Why We Chose Nikwax Tech Wash and TX.Direct: Effective, easy to use, eco-friendly

Price:  £4.75 (300ml)
Weight: n/a
More info: nikwax.com

When it comes to putting the planet first, few outdoor brands are even in the same league as Nikwax. Sustainability has always been at the heart of their business – and when you think that their core business is basically about helping to make things waterproof and stay waterproof, that’s even more impressive. After all, most companies in the outdoor industry turned to complex chemicals to formulate durable water repellent (DWR) treatments for their products, which often included the harmful fluorocarbons or perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) that have now been proven to be both persistent in and damaging to the environment. Nikwax, however, have never used PFCs in any of their DWR treatments.

But it’s not only the product range that is environmentally friendly. Using Nikwax will prolong the life of almost all your outdoor gear by helping to restore its performance. That should mean you can use and abuse your kit far into the future, rather than simply discarding it and buying new stuff – which, ultimately, isn’t good for the planet or for your bank balance.

“Nikwax continues to work on reducing its impact and is refreshingly honest about its effort.”

Nikwax Tech Wash removes contaminants like dirt and oil from technical fabrics, as well as revitalising any DWR waterproofing treatments that have been applied to the material. This should help to stop jackets and other gear from ‘wetting out’. Additionally it can revive breathability, allowing moisture vapour to pass through the item, optimising performance in cold and damp conditions.

The purpose of TX.Direct is to reapply waterproof capabilities to your jacket. Use it and it can genuinely bring an old jacket back to life, giving it a new hydrophobic layer and making it bead effectively once more.

The washes are easy to use – just stick your kit in the washing machine and add a capful or two of Tech Wash or TX.Direct, depending on the garment type and how dirty it is. Don’t add detergent – in fact, check there is no detergent residue in the machine, as normal laundry detergent is really not good for outdoor kit. It’s also usually best to wash on a low heat and a slow spin cycle, but check the care labels of your garments.