As global supply chains accelerate their transition to sustainability, the high-performance waterproof-breathable textile sector has reached a decisive moment for innovation — a fabric revolution centred on PFAS-free technologies is now under way.
ANTA, in partnership with Donghua University, recently unveiled China’s home-developed high-performance PFAS-FREE waterproof-breathable material — AEROVENT ZERO — marking a breakthrough for the global high-performance PFAS-FREE waterproof-breathable textile industry. As China’s first independently developed and mass-produced high-performance PFAS-FREE waterproof-breathable membrane, the launch of ANTA AEROVENT ZERO signifies that China has overcome a global industrial challenge and will reshape the competitive landscape of technical textiles.
AEROVENT ZERO leverages an internally developed, high moisture-conductivity bio-based polymer combined with micro- and nano-scale structural engineering to deliver a marked improvement in vapour permeability. Coupled with a suite of PFAS-FREE process innovations — including PFAS-FREE durable water-repellent (DWR) surface modification and PFAS-FREE adhesives — the membrane also preserves robust waterproof performance. Test results confirmed that waterproof-breathable laminates incorporating AEROVENT ZERO now meet international leading benchmarks on core metrics — successfully overcoming the global challenge of “PFAS-FREE high performance.”
The R&D team substituted petroleum-derived polymers with a bio-based polymer (bio-based content ≈ 20%) in AEROVENT ZERO. This approach not only aligns more closely with long-term sustainability trajectories than many existing PFAS-FREE solutions from international competitors, but it also gives the Chinese brand an advantage and demonstrates an ability to “leapfrog” in technology development. PFAS-FREE in this context indicates that no organofluorine compounds were added during production; per GB/T 31126, “per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances” were not detected.
The company said AEROVENT ZERO not only rivals international brands on technical performance but is also priced at roughly one-third the cost of comparable global fabrics. This price-performance balance enables broader access to high-performance waterproof-breathable textiles, accelerates the diffusion of green textile technologies from lab to consumer, and strengthens the positioning of Chinese brands in leading the global shift toward PFAS-FREE performance apparel.
Innovation in technical textiles — the pursuit of the “Fabric of the 21st Century” — has become the fulcrum of technological breakthrough and green transition.
ANTA Group said it aims to raise the share of sustainable products to 50% and to source 50% of raw materials from sustainable origins by 2030. The large-scale deployment of AEROVENT ZERO marks a milestone in ANTA’s sustainability roadmap. The new generation ANTA Waterproof Jacket featuring AEROVENT ZERO will roll out simultaneously to overseas markets, with projected sales surpassing 500,000 units by 2026.
