Gill Marine and Nikwax integrate PFAS-free Direct.Dry into OS1 after Arctic trials

Nikwax has integrated its PFAS‑free Direct.Dry factory Durable Water Repellent into Gill Marine’s updated OS1 Ocean System, a move datelined Seattle, WA on Feb. 17, 2026. The integration is billed as a marine‑first for the Direct.Dry technology and follows laboratory testing plus more than 5,000 miles of Arctic sailing trials logged by field teams working with the OS1 program.

Direct.Dry is presented as delivering both peak repellency and wash durability. The treatment reportedly achieves the highest rating on the AATCC 22 spray test while retaining performance after washing, and factory application means the OS1 garments arrive ready for intensive ocean use. Nikwax also emphasizes that garments treated with Direct.Dry can be renewed with its cleaning and re‑waterproofing aftercare products to extend service life, a selling point for professionals who need dependable gear over multiple seasons.

Textiletesting and field validation are central to the announcement. Textiletechnology documented the lab program and the Arctic validation, saying the OS1 System underwent rigorous lab testing and over 5,000 miles of Arctic sailing trials with testers from the YouTube channel Sailing Yacht Florence. Matt Humphreys, credited in that coverage, described the on‑water experience plainly: “In the Arctic, the real challenge is the wind chill coming off ice and glaciers. We wore the OS1 constantly and never had to dry out our mid or base layers.”

Gill Marine’s OS1 rollout leverages prior placements of Direct.Dry in outdoor apparel; the treatment has been featured on Outdoor Research’s Foray and Aspire jackets, and the OS1 is positioned as the first marine product to carry the factory Direct.Dry finish. Gill Marine is referenced as operating from Long Eaton, UK for this program while Nikwax is presented as an aftercare and waterproofing specialist with a long history in DWR chemistry — a claim CEO Brian Davidson distilled into the collaboration’s rationale: “Gill has a reputation of being a leader in creating waterproof systems for harsh, ocean adventure and it was an honor to use our 50 years of experience producing PFAS‑free DWR to support the OS1,” he said. “This partnership demonstrates that high‑performance marine apparel does not need to rely on PFAS chemistry. Nikwax Direct.Dry DWR delivers dependable water repellency and can be renewed with our globally known aftercare products, ensuring the garments last longer. This is exactly the kind of collaboration that moves the marine industry forward.”

Marketing assets tied to the announcement include product imagery labeled OS1 Female.jpg, OS1 Male.jpg, OCEAN_JACKET_OS14J_RED_Front.jpg and OCEAN_TROUSERS_OS14T_BLACK_Front.jpg, and social posts used hashtags such as #GillMarine #Nikwax #PFASFree #MarineApparel. Industry wire coverage continued into late February, including a YarnsandFibers item dated Feb. 27, 2026.

If the lab AATCC 22 results and the reported 5,000‑mile Arctic wear record hold up under independent verification, Gill’s OS1 with factory Direct.Dry could mark a measurable shift: professional marine apparel that rejects PFAS chemistry while promising the wash durability and renewability seafarers demand.