Garment Care Instructions

GORE-TEX速 GARMENT CARE INSTRUCTIONS EUROPE

March 28, 2013

GORE-TEX® GARMENT CARE INSTRUCTIONS EUROPE

Not only are GORE-TEX® garments built to last, they are easy to care for. Routine care will ensure excellent performance and extend their useful life. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s care instructions - typically found on the inside tag.

GORE-TEX® OUTERWEAR Before laundering your garment, zip the front closure, pockets and pit zips completely, and fasten all flaps and straps. Be sure to follow the garment manufacturer’s instructions to ensure high performance.

Wash Machine wash on a warm cycle (105º F/40º C) using a small amount of liquid detergent.

Rinse twice, minimise spinning to reduce creasing. Do not use powder detergents or any products that contain fabric softeners, conditioners, stain removers or bleach as they will affect garment performance. Do not wash with heavily soiled clothing.

Bleach Do not use chlorine bleach.

Dry Line dry your garment, or tumble dry it on a warm, gentle cycle. Once it is dry, tumble dry your garment for 20 minutes to reactivate the durable water-repellent (DWR) treatment on the outer fabric.

Iron If unable to tumble dry, iron the dry garment on gentle setting (warm, no steam) by placing a towel or cloth between the garment and the iron. This will help reactivate DWR treatment on your garment’s outer fabric.

Dry Clean Gore recommends home laundering. If professional dry cleaning is necessary, request that the cleaner use clear distilled hydrocarbon solvent for rinsing and then spray DWR on the garment’s outer fabric before drying. Follow garment manufacturer’s instructions.

Water-Repellent Treatment When the factory applied treatment can no longer be reactivated, apply a new water-repellent treatment (available at local outdoor retailers) to the garment’s outer fabric.

Questions? Contact Gore Customer Service at 0-800-833-357 for assistance.

GORE-TEX® GARMENT CARE INSTRUCTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WASHING What's the best way to wash my GORE-TEX® garment?

Be sure to read the manufacturer’s care tag first. Wash your GORE-TEX® garment in the washing machine in warm (105°F/40°C) water. For the best results, use a small amount of liquid detergent. Please do not use powder detergents, fabric softener or chlorine bleach.

How often should I wash my GORE-TEX® garment?

Wash your garment as often as you need to remove such impurities as dirt, campfire smoke and cooking odours. Washing and drying your garment helps restore the durable water repellent (DWR) that is important to the performance of a GORE-TEX® garment.

What cycle do I use to wash my GORE-TEX® garment?

You can use a gentle cycle that does not rigorously spin the garment. Reducing the spinning will minimise creasing or damage that can be caused by pulling and twisting the garment.

Can I use either powder or liquid detergent?

For best results, we recommend using liquid rather than powder detergents.

Should I wash my GORE-TEX® garment separately?

You do not need to wash your GORE-TEX® garment by itself. You can wash it with similar garments that are not heavily soiled. We suggest a second rinse cycle to ensure that all of the detergent and soil are completely rinsed out of the garment.

Can I use stain removers on my GORE-TEX® garment?

We do not recommend stain removers. Instead, we recommend using liquid detergent in the pre-wash cycle of your washing machine to remove stains and heavy soil. If your machine does not have a pre-wash cycle, simply soak the garment in warm water with liquid detergent.

Can I use bleach?

Please do not use bleach with any GORE-TEX® garment. It could affect the colour and performance of the garment.

GORE-TEX® GARMENT CARE INSTRUCTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DRYING AND DWR What is the best way to dry my GORE-TEX® garment?

We recommend line-drying your garment; it uses less energy and reduces your impact on the environment. Once the garment is dry, it only takes 20 minutes of tumble-drying to reactivate the durable water repellent (DWR) of a GORE-TEX® garment.

Can I use my dryer for my GORE-TEX® garment?

If you use a dryer, we recommend a gentle cycle with medium heat. Because today’s high-efficiency dryers shut off as soon as the moisture rate inside the dryer reaches a certain level, continue the cycle an additional 20 minutes to reactivate the DWR on the outer fabric.

What is DWR? GORE-TEX® garments are treated with an ultra-thin treatment known as DWR, or durable water repellent. This treatment causes water to bead up and roll off the outer layer of garment, instead of being absorbed. Regular wear and tear, plus exposure to dirt, detergents, campfire smoke, cooking odours and other impurities diminish the protective DWR treatment. When water no longer beads up on your GORE-TEX® garment’s outer fabric, you can restore its DWR by using a topical spray-pump or a wash-in DWR treatment available at retail outdoor stores. These special treatments help maintain and restore the DWR on the outer shell fabric of the garment so that it remains water and stain repellent.

Can I use an aerosol DWR spray to replenish the DWR? We recommend pump-action sprays instead of aerosol sprays to reduce the environmental impact. However, technically an aerosol spray can be used.

PROFESSIONAL DRY CLEANING Can GORE-TEX® garments be dry-cleaned?

Dry-cleaning does not harm GORE-TEX® fabric. However, always follow the manufacturer’s care instructions for your particular garment to make sure they recommend dry cleaning. If you decide to professionally dry-clean your garment, request clear, distilled hydrocarbon solvent rinse and spray-on or wash-in DWR repellent.

Can I use a home dry-cleaning kit to clean my GORE-TEX® garment?

If dry cleaning is necessary, we recommend a professional dry cleaning that uses clear, distilled hydrocarbon solvents for rinsing. We do not recommend home dry-cleaning kits.

GORE-TEX® GARMENT CARE INSTRUCTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

IRONING What setting should I use to iron my GORE-TEX® garment?

First check your manufacturer’s care instructions about ironing. We recommend using low temperatures and no steam. Place a cloth over the GORE-TEX® garment so that the iron does not touch the garment directly.

ALTERATIONS AND REPAIRS Can I alter my GORE-TEX® garment or embroider a logo on it?

Any form of alteration to your GORE-TEX® garment after purchase, including repairs, logo embroidery, or fit alterations, should be done at a Gore-certified facility. Otherwise, you might compromise the waterproof protection of your garment, usually via small needle holes that have not been sealed. If you need to change your garment in any way, contact us to locate a certified repair facility.

I've damaged my GORE-TEX® garment. What can I do?

You can temporarily fix minor punctures and tears with a GORE-TEX® Fabric Repair Kit, available at specialty outdoor stores. These special adhesive patches allow you to make instant repairs to preserve the waterproof integrity of your outerwear until you can get to a certified repair centre. Visit www.gore-tex.co.uk for more information on your local repair centre.

Š 2013 W. L. Gore & Associates (UK) Ltd. GORE-TEX, GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY GORE and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates