SINGAPORE, Aug. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As regulators worldwide move to restrict PFAS, the synthetic “forever chemicals” long used in waterproof textiles, Niber Technologies is advancing a PFAS-free electrospun nanofiber membrane platform built to meet that shift without compromising performance.
A Global Shift Away from PFAS
PFAS do not break down naturally and accumulate in water, soil, and living organisms. The EU’s REACH PFHxA restriction takes effect in October 2026, alongside France’s Loi 2025-188 and a growing patchwork of US state rules. Brands long reliant on PFAS-based chemistry now need compliant alternatives that don’t sacrifice performance. Niber’s membranes are PFAS-free by design, a founding principle rather than a retrofit.
Korean Roots, Industrial Scale, Raising over $11M to Date
Niber was founded in 2019 by the Park brothers, building on a legacy of electrospinning expertise that traces back to South Korea. The founders set out to turn a technology long confined to lab-scale application into a reliable, industrial-scale manufacturing platform, establishing production and R&D operations in the Philippines. The company, incorporated in Singapore, serves customers across Asia, Europe, and North America.
To fund this growth, Niber has raised institutional funding totaling over USD 11 million to date, including a Series A round with investors such as TNB Aura and the Asian Development Bank. Niber describes itself as Southeast Asia’s first industrial-scale manufacturer of PFAS-free electrospun nanofiber membrane and its growth has been guided by senior leadership including President and Chief Strategy Officer Richard Beck, alongside COO Kim Yong-hwan, who oversees the company’s Philippines production facility.
Meeting the PFAS-Free Standard While Addressing the Performance Trade-off
Many PFAS-free alternatives on the market today ask brands to give something up — breathability, water resistance, or weight — in exchange for compliance. Niber’s approach is built to address that trade-off, engineering performance at the fiber level rather than the finished membrane.
Niber’s membranes are built from nanofibers starting at 450 nanometers, each roughly 20 times smaller than a bacterium and 200 times thinner than a human hair. That fiber-by-fiber control is where the company’s edge lies, letting it tune how much water a membrane blocks, how much vapor it releases, and how light and flexible it feels in a garment.
An RET as low as 1 helps high-output apparel move moisture out quickly, with lower numbers meaning more breathable material. Base membranes withstand 3,000+ mmH2O, with laminates exceeding 10,000 mmH2O, giving brands room to dial in protection across categories using the same platform. At 3 to 14 gsm, membranes stay light enough for 2-layer, 3-layer, or bonded constructions. And because the lineup is PFAS-free by design, brands sourcing from Niber can meet incoming rules, including EU REACH PFHxA and France’s Loi 2025-188, on the same timeline as the rest of their supply chain.
Collaboration with German Chemical Company BASF
Niber’s technology has been demonstrated in a prototype outdoor jacket, developed using a TPU material input supplied by BASF and showcased by BASF at CHINAPLAS 2026 in Shanghai. Niber uses BASF TPU as a material input for its membranes, a sustainability-aligned relationship supporting material traceability across its supply chain.
Building Global Commercial Expansion
Niber has announced the appointment of Jochen Lagemann as Chief Commercial Officer, effective August 1, 2026. Lagemann brings more than 25 years of experience scaling ingredient brands across performance apparel and textiles, and will lead Niber’s global go-to-market execution from Munich, the company’s first European base.
The appointment builds on Niber’s ingredient brand strategy, developed with BRAIND, the ingredient brand consultancy founded in 2011. BRAIND Managing Director Tomas Vucurevic serves as Niber’s Chief Brand Advisor, supporting the company’s move toward a structured ingredient brand.
ABOUT NIBER TECHNOLOGIES
Niber Technologies is an advanced materials company manufacturing PFAS-free electrospun nanofiber membranes for performance textiles. Singapore-incorporated with manufacturing and R&D operations in the Philippines, the company serves customers across Asia, Europe, and North America. Founded in 2019 by Jaemin Park and Jaehyung Park, Niber’s proprietary electrospinning technology enables the production of ultra-lightweight, highly breathable membranes at industrial scale.
Contact:
Niber Technologies
[email protected]
www.niber.tech
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
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