiQ® Mint by 2026.
