In what could well be a world first, a Canadian company is marketing winter jackets insulated with eco-friently milkweed fibres

In what could well be a world first, a Canadian company is marketing winter jackets insulated with eco-friently milkweed fibres
Photo Credit: Quartz-Monark-Altitude Sports

Possible world first: Canadian winter coat uses renewable plant insulation

It’s long been known that down from Eider duck is a premium insulation for clothing and blankets  and similar items. But it’s expensive and relatively limited in quantity as it’s collected from eider nests often in remote locations across the far north and Arctic.  Other down from birds is also used in some cases.

Now, a Canadian company based in Quebec may be the first in the world to commercialize winter coats insulated by a plant.

Quartz Co. in cooperation with the Monark Cooperative and Fibres Monark, and the clothing retailer Altitude Sports, are now marketing two models insulated with milkweed “fluff”.

A milkweed pod, showing the lightweight fluffy fibres attached to each seed. The tiny filaments are hollow trapping air which makes them a good insulator, they also keep their properties when wet, unlike down.
A milkweed pod, showing the lightweight fluffy fibres attached to each seed. The tiny filaments are hollow trapping air which makes them a good insulator, they also keep their properties when wet, unlike down. © Radio-Canada, Jena-Michel Leprince

Natural, renewable, eco-friendly

The fluffy lightweight strands that carry seeds from the common milkweed plant have been known since pioneer times to have excellent insulating properties. The problem is how to gather and transform it commercially into a textile. That seems now to have been solved thus enabling commercialization of the milkweed.

For the first time and after years of effort a method to commercially harvest and transform the milkweed fluff into a usable material
For the first time and after years of effort a method to commercially harvest and transform the milkweed fluff into a usable textile has been developed. © Radio-Canada

The whispy fibres attached to each seed are very similar to eider down. They are also a very renewable source coming from a plant usually considered as a weed. The milkweed is a hardy plant that also has the advantage of being easily grown almost anywhere.

The fluff from milkweed, similar insulation qualities to expensive down, very easy to grow almost anywhere.
The fluff from milkweed, similar insulation qualities to expensive down, very easy to grow almost anywhere. © handout, Altitude-Quartz-Monark

Nathalie Morier who heads ‘Fibres Monark’ which developed the process to create the textile, says, “You don’t need a thick layer of this insulation to get something very warm. This means clothing that fits closely to your body line”.

The milkeed is transformed into batts and sewn into rolls which are easily used in making of insulated coats. Because of the insulating properties, the coats can be kept slim for stylish purposes
The milkeed is transformed into batts and sewn into rolls which are easily used in making of insulated coats. Because of the insulating properties, the coats can be kept slim and stylish © Radio-Canada

The two models currently available in limited numbers are a men’s and women’s coat,  and are sold online for about C$800.

Microscopic view of the hollow fluff fibres which trap air increasing their insulating properties
Microscopic view of the hollow fluff fibres which trap air increasing their insulating properties © Radio-Canada

If the number of milkweed plants and fluff increases as planned, the company will go ahead with increased production.

Quartz has been making quality winter outerwear since 1997, the Monark Coop is an association of farmers producing milkweed (vital for the Monarch butterfly)  and Monark Fibres developed a process to mechanically collect the fluff and transform it into a textile. Altitude Sports is a well-known high-end sports and urban technical clothing retailer.

With files from Radio Canada-

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