The US family business, W L Gore & Associates, Inc. which is known in the textile sector through its textile laminates based on the patented membrane technology GORE-TEX, has been named Company of the Month for January 2015, by the International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile Ecology (OEKO-TEX), which provides testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate and end products at all stages of production.

In the area of product safety, Gore has implemented the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 worldwide for over 20 years now, receiving its first certifications in 1996. The requirements of the OEKO-TEX standard 100 are met not only by its functional fabrics for occupational and recreational clothing, but also by its seam tapes and semi-finished products, according to a press release.

Whether in cycling gear, ski pants, mountaineering boots, or professional protective clothing – GORE-TEX function textiles are used on a wide scale. The company provides its ‘guaranteed to keep you dry’ guarantee for all GORE-TEX products in its recreation and fashion range.

An environmental management system has been introduced at all of its production sites and Gore has started the process of receiving certification for them in accordance with ISO 14001. At the core of the environmental approach adopted by Gore is its ecological evaluation tool, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a standardized, scientifically approved method that fully assesses the environmental impact created by an end product, from the acquisition of the raw materials, through manufacturing and distribution, up to disposal.

The company has a wide range of products that includes the textile material GORE-TEX, cables for telecommunications, medical implants, filter tubes for power plants and highly-specialized products for use in industry and aeronautics and aerospace electronics. (GK)