Arc’teryx is redesigning every product it makes to be fully recyclable

In a bold move, Arc’teryx, a Vancouver-based brand rooted in mountaineering, is redesigning all of its products to be fully recyclable. This decision comes after a decade where sustainable fashion brands struggled to gain traction in an industry that seemed to overlook the importance of environmental responsibility. Arc’teryx’s new circularity program, System 0, aims to address this issue with the launch of a fully recyclable hard shell jacket called Sperro SV.

The jacket was designed to serve as a proof of concept for the brand’s overall transformation, balancing technical performance with recyclable materials. CEO Stuart Haselden explains that the company aims to solve problems for mountain athletes first, disrupting the industry in the process. The decision to embark on this ambitious journey was driven by the company’s commitment to leave mountain environments as pristine as they found them, a concept known as "Leave It Better."

Recent interactions with the mountaineering community and elite athletes have reinforced this commitment, with many witnessing the effects of climate change firsthand. The most complex product to engineer was the technical hard shell, a safety equipment essential for mountain climbers. The team focused on making the jacket as basic as possible to make it easier to disassemble, eventually reengineering the materials with the help of technical supply partners like Gore-Tex and Aquafil.