Restore it or Replace it

Restore it or Replace it

Using a totally residue free detergent (RFD) and a new high efficiency (HE) washer it is possible to restore your favorite high tech clothing and gear to better-than-new performance. But don't expect your favorite sporting goods retailer to pressure you to explore the ultimate frontier of environmental stewardship.

How many waterproof breathable tops and bottoms have you replaced after a few washings because they no longer repel water? When the DWR (durable water repellent) fails the surface becomes soaked, it holds a large amount of water that prevents passage of water vapor. It becomes as breathable as a rubber raincoat and soon you are as wet on the inside as the outside.

Sleeping bags can become grubby and refuse to release vapor or fluff up to hold insulating air.

Base layers can grab and hold odors and refuse to wick away moisture leading to irritation and rash. Everything from socks to hats seems to take longer to dry.

Sounds like time to visit the outfitter for a new wardrobe of the latest and greatest and most expensive. Great names, great features, and friendly sales staff to help you replace what they sold you two years ago.

The new threads are made by the greenest factories in china of fabrics derived from fossil fuel and shipped halfway around the world to ring up profits and keep you shopping instead of adventuring.

The sport shop, indeed the entire industry, benefits if you replace $800 worth of high tech clothes. You and the environment benefit if you restore it all with 1 ounce of Sport-Wash®.

Sport-Wash® is the original residue free detergent (RFD). For years the soap industry has perfected the art of distinguishing themselves by the residue they deposit in your clothes. Fragrance, fluorescent whitening agents (FWA's), optical brighteners, surfactants, resins, silicones, softeners, PVP, antimicrobial, enzymes, lubricants and oil to hold it all in place are applied to your clothes with every wash. It is rapidly cumulative. After 10 washes you are marinating in enough chemicals for another washing without any detergent. Besides irritating skin these residues destroy repellency, reduce breathability, hold odors and germs, and extend drying times. They even increase flammability and shorten the life of the fabric especially elastic, spandex, and other elastomers. The only good news about these residues is that they can be washed away with Sport-Wash® and because Sport-Wash®, is a RDF it rinses completely and leaves no residue.

The difference is dramatic. All the high-tech features are restored to better than new performance. Wicking and rapid drying of Under Armour and Dri Fit are renewed. Repellency and breathability of Gore-Tex, event, Entrant, etc are renewed. Odor retention is decreased and silver and other antimicrobial features are unmasked for full effectiveness Colors, fibers, and especially elastomers like Spandex and Lycra will last longer. In short,Sport-Wash® will totally restore your favorites so you don't have to replace them.

If you are a wannabe, and are therefore required to display this year's style, colors and labels to prove you can shop, this is "the end".

If instead, you could feel good about treading a little lighter, saving a lot of money, and being able to continue to enjoy wearing the old favorites that shared your greatest adventures. Then this is a new beginning. I invite you to visit www.atsko.com and learn how to restore rather than replace. Within our Technical information category of Laundry care you will find University Tests to substantiate our claims.

With Atsko products you can go beyond restoration. UV-Block makes your old t-shirt into UPF 50+ solar protection. Polypropylene base layers can me bade to resist holding odors just by washing in Sport-Wash. Serious odor control between washings is easy with N-O-DOR. Leather shoes become waterproof with Sno-Seal. Care products that really work can save the planet 1 item at a time by restoration rather than replacement.

For more on this read, "Stop premature recycling" in our environmental topics.