At Repurposed Waders, we spend a lot of time surrounded by material that was built to last. The thing about waders — especially those made with GORE-TEX® — is that they were engineered to keep anglers dry through just about anything nature could throw their way. But that same durability that keeps us comfortable on the water is exactly what makes this stuff a problem once it’s done fishing.
The Birth of a Breakthrough
Back in 1969, a chemist named Bob Gore discovered something remarkable while stretching heated Teflon — he created expanded PTFE (better known as GORE-TEX®). It was light, breathable, waterproof, and nearly indestructible.
By the mid-’70s, GORE-TEX was changing the outdoor world — from mountaintops to trout streams — keeping adventurers dry and comfortable in ways we’d never seen before.
Built to Last — and That’s the Problem
The magic of GORE-TEX is that it doesn’t break down. It’s resistant to water, wind, oil, sunlight, and even time. That’s great when you’re knee-deep in a cold river, but not so great when that same wader ends up sitting in a landfill.
Because expanded PTFE doesn’t easily decompose, those old waders can sit there for decades — maybe centuries — perfectly intact. They’re not leaking toxins, but they’re not returning to the earth either. They simply... stay.
Our Why
That’s where we step in.
At Repurposed Waders, our mission is simple: keep this incredible material out of the ground and give it another drift. We take waders that have lived a full life on the water and reimagine them as something new — totes, pouches, wallets, and gear that carry the same grit and story as the anglers who wore them.
When we cut and sew a new Catch-All Tote from old waders, we’re not just keeping fabric out of landfills — we’re honoring the miles, the memories, and the mornings those waders have seen.
The Second Drift
We can’t change the chemistry of GORE-TEX, but we can change its fate. Every piece that passes through our hands gets another chapter — something built for a second story, not a slow fade underground.
So the next time you sling one of our bags over your shoulder or pack up your gear in something that once saw the river — know that you’re part of rewriting the story. From landfill to life. From waste to worth. From the first drift to the second.
