Properly Warm Ethical (not down) Jackets?

[PhilippaBlake]

I avoid down (for obvious ethical reasons) so I'm wondering if anyone can suggest a non-down, properly warm, puffa (puffer?) style jacket.

I have looked at ethically sourced down in the past but they were a bit £££ - as they need to be, of course, but out of my price range. Cheaper polyester ones look/feel like they won't last long (or be warm enough).

Are there any decent brands/coats people can suggest which are not throwaway fashion, and also not too spendy? I know I'm asking a lot! I think I've seen an outdoor brand recommended in the past - possibly using a recycled filling? - but can't remember who!

What about a second hand down jacket? Some outdoor brands offer second-hand garments that they repair/refurbish as needed before sale.
If you don’t want down, you could search keywords 3M, Thermore or Primaloft recycled. Those are the names of some insulation products, they all offer recycled garment paddings. So eg “women’s jacket Thermore recycled” might come up with some hits. Outdoor companies tend to advertise who supplies their materials (in a way that fashion labels don’t)

Patagonia? They have quite a good ethical reputation, outdoorsy.

Save the Duck uses recycled polyester for the whole coat. They're not super cheap but if you look on Yoox they have some older stock discounted among quite a few at normal prices.

Primaloft and Patagonia - both words I was trying to remember today! Off to Google I go :D

I might consider secondhand but tbh I would prefer to find an alternative if possible. Save the Duck is new to me so I'll have a look.

Thank you both for the suggestions.

Finisterre

finisterre.com/collections/womens-outerwear

I have a waterproof coat, long, almost to my knees (but I'm v short!) that has a zip-in fleece. Stylish, it's not, particularly...but it is too warm to wear if the weather is above 4 degrees C. It's by trespass (I thought it was Merrell for some reason- they definitely have a similar style). It was a TKMaxx bargain, at about£25

Thanks for the suggestions - Finisterre looks good.

Embassy of Bricks and Logs - mine is from there and I love it. I also have a (less stylish but practical) Primaloft one from North Face - that’s more for hiking rather than day to day winter use though.

embassyofbricksandlogs.com/

Anyone who's tried Primaloft - is is actually warm? I'm thinking about sitting outside with food/drinks, waiting around on chilly evenings, camping etc. When I'm on the move I tend to be plenty warm enough but as soon as I stop I get chilled!

Thanks @Sasuma - I'll have a look

I think most of the big brands do a thermal non down jacket now, rab, north face etc. I like Alpkit primaloft alpkit.com/collections/womens-insulation

Primaloft is really warm, it's got me through winter holidays in the Baltics and Scandinavia.

Haven't rtft but you can get recycled down jackets. Not sure where it's exiled from but think that's possibly more ethical than buying new primaloft

Looked into it and it's from old duvets etc that can't be sold on. Presumably washed first

Howies?

Everyone from Patagonia to H&M uses recycled down, by the way

Not everyone uses recycled down.

Recycled down is indeed made from old down products such as duvets, pillows etc. scrupulously cleaned. You could google Re:Down, who supply Arket etc.

Many branded padded insulations are quite warm, Primaloft is actually not the warmest but they are beloved of outdoor brands because their minimums are low. Also, their recycled product is made of old PET bottles I believe - “post-consumer waste”, which is actually rare. What is often labelled as “recycled” fabric is often just factory offcuts that are then melted down and re-used - so-called “pre-consumer waste”.

Nothing with polyester filling is ethical because it constantly sheds microplastics into the environment. You may not want to use fully biodegradable down SHED naturally from ducks like we shed hair, butby buying “ethical” jackets made with artificial fabrics and filling like polyester you are in fact dooming innumerable fish, aquatic amphibians and mammals to a gory death from microplastic pollution. It is actually less ethical than using recycled or sustainably sourced down.

My Didrikson is very very warm. Bought for standing in playgrounds in Scotland.

There have heat ratings so I got the one with the warmest.

I bought the Tog 24 coat that was a mumsnet recommended last year. It cost £100 but was £50 in the sale. I spend a lot of weekends and evenings standing still watching sports and this coat kept me toasty - including my arms, which others have failed to do.

It's not life-ling quality though. I imagine I'll get 4-5 winters out of it.

@PlanDeRaccordement your post isn’t very clear/seems to be misleading.

A lot of down is sourced through a practice called ‘live plucking’. The feathers are plucked from the birds whilst they are alive. Which is very painful and distressing. Most down used commercially isn’t shed naturally.

Recycled down is an option but most down used isn’t recycled.

You seem to suggest the only alternative to down is damaging to the environment. As PPs have explained there are recycled materials available, such as Primaloft. Companies like Save the Duck and Embassy of Bricks and Logs are also using recycled materials and have a lot of information in their websites about sustainability.

“ As PPs have explained there are recycled materials available, such as Primaloft.”

Please be aware that not all Primaloft is recycled. Primaloft is just the name of an insulation company. Much of their product is made from virgin polyester.

OP, if you do go for a Primaloft padding, look for Primaloft Gold Eco or Primaloft Silver Eco. And as said, there are other suppliers as I mentioned above. Primaloft is widely used but isn’t always the warmest.

As for particle shedding, I think this is mainly an issue when washing in a machine.

Recyled down is an option, but there are also down suppliers (Allied Feather are one) that only use traceable down that are by-products of the food industry. So no live-plucking. Not all down is the same.

The most ethical is eider- it is literally plucked by the duck itself, from its own body. Wildly expensive though.

I have just discovered Norden. The coats are made from 100% recycled plastic. They are stylish (IMO). They are warm. They have a closed loop production line (so when you are over your coat they will repair/resell/donate your coat or if it’s f**ked they completely recycle it for you.) They are based in Montreal so don’t ship here as standard but it says you can email and ask them which is what I am doing. Or is it completely unethical to ship something from Canada? It’s a minefield.

They are not that cheap but if you give them your old North Face it’s $100 off.

Anyway, I like the red one. Norden puffer

[quote Sasuma]@PlanDeRaccordement your post isn’t very clear/seems to be misleading.

A lot of down is sourced through a practice called ‘live plucking’. The feathers are plucked from the birds whilst they are alive. Which is very painful and distressing. Most down used commercially isn’t shed naturally.

Recycled down is an option but most down used isn’t recycled.

You seem to suggest the only alternative to down is damaging to the environment. As PPs have explained there are recycled materials available, such as Primaloft. Companies like Save the Duck and Embassy of Bricks and Logs are also using recycled materials and have a lot of information in their websites about sustainability.[/quote]
Recycled plastic is still plastic. And as a PP said, it’s not really recycled but surplus offcuts anyway. What’s not clear about microplastix pollution? It kills hundreds more animals. What’s more ethical? One distressed duck or hundreds of sea turtles, fish, dolphins, penguins, puffins and whales?

I'm not sure how ethical it is but my (non down) Didriksons parka is super warm and waterproof.