The list of milestones displayed on the wall of W. L. Gore & Associates’ European headquarters in Feldkirchen-Westerham, is both impressive and interesting. Since Bob Gore accidentally invented it in 1969, Gore-Tex (a miracle membrane used in outerwear that can keep water and wind out while still allowing body vapor to escape) has been integral to producing high-performing protective garments worn by explorers venturing to the very extremities of Planet Earth and beyond. Gore-Tex features in gear worn at the planet’s poles and atop highest its peaks, and it’s found in space suits worn by astronauts on missions in space, and in the valves used during heart surgery for that matter.
