there is always a better way.
The only way to build the right gear for this environment was to build the company in this environment. You can't separate manufacturing from idea, or from location.
The Coast Mountains provide both the inspiration and rugged testing ground for Arc'teryx.
One of the most unpopulated wilderness regions in the world, the span of the Coast Mountains include dramatic vistas, diverse climates and challenging conditions.
"A philosophy that I've really learned at Arc'teryx is you have to design by doing and without the Coast Range, then that wouldn't be possible."
Brylee Geddis - Apparel Designer
"The geography and elevation of the Coast Mountains create a diverse climate.
Receiving an average of 178 days of precipitation in a year, North Vancouver is one of the wettest cities in Canada."
We have a full industrial shop, manufacturing tools, a down room, colour tests, washing machines; all the tools to make and break products until we arrive at a smooth, efficient process with a beautiful result.
This may take three years, it may take longer.
“You come in here and it's a workshop for sure - it's not a pristine design lab.“
JJ Mah - Apparel Designer
skills and craftsmanship, but we can't do it all alone.
ARC'One is only one of our many facilities and suppliers around the world that we depend on.
"There's this concept that things are made by machines. They're not made by machines, they're made by human beings."
Shirley Chen - Director, Product Commercialization & Quality
ARC'One is our current manufacturing facility located in Vancouver, BC. It employs over 500 people. It accounts for 10% of our global manufacturing, producing Outdoor, Veilance and LEAF products.
90% of our products are produced across 21 manufacturing facilities around the globe.
We are currently partnered with factories in China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Cambodia and Romania.
"For Arc'teryx products, you have to know taping, you have to know pressing, you have to know timing. You need more than just sewing experience."
Helen Lu - Owner, Karian Factory
to the birth of our groundbreaking outerwear.
Our relationship with W.L. Gore is one of the reasons we are able to craft the world's best outerwear.
"W.L. Gore took some unique risks with us. We went to them with a proposal, having never built a piece of apparel yet, let alone a GORE-TEX jacket."
"We were probably one of the only suppliers, or one of the only brands that's ever been given a W.L. Gore license having never made a piece of apparel before. The relationship started with our unique perspective on what we wanted to do as a brand in apparel, and they stepped up as a partner."
Gary Bryant - VP, Product and Merchandising
How do we continue to build gear while simultaneously protecting our backyard? Extreme durability and responsible resourcing can dramatically reduce our environmental impact.
Our philosophy is guided by the belief that durability is the strongest path to sustainability.
We start with a meticulous and mindful design process. Over 30 years of innovation, we have developed a toolkit to deliver durability and improve our environmental impacts.
We can use a carbon footprint to compare the climate change impact to familiar points of reference.
Manufacturing high performance outdoor gear is still a challenge for the environment. Why?
Because manufacturing today is based on a linear economy model with impacts across all stages of the product life cycle. Each stage has multiple challenges that impact our environment:
