Care & Repair

Who hasn't experienced it? A moment of carelessness around a campfire or with crampons, and your clothing suddenly has a small hole. Our ROTAUF "THE PFAS-FREE REPAIR PATCH" set can help in such cases. Incidentally, this solution also helps increase your credibility in the mountaineering scene... ;-)

BTW: If you want your favorite piece to look like new again, our repair service is the right place for you. Contact us at info@rotauf.ch and we'll be happy to help.

Repairing a hole or tear in your outdoor clothing is a relatively simple task, whether it's rainwear, skiwear, or other products made of hardshell materials. To perform an efficient DIY repair, here's what you can do:

Step 1: Get a repair kit
Get a repair kit for hardshell or Gore-Tex materials or the ROTAUF "THE PFAS-FREE REPAIR PATCH" kit.

Step 2: Wash and dry
Before repairing: Wash and dry the garment you're repairing according to the care instructions, as the area to be patched must be clean. Any remaining dirt or adhesive residue can be carefully removed with rubbing alcohol.

Step 3: Cutting
Cut the patch to the appropriate size and round off the corners. Make sure the edges are clean. The patch should be at least twelve millimeters larger than the hole to be repaired.

Step 4: Smooth
Lay the jacket with the damaged area facing down on a flat surface and smooth it out. There should be no visible wrinkles, as otherwise leaks could occur. If there is a tear, sew the torn edges together as evenly as possible.

Step 5: Apply the patch
Remove the film from one side of the patch. Carefully apply it to the hole, starting from the center, without touching the adhesive surface. Peel back the film completely and apply the second side. Repeat the process with a second patch on the inside of your clothing.

Step 6: Drying
Then let it dry thoroughly.

Step 7: Heat
Heat increases the adhesive strength of some patches. You can gently iron the repaired area with a towel as a separator or use a hairdryer. But be careful: too much heat can damage the clothing.

BTW: If you want your favorite piece to look like new again, our repair service is the right place for you. Contact us at info@rotauf.ch and we'll be happy to help.

You've probably experienced a broken zipper before. Often, it's not worth replacing the entire zipper. Still, it's frustrating to throw away clothes or other items with a broken zipper. We'll show you how to repair a zipper and not only save your favorite items but also save money.

Whether it's a jacket or a sleeping bag, sometimes the zipper won't open or close. This is either due to the small hooks becoming rough or the zipper itself becoming worn out. If rough hooks are the cause, lubricating the zipper with graphite helps. To do this, run a soft pencil over the zipper teeth. Because the graphite contains grease, the teeth become supple, and the zipper works again. Instead of graphite, you can also use hand soap to get the zipper working again.

If the cause is a worn-out slider, simply squeeze the long sides together with pliers. It's important to do this carefully, as otherwise the slider may no longer move.

If the slider accidentally slips out, you can usually fix it yourself. There's usually a metal clip at the end of the zipper that prevents the slider from slipping out. If it does slip out, the metal clip is usually broken or missing altogether. To repair the zipper, however, you'll need to remove it. Once you've removed the metal clip, you can simply rethread the slider. To prevent the slider from slipping out again, you should thicken the area where the metal clip sits. You can do this by reinforcing it with a needle and thread.

A broken zipper won't affect its functionality, but it's still annoying. To use the zipper as usual, you can thread a keyring through the eyelet of the slider. If you don't have a suitable keyring handy, a paper clip or a piece of string can be used as a substitute.

Here are a few tips to help you repair your zipper:

• If individual teeth are bent, carefully straighten them with pliers.
• If a tooth is missing at the bottom, sew the area closed with a needle and thread. The zipper won't open completely, but the garment will still be wearable.
• If the zipper is broken, replace it with the zipper from an old piece of clothing.
• Close zippers before washing in the washing machine to make them last longer.
• Instead of graphite, you can also use hand soap to make the zipper work again.

Yes, you can. However, not above 40°C—but you shouldn't wash your hardshell products any hotter anyway.

Did you know that you can waterproof your clothes yourself in no time, so they're fully ready for your next adventure?! - Here's how it works:

For re-waterproofing, we recommend the Fibertec Textile Guard Eco spray. For re-waterproofing, the clothing must be fresh from the washing machine; that is, it must still be damp. Place the clothing on a clean surface and spray generously with the Fibertec spray. Then, spread the milky liquid over the clothing with a damp cloth and rub it in.
➥ Important: No traces of the waterproofing agent should remain on the jacket; rub the sprayed liquid in completely.
After washing or waterproofing, the clothes should be hung on a hanger to dry. Once dry, they should be tumble dried again using a gentle cycle for approximately 20 minutes to intensify the waterproofing effect.

Good to know
• Washing: Frequent washing of waterproof clothing is so important for the following reason: To seal the seams of the clothing, adhesive strips—so-called tapes—are applied to the inside. However, the adhesive in these tapes is sensitive to acid. And since human perspiration is relatively acidic, it will attack the adhesive in the tapes over time.
➥ To prevent this, regular washing is important.

● Impregnation: Regular impregnation is important to prevent water from beading
This keeps the material of your clothing and you dry for a long time. At the same time
The breathability of the material is ensured. Without sufficient waterproofing
the outer fabric of the clothing absorbs water when it rains, deactivating breathability,
which means that body sweat can no longer penetrate to the outside and evaporate.
➥ To prevent this, regular waterproofing is important - after every wash.
But at the latest after 3 months.

● Drying: A waterproofing treatment on clothing can be imagined like a lot of fine hairs on the
surface of the clothing. If a drop of water hits the surface of the jacket,
It rests on the hairs without touching the fabric itself. Through use and
When clothes are washed, these hairs are broken off. Chemically speaking, these hairs are
However, they are designed in such a way that they straighten up again when heated and thus better
connect to the fabric.
➥ That is why the additional treatment in the tumble dryer for 20 minutes is important - after
every wash cycle.

We keep most spare parts for our ROTAUF products in stock here in Chur. If your product needs replacing, just send us a quick message—preferably with a photo—and we'll have the part shipped to your door in no time.