Peak Performance Unveils Circular R&D Helium Loop Anorak

A breakthrough multi-partner collaboration redefines recyclable performance apparel.

ALLIED Feather + Down, NetPlus, PERTEX, and Resortecs join forces with Peak Performance to launch the R&D Helium Loop Anorak—an industry-first circular performance jacket engineered for next-life recyclability.

ALLIED Feather + Down, NetPlus, and Resortecs have partnered with Peak Performance to unveil a groundbreaking circularity solution that represents a major shift in the sustainable apparel landscape.

The Peak Performance R&D Helium Loop Anorak brings together leaders in responsible materials, advanced recycling, and thoughtful design to deliver a first-of-its-kind circular performance jacket.

Montebello, Calif. — (For Immediate Release) — ALLIED Feather + Down, NetPlus®, PERTEX, and Resortecs—pioneers in circularity, recycling innovations, and next-generation materials—have collaborated with Swedish backcountry skiing brand Peak Performance to introduce a revolutionary circular garment.

Until today, performance wear combining multiple components—such as natural down, zippers, elastics, and trims—has been extremely difficult to recycle due to the labor-intensive disassembly required at the product’s end of life. Through this collaboration with circularity-focused partners ALLIED, NetPlus, and Resortecs, Peak Performance designed and developed the R&D Helium Loop Anorak to demonstrate that strategic design, paired with the right technical expertise, can bring meaningful transformation to the apparel industry.

“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 at 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 collaborator contributes a distinct innovation to the Helium Loop Anorak:

• ALLIED Feather + Down provides the 800-fill-power down—renewable, biodegradable, and recyclable—making it ideally suited for a fully circular garment.
• NetPlus transforms discarded fishing nets—collected before they enter the ocean—into 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) nylon yarn.
• This NetPlus yarn is woven by PERTEX to form the garment’s shell and lining.
• Resortecs supplies Smart Stitch™, a heat-dissolvable thread that allows simple separation of materials. When the jacket reaches the end of its lifecycle, the thread releases using Smart Disassembly™ under controlled heat, enabling the down and shell fabrics to be separated and recycled individually.

Commenting on the development, designer Marie Andersson stated, “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 yet another milestone in Peak Performance’s long-term goal of achieving full product-line circularity by 2030.