FINALLY! Patagonia Develops a Cruelty-Free Alternative That Beats Down!
Source: Patagonia
10 years of development, 7 years of prototype refinement, and 4 years of field testing has finally paid off, finally- a better-than-down jacket created by Patagonia called The Micro Puff.
Down is an awful product but for many outdoor enthusiasts, it has several benefits over synthetic down. It is warmer than almost any of its synthetic counterparts, and it’s incredibly compressible so that you can pack it up when the temperature starts to rise. The challenge that down has always had is that when it gets wet, all that warmth and insulation it offers goes out the window. Synthetic down holds up well when wet, but they’re usually a bit bulkier and less compressible.
Patagonia’s new synthetic insulation, PlumaFill, is their best warmth-for-weight jacket ever. The Plumafill material is made up of long strands of coiled polyester that are stitched to the jacket in a way that prevents the material from shifting and creating cold spots.
This jacket is the first of its kind that is packable, warm, and water-resistant. Outside Online nominated The Micro Puff Hoodie as one of its picks for 2018’s Gear of the Year. The new Micro Puff jacket will set you back about $200 – $300, however, with their Worn Wear program you can trade in your used Patagonia gear to receive credit towards a new replacement.
Now that we have a cruelty-free option that beats out down on every front, do you think other companies will follow suit? We sure hope so. Kudos, Patagonia, for being a trailblazer.
