Sympatex rain chamber

Germany’s SympaTex Technologies, a fabric sponsor for the Ravensbourne and ESMOD Berlin design students, produces fabrics that are waterproof, windproof, ‘breathable’ and fully recyclable. 

For practical testing they use a big ‘rain tower’ to simulate an hour or more of monsoon-strength rainfall, to check the design doesn’t end up leaking anywhere. The Sympatex membrane has a water column of 45 000 mm (meaning the amount of water it can endure before leaking), while the standard guarantee for all Sympatex laminates is at least 20 000 mm.

ESA is in partnership with top European fashion schools to harness next-generation technology and explore the future of fashion. 

The Couture in Orbit project is bringing space back to Earth through designs from some of Europe’s brightest fashion minds – tasked to develop desirable and practical clothing, incorporating technology to make life better.