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Do you have a feeling for how good/bad for the environment the nikwax analogy stuff is, a la paramo. It is quite warm and heavy (so you sort of need to wear only if not going to be taking it off) but when commuting I found it great (also for breathability) and also for winter walking/mountaineering. But not clear if anyone has ever tried making technical cycling clothing with it. Suspect lack of stretch a problem?
sidewinder
Great article, really positive to see this stuff being discussed honestly and pragmatically. Not sure what you are replying to, apologies, but just incase, this article is really good too;
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/the-future-of-waterproof-clothing-one-year-closer-to-the-pfas-ban/
Polyproplyene membranes have been on my radar for a while, and although I've not actually trialled any yet, I do have some stuff in work. On paper it makes a lot of sense; it's the least absorbent fibre by a long way, so creating a micro-porous/nanofibre mesh/membrane seems perfect. I've seen it described as 'hydrophobic' which I think is a bit of a misnomer, because it relies on being impervious to H2O absorption, rather than actively repelling like previous tech - in the same way glass won't 'absorb' rain (and does allow it to settle on the surface) but if you treat the glass with a silicone/PFOA DWR the water droplets are repelled and bead off.
Polypro has a very low melt-point (~171ºC) so is tricky to laminate, bond, heat-seal etc. so it comes with additional problems in manufacture ....and polyprop has a reputation for odour retention. As I say, I haven't trialled one yet, but this could add another layer of complexity to the product ....the most effective anti-bac/anti-odour treatments (silver ion) are biocides, and perceived as toxic in Scandinavia...
Bringing things back up, from an environmental perspective, it opens the way for mono-material technical garments, which theoretically could be recycled in the same way drinks bottles or tin cans are. It's a long way off, but is an option for circular systems, but could be another interesting dimension to the way you experience a piece of apparel/brand etc.