
Textile Manufacturers: Driving Innovation with Transparency
How Textile Manufacturers are Connecting with End Consumers
Whether you first caught the Denali Jacket on the backs of climbers during the 1988 free ascent of the Salathé Wall, or on a college campus during a winter day, it’s not hard to argue that the Denali collection is one of The North Face’s greatest fashion feats. If you’re looking for fashionably sustainable warmth, the comfortable jacket made from 50% recycled fleece seems to satisfy all of the requirements. But behind the admirable eco-friendly labels and successful marketing efforts is a strong co-marketing relationship that makes technical products like these so successful.

Chances are, you’ve never seen a jacket blazoned with the name Malden Mills Industries or “PolarTec®”, but this textile manufacturer has created some of our favorite fleece for over two generations. From the Denali collection at The North Face to the iconic Synchilla® jacket by Patagonia, sustainability enthusiasts can purchase their favorite fleeces with over 87% recycled content. This gives companies like The North Face favorable eco-friendly press while increasing the chance that other large consumer brands will partner with PolarTec®. While these important partnerships once remained in the shadows, they are now imperative to a brand’s success as a fashion forward innovator.
If you visit The North Face’s website, you will notice that the brand proudly displays PolarTec® along with other large technical textile brands like Gore-Tex®, Primaloft®, and Windstopper®. But what’s in it for The North Face? There are few things today’s customers value more than transparency, and this information gives consumers the knowledge and power they need to feel confident in their purchase. While The North Face is boasting about the advanced Polartec® technology in their clothing, customers are gaining confidence in the quality product they are purchasing.

PolarTec® makes sure to include The North Face on their own partner’s page along with information about various products the brands have created together. The companies have recently launched an entire group of fabrics together, including products like the Polartec® Power Shield® Pro in the Kishtwar Jacket and Polartec® NeoShell® in the Jammu Jacket. This means that a potential customer can look deeper into the technologies used on Polartec®’s site, and then travel with a quick link to The North Face to purchase the product. For technical textiles like these, it’s important to differentiate the innovative qualities of the product from those found in other brands. Transparency is key, especially when consumers are looking for function as well as fashion.
PolarTec®’s marketing alone is impressive, and fits just perfectly with the image of their many eco-friendly retail partners. Consumers can “Engage” on their website with their upcoming sponsored events such as Norwegian trail races and stand up paddleboard competitions. If you feel so inclined, you can read about the awards PolarTec® has won in conjunction with Athletica and Bomber Gear. While it’s true that The North Face consumers may not directly translate to PolarTec® consumers, it’s interesting to see the connection between marketing to end use consumers and gaining large behind-the-scenes partnerships that drive innovation in the fashion industry.
Now that many of the large fashion brands based in the United States have shifted to a marketing and design focus, it’s important for these technical partnerships to thrive in order to continue innovating products and delivering quality to the final consumer. Where they once stood in the shadows, fabric production companies like PolarTec® understand the need to take on a public role in the textile industry. Consumers crave quality products that they can fully connect with and comprehend, requiring supply chain transparency and strong co-branding. So the next time you are looking for a Denali jacket upgrade, notice that the transparent co-branding may be just as innovative as the jacket itself.
