By Jason Blevins, Denver Post

Upstart apparel company Voormi is making waves with Core Construction, perhaps the first major progress in waterproof, breathable fabrics since the advent of Gore-Tex 46 years ago.

Voormi announced the technology at the SnowSports Industries America Snow Show in Denver last week.

“We see this as a game-changer,” Voormi founder Dan English said.

Pagosa Springs-based Voormi stirred interest in 2013 when it unveiled its locally sourced, locally made wool layers. Blending Rocky Mountain wool with moisture-wicking synthetic fabrics, the company took on Goliaths such as Patagonia and The North Face.

But it wasn’t just Voormi’s designs that rocked the boat. Voormi trumpets itself as “the microbrew of apparel,” and its nimble network of local manufacturers are able to whip up clothing on short notice for retailers eager to tap the locavore trend. The apparel reflects the small-batch ethos that pervades the blossoming hand-crafted economy in the high country.

The company hinted in 2013 that something bigger was brewing — something that had been in the works since English founded Voormi in 2010.

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