more popularly, gore-tex is known for its use as a waterproof, breathable fabric, used in outdoor clothing and sport footwear. to the human eye, it looks and feels like a smooth fabric. structurally, the membrane of the fabric contains about nine-billion microscopic pores per square inch. the holes are large enough to allow body heat and water vapour to escape, but small enough to deflect water drops. as a result, moisture from rain or snow cannot penetrate the fabric, while perspiration can escape as it evaporates.