W.L. Gore’s fabrics division announced that the company is participating in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s “Make Fashion Circular” initiative. Gore fabrics is joining forces with some 20 global brands in a commitment to develop new pathways for the textile industry informed by the principles of a circular economy.

Launched in May 2017 at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, the initiative brings together leaders from across the fashion industry, including brands, but also cities, philanthropists, NGOs and innovators. With the aim to stimulate collaboration and innovation, participants are committed to work together to build a sustainable system for a new textile economy based on three key strategies:

  • Business models that keep clothes in use;
  • Materials that are renewable and safe to wear;
  • Solutions that turn used clothes into new clothes.

The long-term vision of the “Make Fashion Circular” initiative aligns well with Gore fabrics’ aspiration to deliver high-performance clothing with a low environmental footprint, allowing for durably performing products and longer usage of apparel and footwear.

According to Bernhard Kiehl, Gore fabrics’ sustainability leader, “We at Gore Fabrics have always taken our responsibility for the environment seriously. Therefore, we are really excited to join the ‘Make Fashion Circular’ initiative and are very much looking forward to contributing through our expertise, in particular by sharing our science-based insights about product durability. We know from our Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies that the useful lifetime of functional apparel is a key factor for reducing its environmental footprint. That is why making durably performing products has always been at the heart of what we do. Certainly, we are also eager to learn from and get inspired by what others do to create a circular economy for textiles.”

In addition, joining “Make Fashion Circular” opens a new page in Gore fabrics’ commitment to actively contribute to leading multi-stakeholder platforms working to overcome key sustainability issues in the textile industry. Amongst others, Gore has been a founding member to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and the Sustainability Working Groups of the U.S. Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the European Outdoor Group (EOG).

Please see more information on the “Make Fashion Circular” initiative under tiny.cc/circularfashion and @circularfibres #makefashioncircular,