As part of its commitment to improve the sustainability of its products, W.L. Gore & Associates is working hard on the development of a new waterproof/breathable membrane based on a non-fluorinated material.
In an interview with us, Achim Loeffler, who has been in charge of consumer-oriented fabrics for Gore since July 2019, said he is confident that it will be ready for adoption for the first time in certain products for the autumn/winter 2023/24 season, providing additional benefits as compared to its present membranes. The strongest focus now is on the gradual elimination of PFCs of environmental concerns by that same time, investing significant resources in the project and working also with partners on the polymerization process. Gore wants to see a greater amount of recycled materials and durable water-repellent (DWR) solutions used in its lamination.
Gore has gone a long way in terms of innovation and sustainability since it invented Gore-Tex in 1969, working on sustainability beyond life cycle assessment for about 30 years, without compromising with functionality. According to Loeffler, half of the “associates” in the group’s fabrics division are involved in R&D. Involved in many other sectors, the group employs a total of about 10,000 “associates.”
In the past few years, Gore has rolled out many new variations of its waterproof/breathable technologies including Gore-Tex Surround, Gore-Tex Infinium and 3D Fit, a practical shoe insert that has been adopted by Adidas and Salomon. It is developing new uses for Gore-Tex Infinium with several outdoor shoe brands in the Montebelluna region. At Ispo Munich, it will present various technical alternatives for its Gore-Tex Pro range of laminates that are integrated in the products of several sports brands for the next autumn/winter season (see the related News Brief in this issue).
Reaching out to the final user, Gore-Tex is also working with internet retailers on more customized solutions for consumers and relying more than before on social networks in its marketing campaigns. The idea is to turn Gore-Tex into a more experiential brand.
Loeffler, who has worked for the group for 18 years, focusing on footwear and gloves in the past five, said that Gore’s business is growing now in particular in the area of running shoes, thanks to Gore-Tex 3D Fit. It is developing in the outdoor sector in line with market trends around the world, remaining stable in Europe and growing in China.
