Featured Image: Courtesy of Arc'teryx
Arc'teryx is a name that carries a lot of respect in the outdoor industry. This month, their reputation became even more noteworthy as the brand introduced a new initiative: System 0. The project's lofty goal is to create a closed-loop life cycle, one in which your new outerwear is worn, repaired and finally disassembled, with the vast majority of its parts being recycled to create more product.
It sounds like a familiar slogan, but trust us, you haven't seen it executed like this before. The framework has been years in the making. Creating quality gear that stands up to the harshest environments is hard enough. Keeping that same level of endurance in your products while making each component recyclable is an entirely new layer, but one that the Arc'teryx team is inclined to tackle.
"System 0 represents a fundamental shift in how we build and scale our business with circularity front of mind," said Arc'teryx CEO Stuart Haselden. "For decades, Arc’teryx has built gear that’s meant to be repaired, not replaced. This is the next step forward." Haselden isn't fibbing, as the ReBIRD program has been a staple of the company since 2021, offering consumers an easy avenue to have their Arc'teryx gear professionally repaired. It's also allowed Arc'teryx to see firsthand what fails in old designs, and to improve off said failures in the future.
Outlined in the latest " Obsessive Design " video, Arc'teryx operated in four stages when designing the very first System 0 product, the Sperro SV jacket. The team had to develop recycled fabrics, create and extensively test the jacket to ensure longevity, design with repair in mind, and then figure out how and where each piece of the jacket could go once it was time to retire.
Getting to this point has been an elaborate journey, so we wanted to reach out to two skiers directly involved in the System 0 testing process: Craig Murray and Tonje Kvivik . Both are likely familiar names, as they've accomplished heaps in the high alpine over the years with a combination of tenacity and style that's impossible to replicate.
Watch the full System 0 video and check out our conversation with two of freeskiing's finest, below.
FREESKIER: Explain System 0 in the simplest terms. What does it aim to accomplish? Why is it important to build a closed-loop cycle like this for gear?
TK: I'd describe [System 0] as a line where Arc'teryx takes responsibility for the garment for its entire life, not just from the moment it leaves the store. The goal is to keep gear out of landfills and stop creating more unnecessary waste.
CM: Basically, it’s about making gear that lasts, can be repaired, and eventually has a second life instead of just becoming garbage. The idea is to think about the whole life of a product from the beginning to end, rather than just making something and then let whatever happen to it later down the line.
What has been your involvement in System 0? When did you first begin working on the project?
TK: I learned about System 0 this year and have used it in a variety of alpine environments since. It's a happy coincidence that I actually wrote about ideas like this in my business school thesis. Circular economy has always fascinated me, and I love anything that pulls us out of the toxic "buy it, throw it away the second it's not perfect" mindset.
CM: I’m involved in product development and testing, giving feedback on what works and what doesn’t in real mountains. Like Tonje, I like to think I bring the valuable perspective of someone who’s going to use the gear pretty hard. I know what to look for because I've seen where things tend to fail when you’re out there amongst the elements.
What's the most interesting part of System 0 in your opinion?
TK: That the jacket has so much ahead of it now. Repairs are just part of its story, and instead of hiding that, Arc'teryx highlights it.
CM: For me, it’s the fact that they’re thinking about the entire lifecycle of the jacket and somehow making it work financially. It’s pretty cool to see Arc’teryx put so much effort, time and money into making something that can be repaired and eventually recycled, all without compromising the performance.
Will people notice any differences between System 0 gear and traditional Arc'teryx outerwear?
TK: You won't pick up on any differences in quality. The only thing I can think of is that because it's made to be repaired, it might feel less precious to wear. It's made to be used, and if something happens to it, that's fine, it'll get fixed. For me, it feels like a weight off the shoulders in a way.
CM: Not in terms of performance —which is always the important part for me. It’s still a proper, rugged mountain jacket, but there’s a lot more thought put into how it can be repaired and what happens to it at the end of its life.
As an athlete, what's the number one thing you look for that defines "quality" gear?
TK: Of course I want to say it has to be made from the highest grade materials. More importantly, though, it has to be able to stand the test of time, not trends.
CM: I want gear that just works and that I can trust. When you’re skiing a serious line, you don’t want to be thinking about your jacket or a zipper—you want to know it’s dialed so you can focus on what’s in front of you. The little things are often times the most important, because your alternatives are limited if they go wrong.
What Arc'teryx pieces are you rocking this winter?
TK: The Sperro SV jacket, for sure! Paired with the Incendia pants, because they're perfect!
CM: Jacket-wise, it's the same for me. The Sperro SV is definitely getting a lot of use on all of my missions. I’ll be mixing that with my new custom ski kit depending on where I’m at and what I'm up to.
