Outdoor gear is built to take on some of the toughest conditions, but what happens when a piece of gear reaches the end of its useful life? Arc’teryx is taking on that question with System 0™, a new approach that considers not only how a product performs in the mountains, but also how it can be repaired, taken apart and eventually transformed into something new. The first product to bring this idea to life is the Sperro SV jacket, a multisport hardshell designed for demanding mountain conditions. It combines the performance expected from Arc’teryx with a more considered approach to durability, repair and what happens when the jacket eventually reaches the end of its life.
Sperro SV Jacket, $1,500
At the heart of Sperro SV is GORE-TEX® Pro fabric with the ePE membrane, delivering durable waterproof, windproof and breathable protection. Designed with longevity in mind, the jacket is reinforced at common failure points and features Arc’teryx’s first easily replaceable zipper slider. It also comes with three years of unlimited, out-of-warranty repairs through ReBIRD™, encouraging continued use rather than replacement when something goes wrong.
When the jacket can no longer be repaired, its materials are designed to enter a chemical recycling process. The fabric is broken down to separate the nylon from the GORE-TEX membrane, with the nylon returned to Aquafil to be regenerated into new ECONYL® yarn. The nylon face fabric and backer were also separately developed with recyclability in mind in partnership with Aquafil. It is an approach that addresses one of the more difficult challenges in circular apparel: what happens after a product’s first life is over?
Sperro SV is also the first product certified under TESTEX® Circularity, a standard Arc’teryx helped develop to address gaps in existing circularity standards. The certification recognizes the jacket’s long-wearing design, repairability and potential for material recovery.
The concept builds on Arc’teryx’s existing ReBIRD™ ecosystem, which includes washing, repair, trade-in, resale and upcycling. With System 0™, these principles are brought into the product development process from the beginning—from design and material sourcing to manufacturing, repair and eventual material recovery.
Performance, however, remains central. Sperro SV has been extensively tested by alpine professionals, including Vancouver’s North Shore Rescue search and rescue teams, putting the jacket through the kinds of demanding conditions it is designed to face. Sperro SV is Designed to Persist™. With System 0™, Arc’teryx is taking that idea a step further, exploring how technical outdoor gear can be made not only to perform for longer, but also to have a future beyond its first life.
