Circular Helium Loop Anorak Redefines Sustainable Outerwear

A breakthrough circular jacket designed through multi-partner innovation

ALLIED Feather + Down, NetPlus, PERTEX, and Resortecs partner with Peak Performance to launch the R&D Helium Loop Anorak—a world-first circular performance jacket engineered for recyclability from the start.

ALLIED Feather + Down, NetPlus®, PERTEX, and Resortecs—global leaders in circularity, recycling, and next-generation material innovation—have collaborated with Swedish backcountry apparel specialist Peak Performance to unveil a breakthrough circular garment: the R&D Helium Loop Anorak. This pioneering jacket demonstrates how responsibly sourced materials, advanced engineering, and intentional end-of-life design can come together to create a world-first in circular performance apparel.

Traditionally, performance garments combining multiple components—down insulation, zippers, elastic trims, and multilayered textiles—have posed extreme challenges for recycling due to the complexity of separating materials. By partnering with ALLIED, NetPlus, and Resortecs, Peak Performance has developed the R&D Helium Loop Anorak as proof that circularity is achievable when products are designed from the ground up with recyclability in mind.

“For years now, brands have wanted to introduce more circularity into their products, but the onus has fallen on their ingredient partners and startups to make that happen,” said Matthew Betcher, Creative Director with ALLIED. “The reality is that garments need to be designed for circularity before any sense of recyclability can even start to be possible. That is why we are excited to bring our areas of expertise as innovative ingredient brands to Peak Performance to build, from the very beginning, a truly circular product. And what is even more exciting is that this project can stand as a beacon for entire product lines in the future.”

Each partner contributes a critical element to the jacket’s construction. ALLIED provides 800-fill-power down—renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable—making it ideal for this circular design. NetPlus transforms discarded fishing nets into 100% post-consumer recycled nylon yarn, which PERTEX then weaves into the outer shell and inner lining. Resortecs supplies Smart Stitch™, a heat-activated thread that dissolves during the Smart Disassembly™ process, enabling each component—down, shell, and other elements—to be easily separated and individually recycled at end of life.

Reflecting on the collaboration, designer Marie Andersson said, “The core insight is that true circularity isn't about accepting compromises, it's about engineering garments to be unmade as thoughtfully as they're made. Our R&D Helium Loop proves that when premium materials meet thoughtful disassembly design with end-of-life in mind, circularity becomes a performance advantage as every component maintains its highest value across multiple lifecycles.”

David Stover, CEO of Bureo, the company behind NetPlus, added, “The Helium Loop R&D project demonstrates how responsible materials and design can prevent pollution and reduce reliance on fossil fuels – a win for the outdoor community. Technical outerwear is typically built from crude oil (virgin plastic), an outdated model that negatively impacts people and the planet through the entire supply chain. By connecting better materials with thoughtful design, the Peak Performance team was able to explore the worthwhile challenge of building products suited for end-of-life recycling and push forward on the industry transition away from fossil fuels.”

The R&D Helium Loop Anorak represents another milestone in Peak Performance’s long-term strategy to achieve complete circularity across its full apparel range by 2030.