Gore to invest $15m in ‘new approaches’ to DWR
W.L. Gore & Associates will invest more than $15 million in, and look at “completely new approaches” to, durable water repellent (DWR) solutions over the next five years, in a bid to find solutions with an improved environmental profile.
There has been debate in the outdoor industry over PFCs, which can be formed as a byproduct of the technology that makes textiles oil and soil resistant, and has some negative implications for health.
Bernhard Kiehl, head of the Gore Fabrics’ sustainability programme, said: “Gore has taken a leadership role in the outdoor industry regarding the sustainable management of PFCs. We invested significantly and are one of the first to completely eliminate PFOA from our raw materials in the manufacture of the entire range of functional textiles.”
Gore has been evaluating a range of DWR treatments based on both fluorinated polymers and non-fluorinated polymers since 22013 but found non-fluorinated DWR treatment failed after only a short time of field use.
John Cusick, head of consumer garments at Gore, said: “We are open to different ideas and technologies from both internal and external resources. Our commitment as a technology leadership company goes far beyond finding alternatives to current coating solutions. We also are exploring completely new approaches that may provide the necessary functionalities in non-traditional ways in order to reduce the environmental footprint of our products and to act as a role model for a more responsible outdoor industry.”
