Management tools for innovation
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‘We extend a lot of freedoms to associates says Mr Field. For individuals who are strongly personally
motivated and self-driven, that usually works well from the outset. For those who are used to being directed and told how to do things, it’s a challenge Not everyone is able to adapt, he notes (FT.com, 2019).
Gore-Tex®, a breathable fabricIn 1969, Bob Gore discovered
that rapidly stretching PTFE created a very strong, microporous material this became known as expanded PTFE, or ePTFE), which offered a range of new, desirable properties.
To be effective, a waterproof fabric needs to be able to prevent moisture getting from the outside to the inside. Furthermore, a waterproof fabric must have the ability to withstand water entry inactive conditions, such as walking in wind-driven rain and sitting or kneeling on a wet surface. In the case of garments for wear,
especially inactive conditions, perspiration is a common problem. If perspiration vapour becomes trapped inside clothing, it can condense into liquid moisture that causes dampness – and wet heat loss is
23 times faster than dry heat loss. A fabric that would enable moisture to escape and at the same time prevent moisture from entering would seem unachievable, but that
is precisely what the Gore-Tex®
fabric does. Raincoats incorporating the Gore-Tex
®
fabric were first introduced way back in 1976, hence the patent for the breathable fabric expired in 1996. However, new patents are still active on improved methods of making
Gore-Tex
®
fabric. There are now many generic versions of breathable fabric on the market. The success of the product has been witnessed largely in the s as outdoor pursuits grew rapidly in popularity during this period. This led to an explosion in sales of Gore-
Tex
®
related
products, such as coats, backpacks, shoes and trousers. Indeed, clothing manufacturers who used the Gore-Tex
®
fabric
in their garments, such as Berghaus, Karrimor and North Face, became household names, as this once esoteric specialised clothing market became mainstream.
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