Bionic initiated an environmental and social grassroots program in Costa Rica to empower coastal communities on the Nicoya Peninsula to set up local waste management systems to repurpose plastic waste - fostering awareness and creating local jobs.
Gore provided investment, material science and supply chain knowledge, helping to create a robust, scalable supply chain as well as local recycling infrastructure in the Costa Rican communities. Our collective activism with Bionic is known as "Stronger Thread, Greater Good".
Partnering with remote communities to repurpose coastal plastic waste
This mission-based collaboration between Bionic, Gore and coastal communities in Costa Rica has resulted in the creation of new GORE-TEX laminates, supporting community efforts to help reduce plastic waste ending up in our oceans and waterways. Together, we’re turning garbage into good, one laminate at a time, one garment at a time.
New GORE-TEX products with recycled BIONIC textile
We’re excited to take the next step on our responsible performance journey: introducing GORE-TEX laminates with our innovative ePE membrane and recycled BIONIC textile, made from plastic waste partially collected from coastal environments.
Providing durably waterproof, windproof and breathable performance, the laminates use a 100% recycled BIONIC Polyester textile, made from 50% plastic waste collected from Bionic´s operations in coastal communities and 50% from other municipal collections.
We extensively test GORE-TEX laminates with BIONIC textile to ensure they meet the stringent GORE-TEX quality and durability standards.
Turning Garbage into Good
Collecting at the beach
Sorting
Shredding / Flaking
Yarn Spinning
Fabric Weaving
Lamination
Great partnerships are built on shared vision and passion, complementary expertise and the collaborative skills and discipline to see things through. This innovative project between Patagonia, Gore, and Bionic represents that shared vision and what the future can, and should, look like for high performance outdoor protection – same waterproof performance, no forever chemistries, and radically recycled NorthStar material inputs.
