HDRY

HDry restarts with an even stronger focus on the 3D direct lamination technology of the waterproof and breathable membrane.

The growth of HDry, the waterproof and breathable technology for footwear, gloves and backpacks, continues. The company actually represents a sort of "restart" as it was created by the founding partners of the famous OutDry.

At the helm of HDry there are in fact Matteo Morlacchi, an engineer with a background of more than 20 years in the design and production of technical fabrics for sports use, and Maurizio Ostani, born in '79, with a rich and long experience in the distribution of soles and components for footwear in his own family business.

HDry has restarted at full speed, thanks to the support of those brands (including Scarpa, Ferrino, Rossignol, etc.) that believe in the potential and advantages of a technology that focuses entirely on waterproofing outdoor products through a 3D direct lamination of a waterproof and breathable membrane. The continuation, therefore, of a concept that was born for the first time in 2006, when it established itself on the outdoor market and beyond, thanks to that innovation that also won the ISPO "Eco Design - Form Follow Sustainability" award in 2008

And the success of this concept derives primarily from the actual satisfaction of end consumers, who finally find in HDry the solution to the problem of wet and cold feet caused by the penetration and stagnation of water inside their footwear, typical of traditional systems where the membrane is combined with the lining.

Hi Matteo, how and when was HDry

born? HDry was born in 2018, created by the same group of technicians and engineers who founded OutDry, taking up the same innovative philosophy and continuing its technological development. Therefore, also for HDry, the innovation lies entirely in how the membrane is "integrated" into the shoe, that means where it is positioned.

"Move the waterproofing barrier as much as possible to the outermost layer of the shoe". What does this

mean? Even today, in most waterproof shoes with a membrane, this one is positioned inside the shoe, glued to the lining. The water can therefore penetrate through the upper and is stopped by the membrane only when it has already entered the shoe. Clearly, it is not the ideal solution, because even if the water does not reach the foot, it stagnates in the shoe and weighs it down. The HDry construction, on the other hand, moves the membrane much further outwards, together with the upper, avoiding in this way any water penetration.

What are the advantages of HDry technology? In short, the advantages are the same as those found in a technical jacket (2 or 3 layers) where the outer fabric and membrane are joined

together: water cannot penetrate. That would happen instead if the membrane were joined to the lining of the jacket (which happens precisely in shoes with a "waterproof lining"). HDry takes a big leap forward in the performance of waterproof shoes, which in fact had lagged a bit behind. No water penetration also means greater lightweight and more breathability which are very important in intensive outdoor or mountaineering activities. For those people wishing to “visualize” the technology and its benefits better, we recommend downloading the HDry app, which can be found on both Apple and Google stores.

Sustainability is now a key concept in the outdoor world, what do you

think about this issue? HDry offers many concrete benefits in terms of sustainability and this is also why many brands are adopting our technology. In fact, HDry represents one of those cases in which a more effective use of materials with modern construction techniques allows greater sustainability. The reason is quickly explained: by placing the same membrane as much as possible on the outside, waterproofing is made more effective and water penetration is avoided. This means a lower need to use water repellent treatments (PFCs) on the upper and a longer life of the shoe, whose structural components are not exposed to the action of hydrolysis. Furthermore, HDry, not being a membrane manufacturer, is not bound to a particular material or polymer. We therefore choose the most performing materials with the lowest environmental impact: HDry is in fact PTFE-free, PFCs-free and Oeko-Tex certified.

Future projects? We are currently working on many innovations and processes to be applied in fields where we are already present (shoes, gloves and backpacks) as well as working on something in technical clothing that we believe will be revolutionary.