Letter: Help the environment — stop buying single-use products

For more than 30 years, our scientifically tested and proven GORE‑TEX materials have been keeping people dry and warm so they can spend longer in the outdoors. At the heart of GORE-TEX fabrics is an extremely thin membrane called ePTFE that is durably waterproof, windproof and breathable. PTFE is a fluoropolymer.  Fluoropolymers are extremely valuable materials that have unique properties and enable high performing products. For example, the use of fluoropolymers will enhance the durability of a product, enabling a longer life and lowering its environmental footprint. This fluoropolymer is inert, insoluble in water, extremely stable and not biodegradable. Therefore, it does not degrade to become a source of PFCs of Environmental Concern.  GORE FABRICS’ GOAL AND ROADMAP FOR ELIMINATING PFCS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN*  As part of its commitment to continuously improve the environmental footprint of its consumer fabrics products while maintaining a high level of durability and performance, Gore Fabrics has set the goal of eliminating PFCs of Environmental Concern from the life cycle of its consumer fabrics products.  Gore Fabrics intends to eliminate PFCs of Environmental Concern from its consumer fabrics products. This is an important milestone in a long-term journey to continuously reduce the environmental footprint of its products throughout their full life cycle. Gore Fabrics is working towards the elimination of PFCs of Environmental Concern from its Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatments and membrane manufacturing processes.  The original target for completion of the elimination of PFCs of Environmental Concern from its consumer Fabric products is the end of 2023. Gore Fabrics is proud of the significant progress we have made on this journey with significant changes in DWR chemistries, supplier engagement and alternative materials developed. Despite Gore Fabrics’s focus and progress to date, it is now clear that completing the transition of its entire portfolio by the original target date will not be possible due to product development and scaling challenges. Gore Fabrics is still fully committed to the PFCec-Free goals, and now is on track to transition the vast majority of its consumer portfolio by end of 2025. *PFCs (per and poly-fluorinated chemicals) is a term with no commonly agreed definition, and like PFAS (per and poly fluorinated alkyl substances), generally refers to a broad group of highly fluorinated compounds with vastly differing physical attributes and properties. So, in communicating about PFCs it is important to be specific about the particular PFC or group of PFCs being discussed.