During this challenging time our hearts go out to everyone impacted by COVID-19. At W. L. Gore & Associates our focus continues to be on the health, safety and well-being of our Associates, customers, communities and of course you.

Gore has received many requests and would like to emphasize that GORE-TEX materials ARE NOT designed and engineered to provide sufficient airflow to support human respiration when used for ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) products (including face masks) and HAVE NOT been proven to be a viable option to protect against COVID-19.

Our products are engineered to meet certain standards and perform in the way they were intended through careful design and rigorous testing. GORE-TEX materials, and any end products made out of them including garments and gloves, DO NOT protect against airborne pathogens primarily acting through the respiratory tract, such as COVID-19.  

Gore’s fabrics division currently provides vital products for first responders and those whom are fulfilling critical infrastructure needs during this global healthcare crisis.

We are very aware and sensitive to the shortage of PPE products for health care workers who are on the front line of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for assistance in quickly creating additional products. Gore is exploring meaningful ways in which our scientific expertise and production capacity can be used to contribute to both short and long-term solutions in the fight against COVID-19.

Update (March 27, 2020): 
Some Gore customers have decided to manufacture Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as gowns or protective masks, out of their surplus inventory of Gore’s laminates and then make these available to local communities.  While we understand and respect their humanitarian motivations, we have also reminded them that such applications of our laminates are not covered within the terms & conditions of our GORE-TEX Trademark License Agreement.