The director of social and environmental responsibility and of operations at Canadian outdoor brand Arc’teryx, Drummond Lawson, has said durability of product is one of the most important criteria it stipulates when entrusting outsource manufacturing partners to make its clothes, shoes and equipment.
“Manufacturing high performance outdoor gear remains a challenge for the environment,” Mr Lawson said in recent comments. “We believe the strongest path to sustainability is durability.”
He said Arc’teryx’s vision is that its materials and products are “resources to be used in repeated loops”, rather than disposed of.
Its products at the moment are coming from 23 outsource production facilities in five continents, with many of these partners making things for Arc’teryx for ten years or more. On average, three years elapse between initial discussion with a potential new partner and that outsource company beginning to make product for Arc’teryx. The Canadian company also spends nine months training employees in each facility and visits each factory regularly for quality assurance.
“We have aligned ourselves with organisations dedicated to reducing environmental impacts, from material sourcing to production,” Drummond Lawson said.