First introduced in 1978, the fabric and thus the GORE TEX jacket is made by laminating a patented GORE TEX® membrane to high-performance textiles. Only approved manufacturers of outerwear, accessories and footwear can then use it.
Your garments are waterproof against rain, air and snow. They also evaporate perspiration.
The patent concerns certain textiles as well as shoes, the big brands such as Salomon, Vaude use it.