MATERIALS & CERTIFICATIONS
The materials we use are a core element of our commitment to sustainability. We select each of our raw materials based on its environmental and social footprint, seeking only the most responsibly sourced fibres and ethically-made textiles on the planet. This means conducting extensive research into the sourcing and manufacturing of our materials to ensure that we craft our products from the lowest-impact options available. We hold our suppliers to the highest environmental and social standards, and partner exclusively with mills that share our sustainable vision. We strive to source materials that have been certified by some of the world’s most trusted third-party auditors and institutes like Global Recycled Standard, bluesign®, and OEKO-TEX®.
ETHICAL MATERIALS
We’re committed to using the most ethical and low-impact materials on the market.
RECYCLED POLYESTER
Recycled polyester is made from post-consumer plastic bottles. The process of upcycling discarded plastic into polyester fibre reduces waste from oceans and landfills, and gives new life to materials that aren’t naturally biodegradable. The production of recycled polyester uses fewer natural resources, like water and fossil fuels, and produces fewer CO2 emissions compared to virgin polyester. Despite these more conservative manufacturing processes, recycled polyester maintains the same high durability, look, and feel as its virgin counterpart.
OXFORD REPREVE®
Our Oxford Repreve® fabric is made from REPREVE®, the leading, most trusted performance fibre made from recycled plastic bottles. Made with a waterproof, breathable membrane, this durable fabric provides protection against even the harshest conditions.
57% polyester / 43% REPREVE® recycled polyester Oxford fabric. Treated with C6 PFOS and PFOA FREE durable water repellent (DWR). Waterproofness of 10,000 MM. Breathability of 10,000 G/M² | 24H. PU (PFC FREE) FULL LAMINATION HYDROPHILIC MEMBRANE. REPREVE®, bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® standard 100 certified. 185 GSM
ISOSOFT
Isosoft is a high-loft, performance insulation made of 92% post-consumer recycled polyester recuperated from plastic bottles. It’s hypoallergenic, and moisture and mildew resistant. Isosoft insulation is breathable and retains its flexibility and volume over time. Its unique blend of fibres provides excellent warm air retention, offering exceptional protection against the cold.
RECYCLED PRIMALOFT®
Recycled PRIMALOFT® is a high-performance insulation made of at least 50% post-consumer recycled polyester recuperated from plastic bottles. It’s hypoallergenic, and moisture and mildewresistant. PRIMALOFT®is able to retain 96% of its insulating capability when wet by maintaining its loft.
RECYCLED NYLON
Recycled nylon textiles are made of post-industrial waste from discarded nylon products. Compared to that of virgin nylon, the production of recycled nylon uses fewer natural resources, like water and fossil fuels. Recycled nylon maintains the same high durability, look, and feel as its virgin counterpart.
PERTEX® QUANTUM
Pertex® Quantum uses a tightly woven structure to provide a light and soft fabric that allows insulation to fully loft.100% recycled nylon. Treated with C6 PFOS and PFOA FREE durable water repellent (DWR). Global Recycled Standard, bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® standard 100 certified.37 GSM
PERTEX® QUANTUM COTTON TOUCH
Pertex® Quantum uses a tightly woven structure to provide a light and soft fabric that allows insulation to fully loft.52% recycled nylon / 48% nylon. Treated with C6 PFOS and PFOA FREE durable water repellent (DWR). Global Recycled Standard and bluesign® certified. 75 GSM
SUPER MATTE
Super Matte is engineered to offer waterproof, breathable protection while maintaining an unparalleled softness. Its light weight allows insulation to fully loft and deliver optimum warmth.55% nylon / 45% recycled nylon fabric. Treated with C6 PFOS and PFOA FREE durable water repellent (DWR). Waterproofness of 10,000 MM. Breathability of 10,000 G / M² | 24H. PU (PFC FREE) FULL LAMINATION HYDROPHILIC MEMBRANE.Global Recycled Standard and bluesign® certified.90 GSM
DURABLE WATER REPELLENT (DWR)
We treat all our jackets and parkas with a C6 DWR. DWR, also known as durable water repellent, is a coating applied to fabrics to make them water-resistant.
Historically, DWRs have been manufactured with perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), a class of chemicals often used to provide a high level of water repellency to fabrics. While PFCs provide some of the best water repellency on the market, these compounds create by-products that are toxic and persist in the environment. Unfortunately, a performant and 100% responsible alternative to PFCs is not yet available. As a temporary alternative, we exclusively use C6 DWRs, which is the safest and greenest option currently available that maintains the high-performant properties sought in a DWR. While they aren’t a perfect option, C6 DWRs are made with a shorter chain PFC that is less toxic and breaks down faster than the previous generation of PFCs.
*PFC is the name given to the broad family of products called per-fluorinated compounds. C8 PFOS and PFOA belong to that family. PFOS and PFOA are therefore both PFCs.
PU (PFC FREE) WATERPROOF & BREATHABLE MEMBRANE
COATING HYDROPHILIC vs MICROPOROUS
Microporous coatings use controlled pore size to allow water vapor to escape from the inside but don't allow water droplets, like rain, to pass through from the outside.Hydrophilic membranes instead rely on diffusion to transmit water vapor. Moisture is attracted to the hydrophilic material, which absorbs water molecules from the warm, humid interior of the fabric and then releases it to the cooler and drier exterior.
WOOL
Wool fabrics are natural and renewable products, as each year sheep and alpacas produce a new fleece. Wool is also biodegradable due toa natural protein called Keratin, the same protein found in human hair. This protein gives wool its resilience and elasticity as well as its ability to decompose in soil, enriching the soil and nourishing new life. Wool is also durable. Wool items last because wool fibres can bend up to 20,000 times before breaking. This durability far surpasses other fibres, making wool tough to tear and resistant to abrasion.
BABY ALPACA WOOL
100% baby alpaca wool
MERINO WOOL
100% merino wool
ORGANIC COTTON
Organic cotton is grown without chemical pesticides, artificial fertilizers, or genetically modified crops. The cultivation of organic cotton produces nearly half the CO2 emissions compared to that of conventional cotton. Additionally, growing and harvesting organic cotton contributes to the biodiversity of its native ecosystem, while using less water and improving the quality of the region’s soils. Our organic cotton is sourced sustainably in India and Pakistan and is knitted in Portugal.
FRENCH TERRY
100% organic cotton French terry fabric. GOTS certified. 380 GSM
JERSEY
100% organic cotton jersey fabric.GOTS certified.210 GSM
TRACEABLE DOWN
Traceable down is sourced in compliance with local animal welfare regulations that ensure down, and feathers come from animals that have not been subjected to any unnecessary harm. Down is a natural fine thermal insulator with an exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio, range of warmth, and durability. Research has shown that down has only a fraction of the environmental impact of the most comparable petroleum-based down alternative fibres.All Quartz Co. down is a by-product of the food industry. As such, it contributes to a larger circular economy and can be processed in a way that has very little environmental impact.
CERTIFICATIONS
We work with several partners to certify our materials, suppliers, and production processes, and ensure that our products are ethically and sustainably made.
BLUESIGN®
bluesign® is a system that provides solutions for sustainable textile production. Working as a trusted and transparent independent auditor, bluesign® tracks and assesses each step of the textile supply chain, from factory to finished product, to ensure that fabrics are safe for the environment, workers, and consumers. bluesign® audits the incoming raw materials, chemicals, and energy, and outgoing waste, water, and emissions throughout the production process. bluesign® acts as a resource for textile manufacturing facilities, optimizing the process, step by step, and reducing environmental and social impacts along the way.
GLOBAL RECYCLED STANDARD
The Global Recycle Standard (GRS) is a voluntary, international standard that sets requirements for third-party verification of the recycled content of a given textile. The GRS also sets requirements for certification of chain of custody, social and environmental practices, and chemicals in the textile production process. A GRS-certified product is guaranteed to be made from at least 50% verified recycled and sustainably processed materials. The GRS’s greater mission is to encourage the use of recycled materials.
OEKO-TEX®
OEKO-TEX® is a group of independent institutes that provide companies in the textile industry with certificates and services to verify their products and production processes are both safe and sustainable. OEKO-TEX® institutes test textiles for harmful substances at all levels of processing and certifies that they are produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the world’s leading textile processing standard for organic fibres. To encourage a fully sustainable textile industry, GOTS also evaluates textiles based on environmental and social criteria, assessing chemical inputs and the ethical treatment of workers. A GOTS certification ensures the sustainable and organic status of textiles through the entirety of the supply chain, from the harvesting of raw materials to manufacturing.
RESPONSIBLE DOWN STANDARD
The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) aims to ensure that down and feathers come from animals that have not been subjected to any unnecessary harm. It is our hope that the standard can be used to reward and influence the down and feather industry to incentivize practices that respect the humane treatment of ducks and geese. We believe that education – through the RDS – is a meaningful way to drive demand for strong animal welfare practices. The standard also provides companies and consumers with a tool to know what is in their products, and to make accurate claims.