Circular anorak proves high-performance apparel can marry collaboration and circularity.
TW Special Report
Stockholm, Sweden-based sportswear brand Peak Performance is testing a new template for circular performance outerwear with its R&D Helium Loop Anorak, developed in partnership with ALLIED Feather + Down, NetPlus, Pertex and Resortecs. The project targets a long- standing problem for technical apparel: complex, mixed-material garments that perform well in the field but are nearly impossible to recycle at end of life.
Traditional performance jackets combine insulation, shell fabrics, zippers and elastic trims in ways that make cost effective disassembly unrealistic once the product is worn out. The R&D Helium Loop Anorak tackles that challenge up front, using materials and construction methods designed for eventual recovery and recycling rather than landfill or incineration.
“For years now, brands have wanted to introduce more circularity into their products, but the onus has fallen on their ingredient partners and startups to make that happen,” said Matthew Betcher, creative director at Montebello, Calif.-based ALLIED Feather + Down. “The reality is that garments need to be designed for circularity before any sense of recyclability can even start to be possible.”
ALLIED supplies 800-fill power down as insulation, positioning a renewable, recyclable and biodegradable material at the core of the concept. NetPlus, developed by Redondo Beach, Calif.-based Bureo, converts discarded fishing nets into 100% post-consumer recycled nylon yarn, capturing plastic waste before it becomes pollution. Padiham, England-based Pertex then weaves the yarn into the shell and liner fabrics used in the anorak. Resortecs, based in Brussels, Belgium, contributes Smart Stitch™, a heat-activated thread engineered to melt away under controlled conditions, enabling the Smart Disassembly™ process.
Together, these elements create a garment that can be “unmade” as deliberately as it is made. In practice, the Smart Stitch threads allow the shell and liner to separate from the down insulation during an industrial disassembly process, so each material stream can be recovered and recycled individually at its highest possible value. That design for disassembly approach addresses technical and economic barriers that have limited circularity in insulated outerwear.
“The Helium Loop project demonstrates how responsible materials and design can prevent pollution and reduce reliance on fossil fuels – a win for the outdoor community,” said David Stover, CEO of Bureo, the company behind NetPlus. “By connecting better materials with thoughtful design, the Peak Performance team was able to explore the worthwhile challenge of building products suited for end-of-life recycling and push forward on the industry transition away from fossil fuels.”
The R&D Helium Loop Anorak is a step toward Peak Performance’s goal of achieving total range circularity by 2030.
For more information, contact Scott Kaier, Formidable Media, scott@formidable-media.com
2026 Quarterly Issue I
