GORE-TEX Brand's ePE honored With PopSci "Best Of What's New" Award

Popular Science team awarded Gore's new ePE membrane with one of their esteemed Best of What's New awards in their Sports & Outdoor category. Here's what they had to say about why it made their list: 

"Gore, the company that invented the waterproof but breathable GORE-TEX membrane in 1968, is back with a new material that aims to take planet-polluting chemicals out of outerwear. After more than seven years of development and rigorous testing, Gore built upon its experience with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), polymer processing, and materials science to create an expanded polyethylene (ePE) membrane that's thin, light, and strong. The new material is also free of environmentally damaging perfluorochemicals (PFCs) and made with recycled nylon and polyester, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint. You can find the new ePE membrane—which has set a new standard in waterproofing—in GORE-TEX products like the Patagonia Storm Shift jacket and pants."

The new ePE membrane will be used as a complementary material suitable for various consumer products and uses.

The new GORE-TEX ePE membrane is a key milestone in Gore’s ongoing sustainability journey, providing high-performing, durable products that are engineered for long useful life. Features of the new membrane and products include:

• The new membrane is light, thin yet strong and enables durable performance. It is also PFC free* and has a reduced carbon footprint (per Higg MSI) achieved by its lower material mass along with new material combination
• The new GORE-TEX ePE membrane is bonded to carefully selected backers and/or face textiles (i.e. recycled, solution dyed or undyed) to form a GORE-TEX Laminate
• New GORE-TEX Products with the new ePE membrane provide durably waterproof, windproof and breathable protection with a long product life

For more than 40 years Gore, together with world-class brands, has been on a continuous journey of using science and innovation to find solutions for real, complex problems. Gore has applied decades of scientific knowledge and polymer expertise to discover the combination of the right materials and processes to manipulate PE to create a new membrane.

New GORE-TEX Products with the new ePE membrane will be introduced in AW22 from select customers including (but not limited to) adidas, ARC’TERYX, Dakine, Patagonia, Reusch, Salomon and Ziener.

The new ePE membrane will be featured in products intended for specific consumer uses including general outdoor and lifestyle garments, lifestyle footwear and snow sports gloves. Products for additional consumer end-uses (and from additional customers) will be introduced in upcoming seasons.

All garments, footwear, and accessories with GORE-TEX Product Technologies are rigorously tested in GORE-TEX Labs and in the field to ensure they are of high quality and meet strenuous brand standards for the intended use. 

To support the introduction of new GORE-TEX Products, Gore is releasing a new digital media campaign. The campaign, which features archival footage from 40-plus years of materials science innovation, showcases Gore’s commitment to responsible performance. The GORE-TEX Product Technologies and activities highlighted in the film led to this next step – the development and launch of new GORE-TEX Products that offer both functional performance and sustainability.