a special technology opportunity package is now available describing the properties of a new licensable fabric treatment process called polytherm. the package includes samples of treated fabric, a full technical description, a contact point at the agricultural research service, and a videotape. this new process can impart improved performance characteristics to a wide variety of fabrics. polytherm will give textiles several useful performance features such as thermal heating or cooling properties, excellent oily soil release, reduced pilling, anti-static protection, durable press qualities and increased moisture absorption. the polytherm fabrics are prepared by binding polyethylene glycol polymers to the material using a 'pad-dry-cure' manufacturing process. the polytherm addition will typically increase the fabric base weight by 25-60. thus, the treated products are considerably heavier than the starting material it is applicable to any textile fiber or fabric including cotton, cotton/polyester blends, worsted wool, polyester, nylon, rayon, acrylic, and fiberglass. polytherm properties can be imparted to the fabrics using polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight custom designed for each particular application. laboratory studies of polytherm materials indicate that treated fabrics will release heat at cool temperatures giving a warming effect and absorb heat at warmer temperatures giving a cooling effect; the precise temperatures at which these effects occur depends on the molecular weight of the polymer