As an avid hiker and climber in the UK before moving to Canada, I was an early adopter of Gore-Tex clothing. When the heavens opened, as it did so often on the British mountains, I was thankful that at last I could remain dry and also warm. It wasn’t surprising then when I returned to serious long distance cycling I would seek out clothing with Gore-Tex , particularly as I was then living in the soggy Fraser Valley of BC.
One particular company, Gorewear, continued to impress me with its wide range of cycling specific attire from glove and overshoes to jackets and caps. Consequently, it was a huge shock to me to receive an email from Gorewear last month announcing they were closing down for good at the end of March 2026. After stating that they had produced award-winning and world leading weather protection for more than 40 years they simply explained the decision followed: “a difficult review of long-term prospects in a challenging highly competitive landscape”.
Although that statement suggested the reasons were simply economic, I quickly discovered there were other factors, particularly environmental challenges, that had weakened the company’s status. I had been oblivious of the growing environmental movement against performance wet weather clothing manufacturers until Gorewear sent me that email. Gorewear’s parent company W.L. Gore & Associates would continue making fabrics for other outdoor companies and they hoped the new products would satisfy the demands of environmentalists. However, the jury is out on whether their substitute fabrics will be as durable or as effective as the original.
When I investigated, I found that the Patagonia company was among the first to acknowledge an environmental issue with their rainwear products in 2015. They explained they used a Durable Water Repellant (DWR), a chemical on the surface of breathable fabrics that caused water to bead up and disperse moisture so it didn’t make the material soggy. The inner layer in the fabric with the vapour barrier would not work if the outer surface layer was saturated. The issue was that the DWRs were so durable they fell in the category of “forever chemicals” that would last for centuries in the environment. Patagonia and other companies introduced interim measures to remove the more indestructible chemicals from their garments but they still contained perfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.
Even if companies managed to remove PFAS from the outer layer of clothing, the inner vapour barrier itself contained PFAS too. PFAS may impact the immune system, increase the risk of some cancers, and affect reproductive and metabolic systems. Initial pleas from manufacturers that their only solution was to produce less-durable products that would have to be replaced more frequently and would still create an environmental issue fell on deaf ears.
The state of California banned the use of PFAS in fabrics in 2025. Bans in Colorado and New York followed. France, Japan, Denmark and New Zealand have introduced their own legislation and more is to come including a more comprehensive ban in Canada. Interestingly, the rise of PFAS for waterproof clothing in the 1980s coincided with the ban of asbestos for fire-resistant clothing. At that time, it was feared although it was toxic, asbestos could not be improved on. Eventually though, superior, environmentally-acceptable alternatives like Polybenzimidazole were developed, proving that if you research hard enough you will find a solution.
With the perennial demand for waterproof cycling clothing, we can be hopeful that a superior alternative to PFAS will eventually be discovered too. For now, I am glad I moved to a drier province but I will be treating my Gorewear products with more care until though new materials appear.
References:
Durable Water Repellents: Our DWR Problem – Patagonia Stories
The problem of forever chemicals and waterproof clothing | Ethical Consumer
GOREWEAR To Cease Operations – End of the Road for a Pioneering Brand? | GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine
Gore shuts down Gorewear apparel line but keeps Gore-Tex alive | Cycling Weekly
GOREWEAR | Premium Durable Sports Gear for Running & Cycling
The end of Gore-Tex? – Pique Newsmagazine
Polymer Fabric Protects Firefighters, Military, and Civilians | NASA Spinoff