Vardama/YouTubeA new menswear company is creating a line of suits, shirts, and ties that are all water-repellent and spill-resistant.
Called Vardama, the company has been developing for the past two years as Jorge Vega Umana and Kaustubh Varma worked to perfect a special compound that would not only allow their designs to be water-repellent, but also make them feel breathable and soft for customers.
"The idea came to me while on a family trip in India," Varma explained to Business Insider. "I was stuck in my hotel room due to the rain. Looking out of the window I was admiring the way the leaves on a nearby plant were keeping itself dry and clean. I thought to myself - what if my clothes were self-cleaning?"
After over 100 different prototypes, experiments, and products, Varma and Umana finally discovered the answer. They call their invention Equa-Tek™ and say that it treats the individual fibers at a "microscopic level" to make them water-resistant - whether the fabric is silk, Egyptian cotton, or wool.
Vardama/YouTubeThis allows things like coffee, wine, and water to be repelled from the fabric (you can see videos of it on their YouTube channel). It also makes the fabric less susceptible to visible staining due to perspiration, according to Vardama.
Washing isn't an issue either - the shirts can be machine washed or dry cleaned, and suits and neckties are dry clean only, much like your regular work wear.
"We researched several different compounds and many types of application processes to find the best solution for our customer and for the brand," Varma explained to Business Insider. "Part of the amazing journey of Vardama has been the travel and great partners we have made through developing Equa-Tek including researchers, manufacturers, scientists and other fashion brands across the globe."
VardamaVardama suits range from $695 to $1,800.The first collection for Vardama launched this past December with prices ranging from $125 to $155 for shirts, $695 to $1,800 for suits, and $49 to $89 for neckties.
The brand was also featured in Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week during the Fall, and hope to expand into womenswear, kids clothing, work wear, and more.
