The jacket set to revolutionise outdoor apparel Arc'teryx designed it so that it would never be dismissed

When Arc’teryx began developing the first piece for its System 0 project, the brand was clear about at least one thing: it did not want to ask people to compromise on performance in exchange for a lower environmental impact. System 0 is an evolution of ReBIRD™, the brand's garment repair programme, taking things a step further by seeking to integrate circularity directly into the design process. In September, Arc’teryx launched the jacket that represents the first outcome of this project. Meet the Sperro SV, an hardshell designed and field-tested to deliver the same waterproofness and breathability standards as the hardshells in the brand's wider collection, while being engineered so that a significant portion of it can be recycled at the end of its life.

System 0 and the New Sperro SV Jacket

"Hardshells are among the most complex products we make, with particularly demanding requirements in terms of weather protection, durability and performance. Meeting these requirements calls for a range of different materials and components, which are difficult to recover once a garment reaches the end of its useful life," explained Dominique Showers, Vice President of Arc’teryx ReBIRD™. This is precisely why Arc’teryx decided to start with this particular type of garment: if it could tackle one of the most complex challenges first, the path ahead would become considerably easier.

"With the Sperro SV, we focused on the materials for which we could establish a recovery pathway. Both the outer fabric and the inner backing are made from recycled and recyclable ECONYL® nylon 6, supplied by Aquafil, and can be chemically recycled through Aquafil's ECONYL® regeneration process. At the same time, we have been realistic about the limitations that still exist. The GORE-TEX® membrane, zippers, sliders, cord locks and RECCO reflector cannot be recycled at the end of the garment's life, but remain essential components in ensuring performance and safety.

The solution was not to remove these elements from the design, but to develop an efficient process for taking them out and create a jacket designed to be disassembled. This makes it possible to extract the recoverable nylon components and process them separately. The result is our first GORE-TEX® jacket made with recycled and recyclable materials, as well as our first high-performance waterproof shell to receive TESTEX® Circularity certification," Showers added.

Chemical Recycling and the Digital Product Passport

Chemical recycling is a process that allows materials to be broken down into their original polymers once a product has reached the end of its life cycle. This makes it possible to recycle materials without compromising their quality. "When a Sperro SV reaches the end of its useful life and can no longer be repaired, its recoverable nylon components, specifically the outer fabric and inner backing, can be chemically recycled through Aquafil's ECONYL® regeneration process. The resulting ECONYL® fibre can then be used to create new materials."

However, designing a product to be recyclable does not necessarily mean that it will actually be recycled. If a garment is not recovered at the end of its useful life, or cannot reach the facilities equipped to process it, all the work invested in its design and production risks going to waste. "System 0 is not simply about creating a product with different materials. It is about connecting design, repair services, recovery processes and customer engagement within a single system. No individual product or service can be circular on its own: it takes an ecosystem in which products, services and partnerships work together," Showers points out.

Arc’teryx is taking steps towards overseeing the entire lifecycle of its products through the Digital Product Passport (DPP), a QR code assigned to each individual garment. It contains the item's serial number and is sewn inside a pocket, making it less likely to be removed or cut off. The digital passport also provides information about the materials used, as well as guidance on how to care for and repair the garment. "Registering the Sperro SV allows us to connect with the end user and build an ongoing relationship, keeping in touch throughout the product's entire lifecycle."

A €1,200 Jacket, Designed to Last

The Sperro SV retails for approximately €1,200. While this price reflects the significant investment the brand has made in developing a product that can deliver a meaningful environmental benefit without compromising on performance, it also represents a different value proposition. "When we start to see the things we buy as more than just objects, we begin to recognise their true value. This shift in perspective opens up new ways of caring for products, repairing them and continuing to use them for longer," Showers continues.

"This principle is reflected in both ReBIRD™ and System 0™. The Sperro SV is built to last and, when it can no longer do so, it is designed to be repaired. Through ReBIRD™, it comes with three years of unlimited out-of-warranty repairs, helping to extend the product's life before an end-of-life solution even needs to be considered. When you look at the jacket's entire lifecycle, its value is calculated differently from that of a conventional purchase," she concludes, making it clear that durability, repairability and innovation are not competing concepts.

With this project, Arc’teryx could change the rules of the game across the entire outdoor clothing industry, an industry that has so far been driven by constant innovation and the launch of new products every season. For consumers, this shift in perspective means buying fewer, higher-quality garments, even if they come at a higher price, committing to repairing them whenever possible and perhaps accepting that the same colour will keep appearing in their photos for the next ten years. For brands, it means directing innovation towards circularity and recycling opportunities, investing in the development of highly technical products with the lowest possible impact on the planet.