You do not have access to www.researchgate.net The site owner may have set restrictions that prevent you from accessing the site Receive our weekly Newsletterand set tailored daily news alerts Innovative new footwear technology enables sock-like fit to be paired with waterproof Sports/​Outdoor Recognised for advancing material science in shoes for active lifestyles Gore & Associates has earned an OutDoor Industry Award in the product category of Material Innovation for its newest technology Gore-Tex 3D fit footwear breathable technology that contours to the shape of the foot (like a sock) knitted athletic footwear suitable for everyday use – a footwear category that has seen rapid growth in popularity over recent years one of the leading international design awards for companies in the outdoor industry evaluates and assesses new products and product technologies using an independent panel of expert judges Gore-Tex 3D fit footwear debuts at the OutDoor trade show in Friedrichshafen this week and will also be shown at the North American Outdoor Retailer Show in Denver Shoes featuring the new technology are being manufactured and marketed by Gore brand partners adidas Terrex with its Terrex Agravic Speed Salomon with its custom made ME:sh shoe and Under Armour with its second generation HOVR Phantom shoe Brands will debut the technology in their shoes beginning in early 2019 both in-store and online “We’re honoured that the OutDoor Industry Award panel took note of how this technology moves the needle forward in modern shoe fabrication,” said Silke Kemmerling Product Specialist for the Gore Fabrics Division consumers will enjoy a shoe that more effectively contours to the shape of their foot and manufacturers will be able to implement a technology that is easy to integrate into existing footwear designs.” Gore-Tex 3D fit footwear will enable manufacturers to have access to a waterproof breathable insert offering seamless comfort in a lightweight stretchy material that can be used in a variety of lighter-weight athletic and lifestyle shoes Gore-Tex 3D fit footwear is said to refine lightweight elastic shoes with a new standard of fit while delivering waterproof and a 3D insert that contours to the shape of the foot just like a sock “Consumers will like this technology because it will allow them to wear their favourite knitted mesh footwear in broad range of conditions By wearing shoes with Gore-Tex 3D fit footwear they will no longer need to compromise style or be restricted on what they can wear for their favourite outdoor activities,” the manufacturer explains “Gore-Tex 3D fit footwear offers seamless comfort ensuring consumers will enjoy how the product fits and feels.” www.goretex.com Gore launches new Gore-Tex 3D fit footwear Gore launches new Gore-Tex Infinium product brand FELDKIRCHEN-WESTERHAM (30 November 2017) — For more than 40 years the GORE-TEX® brand has stood for performance Gore & Associates (Gore) is building upon this expertise to lead the GORE-TEX® brand into a new evolution stage that goes way beyond “waterproofness.” Beginning in Fall 2018 the new product brand GORE-TEX® INFINIUM™ will join the existing GORE-TEX® brand expanding its offering with an entirely new class of apparel GORE-TEX® INFINIUMTM products will be for those who like to be active and whose top priority is functional clothing Using its extensive knowledge of “comfort science,” how the human body reacts in concert with different climate demands Gore has developed innovative new product technologies for specific activities and users while also offering them a performance upgrade that does not need to be waterproof GORE-TEX® INFINIUMTM products will be available in selected retail stores and can be identified through the white diamond logo on the products Gore will continue to bring innovations in the waterproof-breathable category to market and those products can be identified by the black diamond logo of GORE-TEX® products Gore will work with select partners to launch the GORE-TEX® INFINIUM™ product brand with four innovative new product technologies in Fall 2018 (additional details on specific product technologies can be found on the accompanying fact sheet): “The new GORE-TEX® INFINIUM™ product brand will join the GORE-TEX® brand offering consumers new product options,” said Christian Langer “It could be a favorite pair of shoes that keep your feet comfortably warm and stylish through the winter; yet because the insulation is so thin they don’t have the bulky insulation look consumers are accustomed to seeing keep fingers warm in winter and let you use a smartphone without taking them off.” Along with extensive ongoing laboratory and field research into how consumers can be more comfortable across different kinds of climates and weather conditions with the introduction of GORE-TEX® INFINIUM™ product brand is developing new technologies responding to the way more people are choosing to experience being outside While many consumers pursue individual outdoor athletic pursuits there has been an increase in people wanting to spend more time outside comfortably & protected in more general ways as a part of their daily lives GORE-TEX® INFINIUM™ products will enable Gore and their brand partners to meet the needs of all those areas “The introduction of the new GORE-TEX® INFINIUM™ product brand marks a key milestone for Gore Together with the existing GORE-TEX® product brand consumers will find even more innovative products to pursue their outdoor passions whether they plan a Himalaya expedition or ride a bike to work With this brand evolution we want to address new growth areas together with our brand partners and are well positioned for future opportunities” L. Gore & Associates is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Since 1958, Gore has solved complex technical challenges in demanding environments — from outer space to the world’s highest peaks to the inner workings of the human body. With approximately 9,500 Associates and a strong, team-oriented culture, Gore generates annual revenues that exceed $3 billion. www.gore.com  View all Releases by Submit Press Release Address: 4010 Sorrento Valley Blvd #400, San Diego, CA 92121   Phone: (858) 876-4705 Achim Ewers zum Rode - Gore's Global Brand and Consumer Strategy Leader walks and talks us through the wall of fame A new Gore-Tex jacket being waterboarded in the rain room There is little to no perceptible difference between garments with the ePE (let) and PTFE (right) membrane   The Crumpleflexer tortures the material to simulate repeated use Sustainability Stakeholder Engagement Director present the unarguable case for durable gear being better for the planet Does the evolution of Gore-Tex’s ePE membrane mean we can buy guilt-free gear again The list of milestones displayed on the wall of W Gore & Associates’ European headquarters in Feldkirchen-Westerham Since Bob Gore accidentally invented it in 1969 Gore-Tex (a miracle membrane used in outerwear that can keep water and wind out while still allowing body vapor to escape) has been integral to producing high-performing protective garments worn by explorers venturing to the very extremities of Planet Earth and beyond Gore-Tex features in gear worn at the planet’s poles and atop highest its peaks and it’s found in space suits worn by astronauts on missions in space and in the valves used during heart surgery for that matter Gore-Tex has been synonymous with adventure for decades In some respects – although it remains an expensive ingredient used primarily in premium products – this magical membrane has helped democratize the outdoors by making it possible for reasonably average people (like me) to explore further than we’d ever be capable of venturing without it (at least not without exposing ourselves to the very real danger of freezing to death or dying of exposure) I’ve stood on the very rooftop of a couple of continents completely cocooned in Gore-Tex gear quite literally from my fingertips to my toes I may well have left some of those digits up there.    being shown around the Gore-Tex mothership and meeting some of the people responsible for future-proofing the company is because the production and proliferation of such pricey high-performance gear has also come at an environmental cost testing and development – Gore has succeeded in reinventing their membrane and now they really want to tell the outdoor world all about ePE which they say is more environmentally friendly and will ultimately replace the old ePTFE-based technology along with various other outdoorsy journalists I’ve been invited to Feldkirchen-Westerham see and feel how this new membrane works and to actually test some items of apparel made with the mark-II material in the nearby mountains home and active products from the T3 experts But I also really want to know how legitimate the claims being made about ePE are in terms of it being gentler on the natural environment waterproof and breathable garments (WWBs) we all demand Gore’s all-important membrane is invariably wrapped in a laminate with synthetic materials (essentially plastic a product of the fossil fuel industry that will never the composition and production of the membrane itself has – until now – involved the use of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and then the clothing is treated in a durable water repellent (DWR) finish that has featured damaging ‘forever chemicals’ like perfluorocarbons (PFCs) For decades the performance of Gore-Tex gear has been based on the properties of an ePTFE membrane which is covered in extremely tiny holes – so small they won’t let water molecules or wind through but will let vapour out which is how it manages to be both windproof waterproof and breathable (at least in the right conditions PTFE is an inert fluoropolymer that doesn’t break down or degrade, and according to Gore (and an independent textile expert I later consulted) is not a PFC of environmental concern – although some chemists take a different view It also increases the durability – and therefore useful lifespan – of a garment which lowers its environmental footprint (so long as people are not tempted and lured into repeatedly buying new gear before their old kit has really died) questions remain about what happens to the PTFEs during disposal (even if you try and do the right thing textile sorters currently separate out the outdoor garments which might have a DWR on them and do not send these into the textile-to-textile recycling system for fear of contamination – instead they get sent overseas and might be burned or dumped) the process of creating all those tiny holes in the microporous membrane that allows the magic to happen is done with the use of fluorines which are being banned because they’re awful for the environment Gore stood to lose its Bluesign badging when the PFC ban came in unless the company discontinued its use of PFCs in their manufacturing process the outdoor apparel industry is not the only sector guilty of using such chemicals and materials – PTFE is used in everything from plumber’s tape to medical equipment – and Gore is far from the only company involved (every brand producing microporous waterproof and breathable gear is in the same boat) But with an audience and consumer base comprised of people who place great importance on the preservation of nature leading outdoor names are especially vulnerable to accusations of non-sustainability or – worse – environmental damage Gore-Tex is a component product used by high-end brands such as Patagonia that desperately want (need) to preserve their image as an environmentally conscious company but there’s also a sense of earnestness around the Gore-Tex team tasked with making their product more planet-friendly and this is very clearly evident in the people who proudly present their new and evolving product to us which remains a microporous membrane that works in exactly the same way as its predecessor those all-important little holes are created by heating and stretching the material (there’s a bit more to it than that and it doesn’t involve the use of any nasty fluorines) except most other companies are using the wording Olefin membranes instead of ePE This is touted as the major change (and it is a big deal for Gore who has devoted a lot of time to developing it) but arguably it’s the stripping out of PFCs from DWR treatments that’s far more consequential since these ‘forever chemicals’ come off during use they’re bioaccumulative and do not break down in the environment Leading brands, including Adidas have been producing products featuring Gore’s ePE membrane over the last 18 months and information from independent in-field testing is hard to come by but Gore says gear made with their new membrane and laminate (which is all PFC-free including the DWR treatment) is just as durably waterproof reliably breathable and totally windproof as their old tried and trusted apparel we get to see examples of the material being put through a rigorous testing process at the Feldkirchen product development laboratory where jackets made by brands that use Gore-Tex are subjected to a sustained all-direction soaking in the rain room (think water jets blast mannequins wearing the apparel for hours) and the fabric gets repeatedly scrunched up by a machine called the Crumpleflexer which sounds like something out of Willy Wonka's factory that I don't want to get caught up in I even get a chance to put a sample jacket on don some protective goggles and step into a wind tunnel where I can assess the garments’ windproof performance in a simulated storm Leaving the lab, we cross the border into Austria and spend an entire day climbing via ferrata routes on the flanks of Harauer Spitze in the Chiemgaur Alpen clad in prototype Gore-Tex jackets made with the new ePE tech (and constructed from recycled materials).  Unfortunately (for the purposes of the exercise) but I do get to experience firsthand the look I also get an insight into the breathability of the fabric as I work up a proper sweat while climbing the crag and then test its windproof qualities when I’m greeted by a stiff breeze at the summit the air humidity is low and so a microporous membrane like Gore-Tex works brilliantly in terms of breathability demonstrations and testing experiences are all very compelling but while I’m an enthusiastic and experienced outdoorsy type and I know what technology works best in particular terrain types I’m far from an environmental scientist or – more to the point – a textile expert to get their informed take on ePE and what it means for the outdoor industry Charles Ross is a university lecturer at the Royal College of Art and works closely with Leeds University He is the subject lead in Performance Sportswear Design and many of his former students now work with brands like Mountain Equipment Patagonia and Arc’teryx – one is actually on the Gore-Tex team he has been taking a keen interest in the development of ePE and the claims that it’s more environmentally friendly “There’s no real change in the membrane in sustainability terms,” Charles tells me although the previous version was made with PTFE the material itself was inert and did not leach out chemicals the construction method is definitely better Charles says: “The new membrane is very comparable to the Gore-Tex of old but not the highest permeability product – think more classic Gore-Tex rather than Gore-Tex Pro I do expect the new (poly)Olefin membrane to have improved permeability in years to come Gore will concentrate on getting better breathability figures.” he cautions that better breathability stats are often arrived at via the production of a thinner fabric “There’s always a compromise,” Charles chuckles A truly magic material that is both genuinely waterproof and highly breathable doesn’t exist But the removal of ‘forever chemicals’ from durable waterproof repellency treatments is unquestionably a good thing for the environment although one issue Charles highlights with the new PFC-free DWRs is that they’re more prone to staining “I am now seeing garments being junked within a year because they look grubby!” he laments “I define sustainability as the gear you use for the longest – the lowest impact kit is the stuff you already own,” Charles concludes “So if you have an ePTFE Gore-Tex jacket with a PFC DWR keep using it; anything you replace it with will be additional footprints.” saluting Gore’s contribution to the development of outdoor gear Charles tells me: “They have advanced the market and the consumer’s expectations brilliantly the whole user experience would not be as good.” He likens the evolution of Gore-Tex (and windproof waterproof and breathable apparel in general) to a journey and sees the development of ePE as a positive turn of direction along the way if you are investing in new gear because your old kit has genuinely died then it makes sense to go with equipment made without the use of environmentally damaging chemicals – but don’t go binning it and buying more just because it looks a bit stained And treat it with respect; technical clothing like Gore-Tex can only be used a certain amount of times before the laminate fails – save it for when you really need it and you’ll get years of exciting use out of it which is better for your pocket and the planet Gore-Tex brand expands its product offering beyond waterproof- breathable category and unveils new technologies for autumn 2018 the new product brand Gore-Tex Infinium will join the existing Gore-Tex brand by W Gore-Tex Infinium products will be for those who like to be active and whose top priority is functional clothing Using its extensive knowledge of “comfort science” and how the human body reacts in concert with different climate demands Gore says it has developed innovative new product technologies for specific activities and users Gore-Tex Infinium products will be available in selected retail stores and can be identified through the white diamond logo on the products the company will continue to bring innovations in the waterproof-breathable category to market under the black diamond logo of Gore-Tex products The manufacturer will work with select partners to launch the Gore-Tex Infinium product brand with four innovative new product technologies in autumn 2018 “The new Gore-Tex Infinium product brand will join the Gore-Tex brand offering consumers new product options,” said Christian Langer “It could be a favourite pair of shoes that keep feet comfortably warm and stylish through the winter; yet because the insulation is so thin they don’t have the bulky insulation look consumers are accustomed to seeing by keeping fingers warm in winter and yet allow customers to use a smartphone without taking them off.” with the introduction of Gore-Tex Infinium product brand there has been an increase in people wanting to spend more time outside comfortably and protected in more general ways as a part of their daily lives Gore-Tex Infinium products aim to address the needs of all those areas “The introduction of the new Gore-Tex Infinium product brand marks a key milestone for Gore Together with the existing Gore-Tex product brand consumers will find even more innovative products to pursue their outdoor passions whether they plan a Himalaya expedition or ride a bike to work With this brand evolution we want to address new growth areas together with our brand partners and are well positioned for future opportunities,” said Mr Langer Gore-Tex brand goes beyond waterproof category Gore hosts exhibition at Men’s Paris Fashion Week New white-diamond Gore-Tex Infiniumtm branded products will join original waterproof-breathable black diamond branded products Sports/​Outdoor, Clothing/​Footwear the new Gore-Tex Infinium product brand will leverage the expertise and innovation from W Gore & Associates into a new class of functional products that will aim to offer consumers all-round performance Alongside the original Gore-Tex product brand which will remain visible through the black-diamond logo consumers will have access to an expanded array of jackets shoes and gloves under the Gore-Tex Infinium product brand represented by a corresponding white-diamond logo While many consumers continue to pursue individual outdoor athletic activities there has been an increase in people spending more time outside as part of their everyday experience Products carrying the Gore-Tex Infinium brand helps meet those needs by offering versatile comfortable apparel that is fit for a wide range of end-uses across more aspects of people’s active lives when waterproofness is not a necessity “Consumers love the Gore-Tex brand because they know they can count on our products to deliver what they promise – the highest performance for specific end uses,” said Christian Langer Global Sales and Marketing Leader in the W “Gore-Tex products do what we say they will do – the first time we’re utilising the expertise we already have and offering consumers a broader product portfolio with benefits that extend beyond the waterproof category we’re staying true to what consumers expect from us – fabrics innovation.” Innovation at Gore stems from its ongoing research into how the human body reacts to and feels during different activities combined with changing climatic conditions such as heat This research is used to assist in continuing to develop innovative new products An example developed out of recent research in comfort science is Gore-Tex Infinium Thermium insulated product technology for footwear women face the dilemma of either wearing stylish shoes and having cold feet or wearing bulky and unstylish insulated footwear that then cause their feet to overheat once indoors Gore-Tex Infinium Thermium has been developed to solve this problem by offering a low-profile highly effective insulation – seven times more efficient than a similar amount of loft insulation – that is thin enough that it can be used in everyday footwear this insulation is applied only where needed – in the toe area The result is stylish-looking everyday footwear that keeps feet warm outdoors but that don’t overheat inside,” the manufacturer explains Along with Gore-Tex Thermium product technology Gore will introduce two new fabric technologies Gore-Tex Infinium Soft-lined and Insulated Fabrics in consumer products available starting this autumn Gore-Tex 3D fit footwear earns OutDoor Industry Award The new brand architecture aims to help consumers distinguish between the product benefits and make it easier to choose the ideal weather protective clothing Protective, Sports/​Outdoor, Clothing/​Footwear is now restructuring its brands for autumn 2016 The new brand architecture was developed to help consumers distinguish between the product benefits of durably waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex products – and total windproof and maximum breathable new Gore Windstopper and upcoming Gore Thermium products The new brand names will also make it easier for consumers to choose their ideal weather protective clothing By introducing innovative new product technologies Gore is widening its brand architecture and strengthening the new and well-known brands through the new umbrella brand – Gore will be included in the name of all individual brands waterproof and breathable Gore–Tex garments (in the three categories Gore-Tex products Gore-Tex Pro products and Gore-Texactive products) will remain unchanged with the same names The Gore-Tex Guaranteed to Keep You Dry brand promise is still valid for all Gore–Tex products be adapted to the new Gore branded products font-type Gore is introducing new changes in the windproof laminate category: the well-known Windstopper products will become Gore Windstopper products Gore is also presenting two completely new product technologies with windproof membranes which are said to offer additional functionalities according to their end use and thus provide added-value in weather protection these new laminates widen the area of function of traditional softshells Gore Windstopper products with insulation protection are designed to protect from wind and cold This product technology is said to enable the production of lightly insulated exactly as it’s required for aerobic exercise at low temperatures Gore Thermium products make use of a completely new technology which will be used by brands such as Arc’teryx durable windproof fabric and light rain resistance Gore Thermium garments are based on a new laminate technology which keeps the garment insulation protected from light rain and snow showers thus maintaining the insulation performance www.gore.com direct to your inbox.Be the first to know.