An eco-friendly absorbent textile invented by technology company Confitex offers people around the world a discreet, effective, and sustainable alternative to single-use pads and liners. The revolutionary new material is unique in that it’s fully waterproof without using a layer of PU plastic. It was invented by Confitex founder Frantisek Riha-Scott, a designer with a passion for endurance ski racing.
Frantisek Riha-Scott, Founder of Confitex, said, “I originally wanted to create high-performance absorbent sports underwear, so athletes didn’t need to stop for bathroom breaks during long races. But I quickly realized that reusable leakproof underwear has a much wider application for the one in three women and one in five men who live with light-to-medium urinary incontinence.”
No polyurethan promotes sustainability: Riha-Scott’s research demonstrated that the layer of polyurethane (PU) plastic usually used in waterproof fabrics isn’t fit for purpose – not only because it takes centuries to break down in landfill, but because it can’t be stitched, heat-sealed, molded or tumble-dried and it is not breathable when worn. Drawing on his textile design training and extensive research into microscopic textile technology, Riha-Scott created and patented the world’s first and only fully waterproof fabric without a PU plastic layer efficacy and used it in a range of absorbent underwear for men and women.
The absorbent and leakproof textile’s multi-layered construction consists of a soft, fast-wicking inner layer of hypoallergenic fabric, designed to quickly draw moisture away from the body, a second warp layer, to provide ultra-quick absorption for more significant leaks. This moisture-retaining inner layer soaks up liquid and holds it tight, even under pressure and a breathable leakproof outer layer.
