Garments made with GORE-TEX® fabric with Paclite® product technology are durably waterproof, windproof and very breathable. With an extremely lightweight and packable construction, they are the ideal solution for hiking, cycling and other sports where weight and space are critical. These garments keep you dry and cool during demanding activities and warm during cool down, even in windy, cold weather. A smart, convenient solution for weather protection, garments made with GORE-TEX® Paclite® fabric are easy to pack and take little space in your bag.
The construction of products made from GORE-TEX® Paclite® Technology is unique. A GORE-TEX® membrane is bonded to an outer shell material, then covered by a protective layer made of an oleophobic (oil hating) substance and carbon which results in an extremely lightweight, packable garment. Special GORE-SEAM® tape technology ensures that all seams are 100% waterproof.
The GORE-TEX® membrane has 9 billion pores per square inch, with each pore 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet. These tiny holes are too small for water and wind to pass through from the outside, which is how W.L Gore & Associates guarantees you'll stay dry and warm in a garment made with GORE-TEX® fabric. But these same pores are large enough for moisture vapor to pass through, so your body's perspiration is able to escape and you won’t feel clammy or uncomfortable inside your jacket.
One of the chief environmental benefits of GORE-TEX® fabrics is their longevity. GORE-TEX® fabrics are incredibly durable, and unlike some "waterproof/breathable" fabrics that can lose waterproofness after repeated laundering, flexing, abrasion, or exposure to body oils or insect repellent, the waterproofness and breathability of GORE-TEX®fabric is guaranteed under any conditions you may encounter. The durable performance of GORE-TEX® fabrics allow them to last longer, which is the most effective measure for making an environmentally sound choice. Durability enables a long and useful lifetime of the finished product, resulting in substantial savings of raw materials and energy that would be otherwise required to manufacture multiple units of shorter-lived products.
While no manufacturing operation is completely free from emissions and environmental impact, the Fabrics Division of W. L. Gore & Associates makes significant efforts to minimize the effect of their manufacturing processes on the environment. They fulfill a high level of environmental standards in all their manufacturing plants globally with controls in place that meet or improve upon the local regulatory demands (e.g., air pollution control devices, solvent-free adhesives, manufacturing waste recycling, and waste water treatment). The environmental impacts of Gore’s manufacturing processes are regularly assessed and controlled by an Environmental Management System according to ISO 14001. This environmental manufacturing standard was globally implemented in their fabrics manufacturing plants in 2010.
All of Gore’s fabric manufacturing sites have passed the bluesign® screening and have implemented the bluesign®standard, which verifies that the manufacturing processes are carefully managed and equipped with the best available environmental controls. bluesign technologies has developed an independent and rigorous standard for the safety and environmental performance in making textile products.
