Vancouver: Arc'teryx Equipment, a global designer of technical high-performance apparel and equipment, has introduced System 0, a new framework designed to embed circularity across the product lifecycle, from design and manufacturing through use, repair, and end-of-life regeneration.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the first product under the framework is the Sperro SV jacket, a mountain-grade hardshell designed for durability, repairability, and disassembly for recycling at end of life. The jacket uses GORE-TEX Pro fabric with an ePE membrane, while its nylon face fabric and backer were separately designed for recyclability in partnership with Aquafil, the manufacturer of ECONYL regenerated nylon.
Available globally from September 4 through Arc'teryx stores and its website, the Sperro SV is positioned as the brand's most advanced hardshell jacket and is intended to demonstrate that circular design can be integrated into technical apparel without compromising performance.
'System 0 represents a fundamental shift in how we build and scale our business with circularity front of mind. For decades, Arc'teryx has built gear that is meant to be repaired, not replaced. This is the next step forward,' said Arc'teryx Chief Executive Officer, Stuart Haselden in a statement.
The Sperro SV is the first product certified under TESTEX Circularity, a standard Arc'teryx said it co-developed to address gaps in existing circular product standards. The certification evaluates the jacket's durability, repairability, and ability to undergo chemical recycling.
System 0 builds on Arc'teryx's existing ReBIRD ecosystem of washing, repair, trade-in, resale, and upcycling initiatives. The company said the new framework extends these principles across design, sourcing, manufacturing, customer experience, repair, and end-of-life recovery as part of an effort to make circularity a scalable operating model.
The Sperro SV has been tested by alpine professionals, including Vancouver's North Shore Rescue. It features reinforcement at common failure points, including an easily replaceable zipper slider, and comes with three years of unlimited out-of-warranty repairs through ReBIRD.
When the jacket is no longer repairable, its fabric can undergo chemical recycling to separate the nylon from the GORE-TEX membrane. The nylon is then returned to Aquafil to be regenerated into ECONYL yarn for new products.