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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Petra Stock

Lofty ambitions: can puffer jackets be made more sustainable?

 Woman walking in nature, wearing a black puffer jacket
Given the price of padded jackets and how hard they are to recycle, experts recommend extending your puffer’s lifespan as much as possible. Photograph: Andrew Merry/Getty Images

Whether you call it a parka, puffer or Tassie tuxedo, the insulated jacket has become a cold-weather closet staple.

A 1920s version by Australian mountaineer George Finch was constructed from hot air balloon fabric and eiderdown, but most modern designs are a mix of petroleum-based synthetics as well as animal and plant fibres, with varying environmental and ethical impacts.

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