water-repellent fabric

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July 15, 2026

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Water-repellent fabric is treated with a finish that resists water penetration but does not make it completely impervious. This is a type of textile finishing process that enhances a fabric's performance.12

Unlike waterproofing, which closes the pores of a fabric using substances like paraffin or bituminous materials, water-repellent finishes keep the fabric pores open. This makes the fabric more comfortable to wear while still providing a degree of resistance to water. Common materials used for water-repellent finishes include wax and resin mixtures, aluminum salts, silicones, and fluorochemicals. These finishes were first used in 1820.21

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inorganic polymer
Silicones
Silicones are also water-repellent. Paper, wool, silk, and other fabrics can be coated with a water-repellent film by exposing them for a short time (one to two seconds) to the vapour of trimethylchlorosilane, (CH₃)₃SiCl. The ―OH groups on the surface of the materials react with the silane, and…
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Silicones are also water-repellent. Paper, wool, silk, and other fabrics can be coated with a water-repellent film by exposing them for a short time (one to two seconds) to the vapour of trimethylchlorosilane, (CH₃)₃SiCl. The ―OH groups on the surface of the materials react with the silane, and…
Read More

textile
Waterproofing and water repellence
Water-repellent finishes are surface finishes imparting some degree of resistance to water but are more comfortable to wear because the fabric pores remain open. Such finishes include wax and resin mixtures, aluminum salts, silicones, and fluorochemicals.
Read More
Water-repellent finishes are surface finishes imparting some degree of resistance to water but are more comfortable to wear because the fabric pores remain open. Such finishes include wax and resin mixtures, aluminum salts, silicones, and fluorochemicals.
Read More