Vision

Our vision is to provide sustainable solutions for performance wear in order to enjoy nature in its fullest, without damaging it.

Dimpora stands for the combination of dimension and pore. Both are key to our vision of a seamless breathable membrane formed directly on any 3D surface. We want to take a step forward in an established industry, relying on 2D large scale processes, towards the individual point of sales assembly of your personal outdoor equipment.

Greenpeace released in 2017 a report condemning the use of per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in the clothing industry. Those chemicals revealed to be extremely hazardous and persistent in the environment. As a matter of fact, accumulation of PFCs were found in the liver of polar bears and in human blood as well as in secluded mountains and lakes. It is therefore of the utmost importance that nature enthusiasts keep their beloved outdoor spaces PFCs free. With Dimpora, we are addressing the need of replacing fluorinated polymers in the apparel industry with a new material with equal if not better properties.

Mission

Our Mission is to innovate and develop the next generation functional and sustainable high performance membranes for outdoor enthusiasts.

In the past decade, an increasing number of people, from young to the elderly, discover the joys of outdoor sports. In fact, going outside is fun and enjoying nature is considered “en vogue”. Additionally, the use of a fluorine-containing functional membrane permitted to keep us dry regarding external water contact, e.g. rain, but also avoided accumulation of sweat from the inside thanks to high material breathability. It is only until recently that the effect of fluorinated polymers inside outdoor clothing was made public. In fact, the associated chemistry has been linked to severe negative health impacts as well as a strong effect on the ozone layer. Outdoor enthusiasts should be able to enjoy nature without damaging it.

Unfortunately for customers, e.g. outdoor brands, the current alternatives are not performing as desired. The choices are limited to two main characteristics, either they are also fluorinated or they are nonporous sheets without the necessary breathability. Therefore, in this market, the need of a new, fluorine-free and fully porous membrane with high waterproofing is unequivocal.

Team

We, Mario Stucki and Anna Beltzung, are a team of two young scientists from ETH Zurich, both outdoor enthusiasts and driven by the innovation of new materials.

DR. MARIO STUCKI

CEO

Mario studied chemical and bioengineering at ETH Zurich. After his Master, he joined the Functional Material Laboratory of Prof. Wendelin Stark for a doctoral thesis. During this time, he developed and patented the functional membrane together with the template removal method. He graduated in September 2017 and is involved in the Dimpora project since then.

DR. ANNA BELTZUNG

CTO

Anna studied chemical and bioengineering at ETH Zurich. After her Master, she joined the group of Prof. Massimo Morbidelli for a doctoral thesis. During this time, she was working on nanocomposite and porous polymers. She graduated in December 2017 and is involved in the Dimpora project since May 2018.

Advisory Board