Key takeaways
- Schoeller-Dryskin is a premium, durable, breathable softshell fabric from Swiss maker Schoeller.
- It combines abrasion resistance, four-way stretch, breathability, and wind/water resistance.
- It resists weather without a separate membrane, treated with a DWR finish.
- It's used in quality softshell pants and jackets for climbing, mountaineering, and ski touring.
From Swiss textile company Schoeller.
What Schoeller-Dryskin is
Schoeller-Dryskin is a premium softshell fabric from the Swiss textile maker Schoeller, known for combining several desirable properties in one woven fabric: durability and abrasion resistance, four-way stretch, breathability, and water and wind resistance. Often treated with a DWR finish, it resists weather without needing a separate waterproof membrane.
What makes it good
- Tough & abrasion-resistant — stands up to rock on climbs and scrambles.
- Four-way stretch — freedom of movement.
- Breathable — comfortable during active use.
- Wind- and water-resistant — handles wind and light weather.
A climber wears softshell pants made of Schoeller-Dryskin on an alpine route — the tough fabric shrugging off abrasion against rock, the four-way stretch letting them high-step freely, and the DWR shedding light snow, all while breathing on the strenuous climb.
Where it’s used
Schoeller-Dryskin appears in high-quality softshell pants and jackets for climbing, mountaineering, and ski touring, where toughness, flexibility, and breathability matter. As a premium fabric, it’s found in higher-end gear. (Schoeller also makes other lines, such as the temperature-responsive c_change membrane.)
The bottom line
Schoeller-Dryskin is a premium Swiss softshell fabric that rolls durability, abrasion resistance, four-way stretch, breathability, and wind/water resistance into one woven material — no separate membrane needed. It's the fabric of choice for hardwearing softshell pants and jackets in climbing, mountaineering, and ski touring, where toughness and flexibility matter as much as weather protection.
Frequently asked questions
What is Schoeller-Dryskin?
Schoeller-Dryskin is a premium softshell fabric made by the Swiss textile company Schoeller. It's known for combining durability and abrasion resistance with four-way stretch, breathability, and water and wind resistance in a single woven fabric — making it a high-end choice for tough, flexible, weather-resistant softshell garments.
What makes Schoeller-Dryskin a good softshell fabric?
It packs several desirable properties into one fabric: it's tough and abrasion-resistant (good for climbing and scrambling against rock), stretches four ways for freedom of movement, breathes well for active use, and resists wind and light moisture (often with a DWR finish) without needing a separate waterproof membrane. That combination of durability, stretch, and breathability is why it's prized for hardwearing softshells.
Where is Schoeller-Dryskin used?
It's commonly used in high-quality softshell pants and jackets for climbing, mountaineering, ski touring, and other demanding active pursuits, where you want a durable, flexible, breathable fabric that handles wind and light weather. It's a premium fabric, so it appears in higher-end garments rather than budget gear.
Sources
- Schoeller fabric technology — Schoeller Textil
- Softshells & fabrics — The Mountaineers