Peak Performance’s R&D Helium Loop Anorak Wins an ISPO Award

Peak Performance is using the R&D Helium Loop Anorak to show what true circular outerwear can look like. They do this when they design for end of life from day one.

Circular by Design

The R&D Helium Loop Anorak is a concept down jacket built so its main components, shell, lining, and insulation, can be taken apart and recycled separately. This approach prevents the components from ending up in landfill. It recently received an ISPO Award 2025. In addition, the jury noted that it proves recyclability and circular economy are possible without aesthetics or functionality suffering.

“The Helium Loop project demonstrates how responsible materials and design can prevent pollution and reduce reliance on fossil fuels – a win for the outdoor community,” said David Stover, CEO of Bureo, the company behind NetPlus.

To make that possible, Peak Performance stripped the design back to essentials (fabric, thread, down). They did this by minimizing unnecessary trims so disassembly is straightforward. The anorak uses Resortecs SmartStitch™, a heat dissolvable sewing thread that melts at a controlled temperature. As a result, this allows the garment to be opened up and each material stream recovered without damaging the fabric or insulation.

Materials and Design

The outer and lining are made from Pertex Quantum woven with NetPlus® yarn, 100% post consumer recycled nylon sourced from discarded fishing nets collected by Bureo before they enter the ocean. By replacing virgin nylon with NetPlus, the jacket diverts marine plastic waste. In addition, it reduces reliance on fossil fuels for raw materials.

Matthew Betcher, creative director at Montebello, Calif.-based ALLIED Feather + Down said, “The reality is that garments need to be designed for circularity before any sense of recyclability can even start to be possible.”

Insulation comes from ALLIED Feather + Down’s 800 fill power down, which is renewable, biodegradable, traceable, and recyclable within a dedicated down recovery stream. Combined with SmartStitch and NetPlus, the system is engineered so that, under the right industrial conditions, the stitching dissolves. As a result, the fabric and down separate cleanly, and both can re enter their respective recycling loops.

Performance and Awards

Despite the focus on circularity, the Helium Loop is still built as a technical piece: a lightweight, insulated anorak designed for ski and mountain use, drawing on the brand’s existing Helium down collection patterning. Outdoor reviews highlight that it remains warm and packable, underlining that the circular design doesn’t have to compromise performance.

“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,” said Marie Andersson, designer at Peak Performance. “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.”