Researched
Straight from the EMS Product Book,
**Microporous Laminates - Microporous Laminates are very thin membranes that can be laminated to any type of fabirc. The first and still most commonly known is Gore-tex. Gore-tex is really teflon (or for all you tech weenies out there, its polytetraflourethylene, PTFE for short) which has been stretched out into a very fine, pourous membrane. The pores in the PTFE are too small for water molecules to pass through, but large enough for vapors to escape. In Effect, it acts very comparably to your skin! (Gore-tex is even usd in the medical industry to patch hearts after surgery!) When gore-tex is laminated to a breathable fabric, the garment becomes waterproof, and the outside is almost always finished with something to help keep the fabric dry.**
Now this from the Gore-tex website:
**Gore shell fabrics are treated with an ultra-thin treatment called DWR, a durable water repellent polymer applied to the outermost fabric layer. This treatment penetrates the fibers and lowers the surface tension of the fabric, causing water to bead up and roll off the outer layer of fabric, instead of being absorbed.
Water-repellent outer fabric provides additional insulation and prevents liquid from saturating your garment's outer fabric, a condition known as 'wet out' that can make you feel damp and clammy. Your garment may even feel like it's leaking, although it's not.
Regular wear and tear, plus exposure to dirt, detergents, insect repellant, and other impurities, causes DWR failure. DWR is not permanent on any fabric. Its effective life depends upon how you care for your garment and how rigorously it is used. The most effective way to maintain your Gore garment's water and stain repellency is to wash it, rinse it, and put it in your dryer. The washing removes contaminants and the heat from the dryer helps redistribute the DWR treatment on the fabric surface.
If water fails to bead up on the surface of your cleaned and tumble-dried garment, its DWR treatment has reached the end of its useful life. But don't worry: You can restore a Gore garment's durable water repellency by using a topical DWR revival treatment for outdoor fabrics, available at most outdoor retail shops. (Note: We do not recommend wash-in treatments.)**
Hence... NIKWAX
Taking care of Gore-Tex outerwear is easy! Just:
Machine wash in warm water with powdered detergent.
Tumble dry on medium heat.
NOTE: W.L. Gore and Associates, Inc. does not recommend the use of liquid soaps or special "waterproof/breathable" soaps when washing Gore-Tex outerwear.
For More Help
If you have additional questions about washing or maintaining any Gore-Tex® product, just call Gore Customer Service at 1-800-431-GORE.
Sherpa John
