EverShield Zero is applied to fabric in a textile finishing process at a mill. It is applied using the dip, pad, and dry method. EverShield Zero is diluted with water and pumped into a bath. The fabric runs through the bath, through a padder, and then through an oven. The rolls of the padder subject the fabric dipped in EverShield Zero to significant pressure, squeezing the extra liquid from the fabric. The oven dries the fabric and cures it, binding the chemistry to the base fabric. Drying will depend on oven temperature, fabric weight, and wet pick-up. After the fabric has dried of excess water, the surface of the fabric should reach at least 302-320 °F (150-160 °C) for a minimum of 30-90 seconds to allow for the EverShield Zero to properly cure. If unable to measure fabric surface temperature, a good recommendation is a curing cycle of 320-340 °F (160-170 °C) for 60-120 seconds.

Wet pick-up is the amount of liquid absorbed by a fabric after it has been dipped and padded as a percentage of the weight of the dry fabric.  For example, if the fabric weighs 10 oz/yd² dry, and absorbs 5 oz/yd² of liquid after being dipped and padded, weighing a total of 15 oz/yd², the wet pickup is 50%. Wet pick-up is influenced by the fabric material, weave and weight in addition to the pad pressure. Pad pressure is typically 40 psi (2.76 bar) and the wet pick up for fabrics based in nylon, cotton, polyester and their blends has ranged from approximately 50 to 120%.

Dry pick-up is the percent of the weight added to the fabric after it has been treated with EverShield Zero and cured to the original dry weight.  For example, if a fabric before treatment weighs 5.0 oz/yd², and after it has been treated and cured, weighs 5.1 oz/yd², then the dry pick-up is 0.1/5 = 2%.

The wash test is based on the AATCC 135 test:

• Use enough ballast to make a 1.8 kg load
• Use 66 g of Tide Free and Gentle or AATCC Reference Detergent with 18 gal water in every load
• Settings:  Large load, cold water wash, cold water rinse, normal
• Dry in commercial dryer on highest heat setting

NOTE: Longer wash cycles require higher solution ratios and vary by fabric.

Ironing fabric treated with EverShield Zero is not a problem.

The fabric would need to be treated in a lab in order to determine the wet pick-up. Then, the cost per square yard can be estimated. The cost can vary with the fabric and the process. The padder pressure, oven temperature and processing speed of fabric can be adjusted in order to help achieve the performance desired.

Currently, we list the shelf life at one year, but that is because the product has only been recently commercialized.  We continue to evaluate shelf life and will make adjustments if we find it can be extended.

EverShield Zero is currently not suitable for applying to finished garments.  Applying EverShield Zero to finished garments presents significant challenges, including, but not limited to the following: 1) finished garments will shrink significantly at 150 °C, 2) different parts of a finished garment will absorb different amounts of the treatment, resulting in uneven performance, 3) finished garments often have finishing chemicals applied which interfere with the application and/or performance of EverShield Zero, 4) certain elements of a finished garment may melt at 150 °C.

The current formulation requires a cure temperature of at least 150 °C (302 °F). Many materials composed of hide and plastic may deform, shrink and/or lose some degree of tensile strength if subjected to this curing condition.