A two-layer concept combines a PEF textile with a functional bonding film, simplifying construction for performance fabrics.
Finland’s Brightplus and Leaf Bio have announced a bio-based performance-textile concept that eliminates a separate adhesive layer. The development combines NovaPolyPEF fabric with Brightplus’s BrightBio functional film and will debut at Performance Days in Munich on October 13–14, 2026. The partners describe the material as a waterproof fabric made from bio-based components.
One film performs two jobs
BrightBio is laminated directly onto the NovaPolyPEF textile, acting as both the functional barrier and the bonding material. This reduces the proposed construction from three components—textile, adhesive and functional film—to two.
The comparison concerns these material components; it should not be confused with the conventional “three-layer” outdoor-fabric designation, which generally counts a face fabric, membrane and backing.
NovaPolyPEF is described as a 100% bio-based polyethylene furanoate textile platform. Leaf Bio develops plant-based materials including FDCA and PEF and is NovaPoly’s official partner.
Compatibility with existing production
Brightplus says BrightBio uses certified renewable inputs, including non-edible biomass side streams and captured carbon dioxide. The technology is designed for existing textile-production processes, allowing adoption without major production-line changes.
The company’s broader coating platform supports customised formulations for natural and synthetic fabrics. Brightplus lists waterproof, windproof, breathable and lightweight properties among the available options, with applications including outdoor clothing, interiors and fibre treatment. These describe platform capabilities rather than published specifications for the new PEF laminate.
Munich launch precedes commercial assessment
The concept will appear in the exhibition’s Innovation Corner, with BrightBio at booth IN21I and NovaPolyPEF at IN22. Performance Days’ October programme focuses on bio-based materials from fibre to fabric, placing the launch within a wider sourcing discussion about renewable performance textiles.
The announcement provides no numerical waterproofness, breathability, laundering-durability or peel-strength results, nor pricing or production capacity. Those specifications, alongside verified renewable content and a demonstrated recycling route for the combined material, will determine its suitability for commercial adoption.
