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Eco-Friendly Brands | March 10, 2024
SAIL
February 10, 2023
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Choosing a winter jacket can be a tough decision. After all, you are likely to wear it over and over again for a good number of years, maybe even decades. Which criteria should you focus on? Durability? Quality? Protection? Style? And can you really add sustainability to this (already very full) list of items to consider? With Quartz Co.’s range of winter jackets, you can! The Canadian brand has been creating high-quality winter gear since 1997 and, while its first jackets were trusted by Arctic explorers to stay warm, today’s collection is also designed with sustainability in mind.
Learn about how Quartz Co.’s winter jackets keep Canadians warm even during the harshest of winters, while protecting the planet at the same time.
In this article, you will discover:
Since its beginning in 1997, Quartz Co. has made it its mission to create sustainable, high-quality outerwear and winter gear. Its winter jackets in particular are well known for their quality, durability and performance, even when tested in the worst of conditions. But creating jackets designed to be worn in extremely cold weather doesn’t mean that Quartz Co. has set fashion aside: its design team comprises both engineers and creatives, both working hand in hand to ensure everything produced in their factories keeps consumers safely protected from the elements, in style.
For the company, this is done using a two-pronged approach: protecting the planet, and protecting its people. Quartz Co. is now a leader in terms of sustainability, and the business is continuously improving its processes and policies.
Their range of clothing apparel is manufactured in its own factory in Montréal. The shorter transport distances required to get its products into Canadian stores mean the company generates fewer carbon emissions. It’s all about shopping locally!
However, Quartz Co.’s sustainability mission goes much further than this and its processes are centred around the concept of circularity, which focuses on keeping products out of landfills by ensuring they are reused, repaired, or recycled, and that consumption is reduced. From using recycled materials and biodegradable fibres to offering repair services to its customers to ensure clothes last longer, the company is taking every possible step to reduce the impact of its manufacturing activities on the planet.
Quartz Co.’s winter jackets are made with responsibly sourced fibres and ethical fabrics, which include polyester made from recycled plastic bottles (used to make synthetic insulation), and recycled nylon. Natural fibres such as wool (which is both durable and fully biodegradable) or organic cotton (produced without pesticides and generating fewer CO2 emissions than other types of fibres) are also prioritized. What about animal rights? Quartz Co. only uses traceable down in all its down-insulated jackets, which ensures animals have not been subjected to unnecessary harm.
If you’re struggling to choose between down or synthetic insulation for your winter jacket, read the article on our blog.
This sustainability mission permeates through every single step of the supply chain, from the sourcing of eco-responsible materials through to final certification. Suppliers are screened using high environmental standards and benchmarks. The winter gear manufacturer even promotes a conscious approach to purchasing and consumption amongst its customer base.
What does Quartz Co. do to support the people involved in the production of its winter jackets and outerwear clothing line? Sustainability isn’t just about the environment: it’s also about ensuring those working in the supply chain are treated fairly, and have a safe environment to work in. The company’s business model is based on principles such as respect, equity, and safety, and the same is asked of all its suppliers. This translates into competitive salaries for workers, a clear focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I), safe workplaces and partners who follow the same high social standards Quartz Co. sets for itself.
Back in 1997, explorers trusted Quartz Co. to keep them warm on their Arctic expeditions. And for a good reason! Its winter jackets are designed to withstand extreme cold, featuring a temperature rating of -30 °C, except for the Vostok, going down to -50 °C. But doesn’t protecting yourself against extreme weather also mean wearing the kind of bulky, stiff jackets that make us all look like some version of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man? Not necessarily! Quartz Co.’s winter jackets are surprisingly lightweight and provide a good amount of stretch and protection against the elements. All this in a selection of modern, stylish cuts suitable for any urban setting. The jackets are durable and designed for longevity, putting money back in your pocket as you won’t be required to replace the most important item in your winter kit for many years to come.
The design team also regularly goes above and beyond, adding the kind of luxury extra features to their range of winter jackets that just make the long winters that much more enjoyable. From micro-thermal or fleece pocket linings to two-way zipper closures that stop the wind from getting in, from convenient inside pockets to store your phone away from the cold to adjustable hoods with thermal lining that keep your head warm, Quartz Co. has thought of it all. Jackets also come with a lifetime warranty and a customer repair service, in line with the manufacturer’s commitment to keeping its products in use for as long as possible. Proper maintenance and storage instructions are available on its website for customers to keep their winter jacket lasting longer while preserving their insulating or water-repellent properties.
If you are looking for a jacket that will look stylish, keep you warm and allow you to enjoy winter for quite a few years, all this without sacrificing your environmental principles, make sure you add the Quartz Co. product line to your shopping list!
In the meantime, if you need more information on how to choose a winter jacket, read the article on our blog.
Or if sustainability is important to you, discover new sustainable gift ideas for your loved ones here.
