Arc'teryx Launches ReBird, a Hub for Upcycled Outdoor Gear

Outdoor gear maker Arc'teryx launched a new platform this week called ReBird that houses all of its sustainability and circularity initiatives in one place. The company describes it as a hub for efforts relating to upcycling, resale, care, and repair—all of which are integral parts of its broader goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and embrace 100% renewable energy.

The name for ReBird comes from Arc'teryx's famous logo that is inspired by a 150-million-year-old fossil of Archaeopteryx lithographica, also known as "the bird." The new ReBird platform, the company explains, "is the 'bird' in regenerative mode, bringing old bones—dead ends, used gear, cast-offs, waste—back to life."

It does so by offering three main avenues for "transforming waste into possibility." The first is its Used Gear Program, launched in 2019, but now located within ReBird. Shoppers in Canada and the United States can trade in old gear for store credit. The program has been a success since its inception.

Katie Wilson, senior manager of Social & Environmental Sustainability, tells Treehugger, "In 2020 we doubled the number of our accepted trade-ins, and our Used Gear program continues to grow at a substantial rate. Demand is often only limited by the amount of inventory on our site."

Any old pieces that cannot be repaired and re-warrantied by the company are reworked by designers into new upcycled items that constitute the second part of ReBird—its line of products made from post-consumer materials, as well as end-of-the-roll fabrics that cannot be used otherwise. The current lineup of upcycled items includes a windshell, a tote bag, and a zippered pouch, but these will evolve depending on available materials. 

Last but not least, ReBird offers care and repair tips for all Arc’teryx products, in hopes that people will take steps to prolong the lifespan of their outdoor gear. It contains detailed information on why, when, and how to wash GORE-TEX products and how to care for a broad range of other items, from fleece to footwear to packs. 

Wilson said in a press release, "At Arc’teryx we have always built products that last, and durability is crucial to how we see ourselves contributing to a more circular economy and achieving our global climate goals. It enables us to do fun work like make new product from old, resell used gear, and repair. While some of this work has been happening as long as we’ve been in existence, some of it is brand new."

She tells Treehugger ReBird strives to "share what the circular economy is, and why it’s important, with those who are new to the concept"—in other words, serving as an educational platform of sorts. Down the road, Arc'teryx wants ReBird to "continue to integrate into all aspects of our business, to help our organization as a whole migrate towards a more circular way of doing things."

The clothing industry is notoriously wasteful, with some 100 billion garments made annually, two-thirds of which will go to landfills within a year of purchase. Because the majority of an item's carbon footprint occurs during its manufacture before a customer even touches it, it's more important than ever to buy high-quality goods that are built to last—and that's something Arc'teryx undeniably does well. Its efforts to extend the lifespan of those products even further is laudable, and hopefully, more companies follow in its footsteps.

You can explore ReBird here.