The Sheffield, UK outdoor manufacturer Rab have revealed their plans for Autumn/Winter 2013 and they include hydrophobic down as well as better tracing of the down sources.
In a recent press release Rab let out that they will, like a lot of other brands right now, switch to using hydrophobic down insulation in some of their products. Hydrophobic down made a first appearance at OR last year and has since been quite the sensation with more and more outdoor products using it.
When treated with a DWR coating, the down can keep most of its loft even when wet and is particularly suited for damp weather like the UK, or long expeditions where moisture can build up over time and reduce effectiveness of the insulation of a down garment.
The other news from the company is their plans on starting to use only traceable down in their products, ensuring the down only come from approved and regulated source and is not illegally live-plucked.