How To Buy A Sustainable Winter Jacket

As temperatures start to plummet, you may find yourself in need of a new winter jacket. Here’s the thing: The fashion industry is one the world’s largest polluters, accounting for 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity—more than the environmental impact of flying and shipping combined. Winter jackets are particularly bad for the environment, due to the materials they’re made from. Take polyester, for instance. It’s commonly used in outerwear because it’s waterproof and durable—but it’s made from fossil fuels and its production leaches toxic chemicals into soil and waterways.

Wondering if there’s a greener way to stay warm this winter? Here are five key things to consider before purchasing your next parka.

1. What It’s Filled With

Winter coats are often filled with down, which is what makes them so warm. But down-filled jackets come with environmental and ethical concerns. 

Down is harvested from birds like ducks and geese and is a byproduct of the meat industry, so it can be hard to calculate its carbon emissions. Activists have also been concerned about animal abuse, like live-plucking and over-feeding, practised by some down producers. On the other hand, synthetic jacket fillings are typically derived from fossil fuels, like polyester, and won’t break down in landfills. 

Some companies are making recycled or plant-based fill for their jackets, which helps drive down their carbon footprint. Patagonia, for example, uses recycled down that’s been reclaimed from bedding, diverting the feathers from landfills and giving them a second life. Other companies, like the Canadian brand Wuxly, use a plant-based fill called Sorona, which upcyles sugars extracted from crops to create a polymer-based filling that’s warm enough to withstand Canadian winters.

2. What It’s Made From

Aside from what’s inside, a winter jacket’s outer shell is typically made from—you guessed it—polyester. The durability it’s prized for is a double-edged sword—the material often sticks around in landfills for anywhere from 20 to 200 years. And though it’s possible to recycle polyester into new garments, or recycle other plastics to make polyester, only 14 percent of the polyester produced in 2019 was made from recycled sources. 

3. What It’s Coated With

Many jackets are also treated with fluorochemicals (PFAs) to make them waterproof. Also called forever chemicals, PFAs persist in the environment for hundreds of years, causing harm to ecosystems and drinking water.

The jury's still out on exactly how bad PFAs can be for our health. If you're worried, look for alternative water-repellent coatings. Fjallraven, for example, uses a paraffin and beeswax mix to give their products water resistance.

5. Where—And How—It’s Made

Berta Pavlov, a sustainability fashion researcher and instructor at George Brown College’s School of Fashion and Jewellery in Toronto, notes that shipping and transport costs matter when it comes to a product’s sustainability. You’ll want to consider the emissions from the final product being shipped from its country of origin to the customer, but also the ones from the materials’ journey to the factory.

“If they’re being shipped in, your carbon footprint is [bigger] already,” Pavlov explains. There’s also the issue of labour practices, especially in parts of the world with less worker protections, like Cambodia and Honduras. "You can’t talk about [sustainability] without talking about the accommodations workers have and if they’re being paid equitably,” Pavlov says. 

It can be hard to figure some of this information out, but take a deep dive of a brand’s website and you may be able to find information about where they manufacture. Companies who are doing a great job keeping up with high labour and environmental standards are typically proud of these facts and will have web pages boasting about them.

Don’t Want To Buy New? Look For A Second-Hand Winter Jacket

Buying a pre-loved jacket is a great way to save money and help the planet. You can also look for brands that design jackets out of pre-worn garments: Pavlov recommends Canadian designer Diana Coatsworth, who uses a combination of upcycled textiles to create brand-new one-of-a-kind pieces. “There are already so many garments out there, and so many are made with polyesters that are very durable. Incorporating them into new designs is really the best way of dealing with this issue,” she says. “Recycling pre-existing textiles or pre-loved coats and revamping them is so important.”

Ultimately, buying less is always going to be the most sustainable option. Is it possible to tailor or repair your existing parka? If you're thinking of buying a new jacket, opt for a design that’s timeless and built to last.

“When you buy something like a coat, you want to be really passionate about that item,” says Pavlov. “It has to be something you can wear and feel good about for years to come.”

5 Canadian Brands To Shop For Sustainable Winter Jackets

Wuxly Doe Parka, $795

This parka from certified B-corp brand Wuxly is made in Canada from recycled materials and filled with a down alternative made from polyester and Sorona, a plant-based polymer. The outer shell is crafted from recycled plastic bottles and treated with a PFA-free coating, while the lining is made from recycled fishing nets. 

Adhere To Re:Down Crop Puffer Jacket, $560

This stylish cropped option is made exclusively from recycled materials, including down feathers sourced from donated items. The jacket is treated with a PFA-free coating for water repellency and keeps warm up to -20C. 

Tentree Cloud Shell Long Puffer, $348

B.C.-based Tentree prioritizes sustainable materials, like polyester made from recycled plastics and natural fibres that require less water to produce, like lyocell. They’re also B-corp certified and plant trees for every purchase made. This long winter jacket is made from recycled plastic bottles, textile waste and upcycled clothes. It’s also water-repellant with a PFA-free coating.

Fig Floro 2.0 Jacket, $240

This stylish quilted jacket by Montreal brand Fig is made entirely from recycled polyester. It hits below the hip for a flattering silhouette that provides plenty of warmth, and it comes in black, beige and green.

Bedi Ansel Bomber Jacket, $697

This minimalist bomber-style jacket is made with nylon that’s been spun from discarded fishing nets and carpet-fibre waste. The lining contains recycled water bottles and fabric remnants, and upcycled seatbelts add a stylish detail on the sleeves. Its warmth is rated up to -30C.