Gore Wear

What Gore Wear does

Gore Wear was a technical apparel brand wholly owned and operated by W. L. Gore & Associates GmbH, the privately held German materials company behind the GORE-TEX membrane technology. Founded in 1985 and operating for 40 years, the brand designed and sold outdoor performance apparel including outerwear (jackets and vests), footwear, and gloves and accessories, serving running enthusiasts as its primary segment and skiing/snowboarding, hiking, and cycling/lifestyle users as secondary segments. All products were built around proprietary GORE-TEX membrane technology, with sub-brands including GORE-TEX PRO for extreme conditions, standard GORE-TEX garments for everyday use, WINDSTOPPER products by GORE-TEX LABS for wind protection, and the next-generation GORE-TEX ePE membrane (a PFC/PFAS-free variant).

The brand operated a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at Gorewear.com alongside distribution through authorized retail partners globally, with geographic reach spanning North America (USA), six European markets (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Sweden, Spain), and five Asia Pacific markets (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Australia). Marketing was conducted through the parent GORE-TEX brand ecosystem, including the brand website, social media, email newsletters, event sponsorships such as the Freeride World Tour, and content series like Breaking Trails. The pricing model was standard premium technical apparel retail, though specific pricing is no longer available following the brand shutdown.

On 2025-11-07, W. L. Gore & Associates announced the closure of Gore Wear after 40 years, citing an extremely competitive environment and no realistic path to meeting financial goals. Production is winding down and orders are being fulfilled through March 31, 2026, while the parent refocuses on its core materials business supplying Gore-Tex membranes and technical fabrics to other outdoor and sportswear brands such as Arc'teryx, Burton, HOKA, Mammut, Norrøna, and Oboz.

Name

Gore Wear

Legal name

W. L. Gore & Associates GmbH

Website

https://gorewear.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Closed

Short description

Gore Wear was a W. L. Gore & Associates-owned technical apparel brand producing GORE-TEX-based outerwear, footwear, and accessories for global running, cycling, and outdoor enthusiasts. Operating for 40 years, the brand announced closure in November 2025, with operations ending March 31, 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technical Outdoor Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599), Footwear Manufacturing (3162)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140)

akta.pro primary industry

Running & Endurance Wear (CRAAAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outerwear & Cold-Weather Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAI), Outdoor Performance Footwear & Apparel Retail (Trail/Hike) (CRAMACAI), Ski & Snowboard Apparel Retail (Outerwear, Base Layers, Gloves, Socks) (CRAMAJAB)

Keywords

• Technical outdoor apparel
• Waterproof running jackets
• Cycling performance clothing
• GORE-TEX outerwear
• Hiking footwear

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gore Wear designed, manufactured, and sold technical outdoor apparel and accessories under the GORE-TEX brand, including outerwear (jackets, vests), footwear, and gloves featuring proprietary GORE-TEX, GORE-TEX PRO, GORE-TEX ePE, and WINDSTOPPER membrane technologies for running, cycling, hiking, and skiing/snowboarding activities.

Product overview

Gore Wear was a technical apparel brand offering a comprehensive product portfolio including outerwear (jackets, vests), footwear, and gloves & accessories for outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking, running, and lifestyle use. The brand's products were built around proprietary GORE-TEX membrane technology, with variations including GORE-TEX PRO (extreme conditions), standard GORE-TEX Garments (everyday use), and WINDSTOPPER (wind protection in drier conditions). Gore Wear also incorporated next-generation GORE-TEX ePE membrane technology. The company announced its closure in November 2025, with operations ending March 31, 2026, after 40 years of operation, with parent company W.L. Gore & Associates refocusing on its core materials business supplying Gore-Tex membranes to other outdoor brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gore Wear Outerwear Technical jackets and vests featuring GORE-TEX, GORE-TEX PRO, or WINDSTOPPER membrane technology for running, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and outdoor lifestyle use.
• Gore Wear Footwear Running shoes and hiking boots with GORE-TEX membrane technology (including GORE-TEX Invisible Fit and GORE-TEX SURROUND variants) for guaranteed waterproof protection and comfort.
• Gore Wear Gloves & Accessories Technical gloves (including WINDSTOPPER Stretch Gloves) and accessories featuring GORE-TEX membrane technology for waterproof, windproof, and breathable hand protection.
• Gore Wear Concurve Windstopper Insulated Jacket Insulated running jacket featuring Windstopper technology for windproof protection during cold weather running, part of Gore Wear's performance running apparel line.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• W. L. Gore & Associates GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGore Wear was a brand owned and operated by W. L. Gore & Associates GmbH, the company behind the GORE-TEX brand. The parent company confirmed Gore Wear's closure in November 2025, citing an extremely competitive environment and no realistic path to meeting financial goals. Following the closure, W. L. Gore & Associates will refocus on its core materials business supplying Gore-Tex membranes and technical fabrics to other outdoor and sportswear brands.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Arc'teryx: Premium technical outdoor apparel and outerwear brand built around GORE-TEX membranes, directly comparable to Gore Wear's positioning in waterproof performance apparel for skiing, hiking, and trail use. Featured partner on gore-tex.com, indicating it absorbs share that Gore Wear previously served.
• Mammut: Swiss technical outdoor apparel and equipment brand offering GORE-TEX-equipped jackets, footwear, and gear across mountaineering, hiking, and skiing — overlapping directly with Gore Wear's outerwear and multi-sport product lines. Listed as a featured GORE-TEX partner.
• Norrøna: Norwegian premium outdoor brand specializing in technical shell jackets, ski apparel, and hiking clothing, using GORE-TEX membranes. Highly comparable to Gore Wear's premium outerwear positioning across the same use cases.
• HOKA: Running-focused footwear brand offering GORE-TEX-equipped trail and road shoes, directly overlapping with Gore Wear's running footwear and running-apparel positioning. Listed as a featured GORE-TEX partner.
• Pearl Izumi: Specialist cycling and running apparel and footwear brand with technical waterproof outerwear, providing a tightly comparable product mix to Gore Wear's cycling heritage and running category focus.
• Brooks Running: Running-focused apparel and footwear brand with GORE-TEX-equipped trail running shoes and weatherproof run apparel, directly comparable to Gore Wear's primary running enthusiast segment.
• Craft Sportswear: Swedish technical apparel brand with strong positioning in running, cycling, and cross-country outdoor categories, offering weather-protective outerwear and base layers directly comparable to Gore Wear's performance apparel portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• The North Face: Broad incumbent in technical outdoor apparel and footwear with deep GORE-TEX partnerships and global retail scale, competing directly with Gore Wear across running, hiking, and skiing categories at premium and mid-premium price points.
• Patagonia: Premium outdoor apparel brand with strong positioning in waterproof shells, trail running apparel, and hiking gear. Comparable brand positioning and sustainability-led narrative, with similar end-consumer overlap.
• Salomon: Trail running, hiking, and skiing footwear and apparel brand with broad global distribution, directly competing with Gore Wear's running, hiking, and ski product ranges across similar specialty retail channels.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/goretexnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/GORETEXna
• Instagraminstagram.com/goretexbrand

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gore Wear