Yesterday, as reported by German site Velobiz, W.L. Gore & Associates, better known simply as ‘Gore’ appears to be axing its in-house clothing brand, Gorewear, itself an amalgamation of two previous in-house activewear brands catering to the running and cycling markets.
Gore, in letters to retailers, outlines economic pressures as the cause of the closure of the brand, and the decision has apparently been taken after “careful consideration and in-depth analysis of long-term prospects”.
Gorewear has been producing cycling clothing since 1984, and while it is perhaps most famous for its waterproof cycling jackets, it also produced bib shorts, overshoes, jerseys, and a whole range of accessories for both cycling and running.
It is perhaps this diversification away from the brand’s key offering - that being waterproof gear - that stretched it a little thin; it is fair to say that the cycling apparel marketplace has rarely been this hotly contested.
Details are thin on the ground for now, but the closure of Gorewear isn’t necessarily reflective of bigger issues at Gore in general. The parent company has no doubt been wrangling with the transition to PFAS-free waterproof membranes, something which means it no longer has as much market dominance thanks to its old PTFE membranes, but Gorewear is quite a small part of a much larger beast.
Gore the parent company will still continue to produce waterproof textiles under the Gore-Tex brand, and these will continue to be used in cycling jackets like the Rapha Pro Team Gore-Tex Lightweight Rain Jacket, as well as across the outdoor industry more broadly, but also in military applications and other industrial settings.
As more details come to light we will endeavour to keep you abreast, but don’t panic, Gore-Tex isn’t going anywhere.
