Field Journal

Stories Behind the Brand: Polartec
Written by: Daniel Neilson // Photography Courtesy of Polartec

With the launch of new plant-based nylon used in waterproof jackets, Polartec continues to lead the way for sustainable materials in outdoor gear.

There is a point on every trip – every climb, every expedition, every hike, every run, and every ride – when the technology you’re wrapped in starts to get to work. It’s the moment in a downpour when the combination of fabric and treatment works together to bead the rain off. It’s the point when the heat your body generates is captured in the insulation and begins to warm you as the blizzard descends. It’s the forces at play as the wind, whipped up by an oncoming swell, deflects off your tightly woven jacket to keep your body warm. What you wear is what keeps you comfortable, keeps you warm, keeps you dry and, at extremes, keeps you alive.

In a great piece of outdoor clothing, this complex combination of elements works together at exactly the right time. The fabric is breathable enough that you don’t sweat and overheat, and the insulation is effective enough to keep you warm – not too early, not too late.

A Design of an Outdoor Life

Step for a moment into the shoes of the designer of your favourite jacket. Pick the jacket up, have a close look. The product is the result of dozens of decisions and probably hundreds of micro decisions, from the cut line of the rear panel to the zip, the way the cord is threaded through the hood to the placement of the pocket. Above all, the combination of materials dictates the success of an item of clothing. These ingredients, skillfully combined, produce a beautiful, functional, final product.

And if we were to take the metaphor further: to create an incredible meal, it always, always, always starts with quality ingredients.

In industry talk, Polartec is described as an ‘ingredient brand’; it produces fabric technologies that form part of thousands of outdoor products made by hundreds of outdoor companies. Le Col, Santini and Castelli, Rab, Berghaus and Passenger, Patagonia and Montane, 66°North and Houdini all use Polartec ingredients, along with pretty much every other brand making outdoor apparel.

There are two key reasons for Polartec’s enduring respect by outdoor brands. First is provenance. The PolarFleece made famous in the Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T Pullover became one of the most ubiquitous pieces of outdoor clothing made by Malden Mills, now Polartec, in the early 1980s. The PolarFleece, incidentally, was named as one of the most important inventions in the 20th century by Time magazine. In 1998, it launched Power Shield, the first soft shell. And, as you’ll read later, there are new high-performing fabrics that allow us to push the boundaries outside, or at least stay comfortable doing it.

The second reason is Polartec’s dedication to innovation in sustainability. It is at the centre of everything they do. Karen Beattie, Director of Product Management at Polartec, said: ‘Our mission at Polartec is to develop and manufacture fabrics that enhance the lives of those who wear us, and to reduce our impact on the planet that we live on.’

Recent innovations at Polartec include Polartec Shed Less Fleece and new Polartec Power Shield Pro. The former reduces fibre fragment shedding during home laundering by up to 85 per cent. One of the most important breakthroughs, already in use by 66ºNorth, is the Polartec Power Shield Pro made with Biolon. This is a waterproof membrane – it’s breathable, durable, doesn’t include any PFAS – and it’s made with plant-based material. Yep, plants.

Biolon is a renewable, non-GMO, plant-based nylon. At the moment, Polartec can substitute around 50 per cent of the nylon used with Biolon, contributing to a 50 per cent reduction of carbon footprint.

‘The primary driver behind our development of Biolon plant-based nylon in Power Shield Pro fabric was to eliminate materials containing PFAS,’ Karen Beattie added. ‘That’s the major sustainable advantage, in addition to the carbon footprint savings we get from replacing fossil fuels. Our overall objective here at Polartec is to eventually stop using fossil fuels. Polartec has taken the first step to that end.’

One of the first brands to use Power Shield Pro technology is the Iceland-based B Corp-certified 66ºNorth, which used it in the new Snæfell jacket – the original version made with Polartec won an ISPO Outdoor Award. The performance is unaltered; it remains incredibly breathable and soft while being completely waterproof. Le Col and Santini are also using this technology in the cycling market.

66ºNorth also pioneered using deadstock fabric and surplus materials to launch its limited-edition Kría collection earlier in the year. The Kría Jacket, for example, was constructed from leftover Polartec NeoShell, while the cropped zip-neck fleece jumper and fleece vest were crafted from Polartec fleece fabrication. The logo on the pieces pays homage to the outwear the brand produced in the 1990s.

A Story of Sustainability

The Polartec brand was formed in 1991 with sustainability a key component from the very beginning. Karen Beattie said, ‘We go way back regarding sustainability. In 1993, we invented recycled fleece, and over the past 30 years the cumulative supply of this fleece has allowed us – along with our partner brands – to upcycle over two billion post-consumer plastic bottles and turn them into great-looking fabrics and garments. Sustainability is a process, a walk, and you build on it.’

It’s important for the customer. The person who is walking on the mountain, running the trails, riding the routes, is doing so because of the environment, not in spite of it.

Ramesh Kesh, senior vice president at Polartec’s parent company, Milliken & Company, and business manager at Polartec, understands this is an important factor for customers and the brands that serve them. He said, ‘Polartec’s innovations have enabled brands to produce comfortable, durable, technical clothing for their customers’ active needs.

By using Polartec fabrics, outdoor brands know they are being more sustainable. They are also capitalising on the company’s decades of research and development to produce materials that are functional and sustainable.’

Ramesh Kesh added, ‘With our extensive range of sustainable fabrics – whether using recycled content, plant-based technology, or non-PFAS DWR treatments – Polartec is making it easier for brands to adhere to current environmental legislation and offer their customers a more sustainable range.” For apparel brands such as British label Passenger, who plant a tree for every purchase, this is a huge tick in the value box – and the reason behind the use of 100 per cent recycled PCR content in its Polartec products.’

Polartec’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 includes developing and constantly improving these materials. Also fundamental to the material is the improvement of its effectiveness. Ramesh Kesh said, ‘For a long time, many thought that sustainable options meant a loss in performance and durability. Polartec has proven that this is not the case.’

Made to Go Beyond

The skies darken and the wind whips up. It’s a sign to put on another layer. Any moment now, the first drops will fall, hitting the outer surface of your jacket and trousers. As they do, dozens of responses will take place. The little packet of the raindrop maintains its form and drips off, joining others on the way. The minute details of the waterproof membrane and outer layer all affect the raindrop’s behaviour. Similarly, the moisture generated from within your jacket, through your skin, needs somewhere to go.

Look at the raindrop itself. It reflects the world around it, upside down. There’s a rainbow in it. This is part of the water cycle, the process that gives life and makes our environment beautiful. As it lands on the plant-based Power Shield Pro, it falls off to the earth for the next stage in that process. The rain will pass, the cold will abate, but for now, you are warm and dry as you stride into the beyond.