„Impossible!,“ says Giorgio Bertoldi behind his desk at the flagship store of SPORTLER in Bolzano and laughs. “These pants are really heavy used!” Giorgio Bertoldi is holding in his hands the very first item of GORE-TEX gear to be repaired today. He is the owner of our certified repair center in Italy and in business with Gore for more than 30 years. Today, at the first stop of the GORE-TEX GEAR TOUR in Italy, we are happy to have Giorgio, his son Gianni Bertoldi and their team with us to repair your well-worn gear. 

Well-worn is a good starting point when I’m looking at those black snowboard pants, but the sparkle in Giorgio's eyes tells me that he loves the challenge of fixing broken gear. 

Using his instincts and all his experience, our repair team was able to give those pants a second life. The (now again) happy owner can love his gear for longer instead of buying new. This will not only save some money, but also help to prolong the life cycle of our products, which helps to protect the environment by lowering the overall footprint. 

LOVE YOUR GEAR FOR LONGER AND FIX IT

That is what the GORE-TEX GEAR TOUR  is up to this autumn and winter: We want to encourage everyone to love their gear for longer and extend the life of GORE-TEX products by using proper wash, care and repair methods. And we are very proud to have strong partners like SPORTLER with us on the way. 

“Services that promote a circular economy model play a central role in the sustainability strategy of SPORTLER”, states Florian Dusini, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at SPORTLER. “Since repairing functional garments requires specific expertise and know-how, we work closely with brands and partners that can support us in achieving the common goal of extending the life of products. That's exactly the reason why we are so excited to host the Italian stop of the GORE-TEX GEAR TOUR in our Flagship Store!”.

WHEN YOU USE SOMETHING A LOT IT GETS WORN OUT, BUT YOU STILL APPRECIATE IT.

Like this 14 year old jacket from Hans. It’s his favorite piece of gear to use in the mountains, as it always kept him dry. He searched high and low for another pair just like this jacket, but wasn’t satisfied with the waterproofness and breathability of the alternative, so he returned to this light-green treasure again. And now we've patched the jacket up for him. 

FREE REPAIRS 

We don’t charge anything for all repairs during the GORE-TEX GEAR TOUR, a high-five and a happy customer will do. All repair services take place on the day of each event on a first-come, first-served basis or a book-slot alternative. GORE-TEX experts will also be on site at each event to provide guidance on proper ongoing care to ensure product longevity.

Why does it make sense to prolong the life of products?

Florian has the answer: “The production of apparel involves a very high consumption of raw materials, energy and water, as well as the use of harmful chemicals. For this reason, it is important to preserve the functionality of garments through proper care or repair to ensure a longer life”.

“Consider that by extending the life of garments by just nine months, you can reduce the environmental footprint of your closet by 20-30% in terms of CO2 emissions, water consumption and waste production.”
- Florian Dusini, CSR Manager at SPORTLER

The first stop of the GORE-TEX GEAR TOUR inspired us, we were able to fix a lot of garments and had a wonderful day with all of you, who joined us. In case you missed it, make sure to stop by at the next event, here are all the dates to meet the experts. Let’s cherish what we have already.