Biozyme Advantage

A “cool wash” generally means washing in the 20°C–30°C (68°F–86°F) range.
It’s not icy‑cold tap water—it’s simply below traditional “warm” settings.

Here’s why “cool” is often the smarter choice for modern clothing:

Why cool washing is better for performance textiles

• Protects elastic and stretch fibers.
  Heat accelerates loss of elasticity in fabrics like spandex and elastane, shortening garment life.
• Prevents damage to specialty coatings.
  Moisture‑management finishes, wicking coatings, and anti‑fouling treatments last longer in cooler washes.
• Reduces color fading and fiber weakening.
• Lowers energy use (good for your wallet & the environment).

The catch (where many detergents fail):

Most conventional detergents are not optimized for cool water, especially against:

• sebum
• deodorant aluminum/zinc
• sunscreen
• fragrance residue

These are exactly the soils that cling to performance textiles and cause long‑term odor.

Why this matters for Biozyme Advantage

Our formulations are designed to remain fully effective at a wide temperature range, including cool cycles—where most people wash their activewear.
This doesn’t mean they only work in cool water.
It means they still work at cooler temperatures, which is essential for protecting the fabric and removing the residues that cause odour.

Odour isn’t caused by bacteria alone—it’s caused by what bacteria eat.

The Good:

Performance textiles are engineered to wick moisture, dry fast, and stretch. That’s why we love them.

The Bad:

Those same fibers are hydrophobic, which means they “grab” onto:

• sweat proteins
• sebum (skin oil)
• deodorant metals (aluminum, zinc)
• sunscreen
• skincare silicones
• fragrance buildup

This sticky mix settles inside the fibers, creating a film that:

• traps odour‑producing bacteria
• blocks wicking
• makes clothes feel “never quite clean”
• interferes with stretch recovery

The Ugly (but fixable):

Most detergents can’t break through this film—especially during cool washes. That’s why odour sticks around.

Why formulation matters

You need a detergent that is:

• optimized for oil‑based soils at cool temperatures
• able to reach inside synthetic fibers
• effective across a wide temperature range
• designed with enzymes that remove protein‑ and oil‑based residue

That’s the science behind long‑term odour prevention.

Not all machines have accessible filters, but when they do, cleaning is essential.

Why it matters:

A clean filter:

• improves drainage
• allows detergents to rinse fully
• reduces odor transfer from washer to clothes
• prevents re‑deposition of lint and micro‑residue

Why it gets clogged:

Performance fabrics shed:

• micro‑lint
• oils
• fiber fragments
• residue from skincare/deodorant

Combined with detergent buildup, this creates a sludge that blocks the filter.

The “ugly” signs your filter is overdue:

• your washer smells
• clothes smell sour or “wet‑dog‑ish”
• cycles run longer
• water pools in the drum
• streaks or films appear on fabric

How often to clean it:

• Active households: every 1–2 months
• General use: every 3 months
• Pet owners: more often

A clean filter = better‑cleaning laundry.

Yes—enzymes are one of the safest, most sustainable cleaning tools available.

What they are:

Enzymes are natural proteins found everywhere in nature (even in your own digestive system).

Why they’re safe:

• Biodegradable — they break down quickly
• Non‑accumulating — they do not persist in the environment
• Self‑deactivating — enzymes become inactive once their job is done
• Effective at all temperatures, including cool washes
• Reduce the need for harsh chemicals

They remove soils by cutting specific molecular bonds—then fade away.

Short answer: No — when correctly formulated, laundry enzymes are safe for technical outerwear and actually help it last longer.

• Laundry enzymes are not “destructive” enzymes.
  Enzymes used in performance laundry care are highly specific and task‑focused. They are designed to break down organic contaminants like sweat, body oils, and food fats — not synthetic fibres, membranes, seam tapes, or adhesive films. They are fundamentally different from industrial or recycling enzymes engineered to break down plastics or polymers.
• They do not attack membranes, seam tape, or glue films.
  Properly formulated laundry enzymes work at low temperatures and neutral pH ranges that are compatible with waterproof‑breathable textiles, laminated constructions, seam tape, and bonding adhesives.
• Clean bonds last longer.
  Body oils, sunscreen, and skin contamination can oxidize over time and interfere with adhesion. Removing these contaminants is critical not only for performance, but also for durable repairs — including seam tape re‑bonding or patch adhesion.
• Contamination is more damaging than enzymes.
  Left untreated, oils and residues can degrade performance, cause premature wet‑out, trap moisture, and compromise breathability — issues often mistaken for fabric or seam failure.
• The real risks come from harsh chemistry and heat.
  Hot water, aggressive solvents, fabric softeners, and residue‑heavy detergents do far more harm to laminates, seam tape, and glue films than properly balanced enzyme‑based cleaners.
• Correct cleaning = better performance + longer life.
  Using a technical cleaner that removes contamination without heat or harsh chemicals keeps waterproof‑breathable garments breathing, shedding water, and holding together longer.

The takeaway:
Enzymes don’t harm technical shells — contamination does.
Remove the contamination properly, wash cool, avoid harsh chemistry, and performance fabrics work better and last longer.

Chemicals of Concern” is a regulatory term, not a danger label.
It simply means the chemical is being evaluated—carefully—for one of these reasons:

• possible persistence in the environment
• possible bioaccumulation
• potential toxicity at high exposure
• limited safety data

The Good:

Most chemicals used in textiles today are heavily regulated, well‑studied, and safe when used as intended.

The Bad:

Some older technologies—like long‑chain PFAS water repellents or certain antimicrobial additives—were later found to persist in the environment.

The Reality (the “ugly,” but honest):

A chemical becomes “of concern” when regulatory bodies decide:
“We need more data, tighter rules, or safer alternatives.”

It does not automatically mean it is harmful in consumer use.

Where Biozyme fits

Our products avoid chemicals listed on:

• US EPA watchlists
• EU REACH Candidate List
• Canada’s CMP priority chemicals
• OEKO‑TEX® restricted substances lists

We rely on biodegradable, non‑accumulating, non‑biocidal technologies instead.

Legacy Gore-Tex (ePTFE) prior to 2022

• Gore’s original membrane technology, used since the 1970s and refined over decades. Billions of microscopic pores block liquid water while letting moisture vapour escape — the physics behind waterproof breathability that set the industry standard. Proven, durable, and trusted across generations of outdoor gear.

• The membrane chemistry sits within the broader fluoropolymer family. Gore research maintains ePTFE itself is inert and stable — it doesn’t degrade or release into the environment — though its manufacturing process uses fluorinated chemistry that falls under the wider PFAS umbrella.

New Gore-Tex (ePE)

• Gore’s next-generation membrane, built from expanded polyethylene — a common, non-fluorinated polymer processed without intentionally added PFAS of environmental concern. Same microporous principle, newer materials.

• In real-world use, performance is comparable to ePTFE. The membrane is also thinner and lighter — Gore reports up to 50% less membrane weight — which means garments that move better, pack smaller, and feel less stiff without sacrificing protection.

How the transition happened

• Before 2022, all Gore-Tex was ePTFE. The first ePE products arrived in late 2022, rolled out progressively across categories through 2023 and 2024, and became the majority of Gore-Tex production from 2025. Gore-Tex Pro — the highest-performance tier — completed its own move to ePE in 2025.

• Legacy ePTFE products remain in use and continue to be fully supported.

• Same Gore-Tex standards. Same protection. The membrane has been updated — the guarantee hasn’t.

Breathability is physics, not magic.

• Sweat vapour moves from warm, humid (inside) to cool, dry (outside) — that’s just equilibrium. The bigger the gap between inside and outside conditions, the harder the jacket works for you. A skier pushing hard on a cold day gets far more breathability than someone strolling in warm drizzle.

• That’s not a product flaw; it’s thermodynamics.

What actually kills breathability — and it’s rarely the membrane.

• The culprit is almost always the outer fabric. DWR (durable water repellent) — the surface finish that makes water bead and roll off — degrades through dirt, body oils, and abrasion. When it fails, the face fabric saturates and “wets out.” A wet outer layer blocks vapour transmission almost entirely: moisture can’t escape through a water barrier, regardless of how good the membrane underneath is.

• That clammy, boiling feeling inside your jacket isn’t membrane failure. It’s a DWR problem. The fix is a wash and a reproof — not a new jacket.
• Pores can also clog physically over time from dirt and oil residue — another reason regular cleaning matters. And in genuinely hot, humid conditions at high exertion, even a flawless jacket hits its ceiling. That limit is physics. No membrane gets around it.

Cleaning lifestyle stains is table stakes.
Coffee, lipstick, everyday dirt — most detergents can handle that. A jacket can look clean and still be performance‑compromised.

Performance contamination is the real issue.
Waterproof‑breathable shells are exposed to things everyday clothes aren’t: sweat, body oils, sunscreen, skin care products, food fats, blood — contaminants that bind deep into the fabric and directly interfere with breathability and DWR performance.

PFAS‑free DWRs raise the bar for proper cleaning.
New‑generation DWR finishes are more sensitive to oily contamination. Body oils and sunscreen are especially disruptive, causing water to spread across the surface instead of beading — leading to wet‑out, reduced breathability, and that clammy “it’s leaking” feeling.

This isn’t a membrane problem — it’s a cleaning problem.
When contaminants aren’t properly removed, moisture builds up inside. That’s often mistaken for membrane failure, when the shell simply needs the right kind of clean.

Short version:
Looking clean isn’t enough.
Performance shells need performance cleaning.

The Biozyme Advantage

Formulated for the contamination that matters.
Biozyme Shell Laundry Soap isn’t just designed to remove visible stains — it’s engineered to break down and remove the performance‑killing contaminants that technical garments accumulate: sweat, body oils, sunscreen, and greasy residues.

Cleans without compromising function.
It cleans deeply while leaving nothing behind that could block breathability or interfere with DWR performance.

Keeps technical shells performing as designed.
By removing the contaminants that actually disrupt waterproof‑breathable systems, Biozyme helps shells breathe better, shed water more effectively, and stay in service longer.

Athletic Next‑to‑skin layers

• The real problem isn’t dirt — it’s odour‑causing contamination.
  Sweat salts, body oils, and skin bacteria bond deep into fibres, leading to persistent odour that standard detergents don’t fully remove.
• Heat can lock odours in.
  Warm and hot washes can set oils and organic residues into fabrics, making smells harder to remove over time.
• Biozyme works cool because it targets the source.
  Our formulation is engineered to break down sweat, oils, and odour‑causing contamination at low temperatures — leaving fibres truly clean, not just deodorized.

Down insulation (jackets, sleeping bags, vests)

Down requires hybrid cleaning.

• Performance down equipemnt combines technical face fabrics, linings, and natural insulation — each with different needs. Effective cleaning must remove sweat, oils, and contamination from shells and linings while gently cleaning down plumules without stripping their natural oils that maintain loft, resiliency, and thermal efficiency. Biozyme is formulated to clean across this system, not at the expense of it.

• Oils, sweat, and skin residues coat down clusters, causing them to clump, lose loft, and trap odours.

• Heat stresses delicate down fibres.
  Warm washing accelerates fibre damage and can reduce long‑term loft and resilience.
• Cool washing protects loft and cleanliness.
  Biozyme cleans contaminants without stripping or damaging plumules, helping down stay breathable, lofty, and odour‑free.

Shells & waterproof‑breathable layers

• Lifestyle stains don’t kill performance — oils do.
  Sweat, body oils, sunscreen, food fats, and similar contaminants directly interfere with breathability and DWR performance — even when a shell looks clean.
• PFAS‑free DWRs are more oil‑sensitive.
  Modern DWR finishes are easier to disrupt with oily contamination, leading to wet‑out and reduced breathability.
• Biozyme is built for technical contamination.
  It’s formulated specifically to break down the contaminants that matter for shell performance — restoring breathability and helping DWR function as intended, all in cool water.

Why cool water matters across all categories

• Less heat = longer fabric life.
  Cool washing reduces fibre fatigue, protects laminates and seam tape, and preserves performance finishes.
• Reduced microfibre shedding.
  Cooler wash temperatures are gentler on fibres and have been shown to reduce microplastic release, compared to warm or hot cycles.
• Yes, it works in warm water — but you rarely need it.
  Biozyme remains effective in warm water when required. Cool washing simply delivers the best balance of cleaning performance, fabric protection, and longevity.

Re-Defining Clean

Biozyme Advantage delivers that clean, across base layers, insulation, and shells.

Looking clean isn’t the same as being performance‑clean.

Performance garments need performance chemistry — not heat.