Anytime you go shopping, you want to have options. Whether you are looking for something simple like a new pair of shoes, or something big like a new condo in beautiful Toronto. So, why would investing in a quality winter jacket be any different?
It only makes sense to shop around and compare your options. So, to help you make your decision, we put together a list of 7 ways Arctic Bay’s premium winter jackets and accessories stand out against the competition.
1. Arctic Bay Jackets Are Actually Made in Canada
First and foremost, what we remain most proud of is that all of our winter parkas are actually made from scratch in Canada. This means the raw, uncut materials arrive at our factory in Winnipeg and the entire manufacturing process takes place in that facility.
A lot of other brands claim to be "made in Canada" but in actuality, they outsource a lot of their production to countries in Asia to take advantage of cheap labor. For example, one company will have the arms and torso of their jackets manufactured in Vietnam, then ship these ready-made pieces to Canada for "finishing" where they assemble the arms and torso. This allows them to do the bare minimum amount of work in Canada and still be able to label the products as "Made in Canada", even though most of their pieces are made in China and Vietnam.
Considering the level of dedication we have to manufacture all of our garments in Canada, we believe Arctic Bay’s "Made In Canada" label is the truest when compared to the other brands.
2. We Always Use Premium Quality Materials
Each of our Arctic Bay extreme winter parkas is carefully crafted from materials we source are from premium providers. The fabrics used in creating our TrueNorth line come from suppliers in the United States, and our Imperial line features fabrics from a Swiss supplier. Each of these pieces is uniquely designed to bring out the best in these materials.
One great example is our incredibly breathable nylon lining. If you’re shopping around, you will notice brands like Canada Goose and Moose Knuckle use a nylon lining as well. However, neither has a nylon lining as light and breathable as Arctic Bay. In fact, the lining we choose to use in our extreme winter jackets is generally about twice the price of the standard, showing our commitment to invest in quality materials.
3. Our Proven and Powerful Insulation
Everyone knows it’s not just what’s on the outside, but what’s on the inside that counts. That’s why not only is the outside shell of each Arctic Bay jacket made of quality fabrics, but we also use the very best in insulation to provide protection and comfort, proven through the harshest winter conditions when tested by Geologists and Geophysicists in arctic expeditions. Not many competitors can even come close to that kind of proven protection.
Each of our Arctic Bay extreme winter parkas is filled with Canadian duck down, which is Downmark certified. While you might find a few competitors with this certification, it is not an easy accomplishment. While many competitors may tout goose feathers as the more mainstream down material, Canadian duck down offers a reliable alternative that is both warm and comfortable. Not only is this type of down filling more cost-effective, but you don’t need to sacrifice anything for comfort or style. And our baffle down hangers are also double-lined to prevent any down from escaping.
4. We Put High Value in the Small Details
Sometimes it is essential to sweat the small stuff. We don’t just focus on the highest quality of fabrics and insulation for our Arctic Bay parkas, we also make sure to utilize the premium materials for each of the technical features and small details.
For example, we use industry-leading manufacturers and real leather for our trim pieces, while the competition uses nylon endings. For zippers, we use YKK zippers in the core parka lineup, with some models like the men’s Cambridge Jacket using premium RYRY zippers. Many other manufacturers have since switched to cheaper alternatives.
5. We Use Only the Best in Furs
It is hard to top the look and feel of quality fur, and the selection of furs used by Arctic Bay is very particular in contrast to many other brands. As always, we are happy to use only the best furs sourced from the North American Fur Auction.
The coyote fur featured in pieces like the iconic Nunavut Champion Limited Edition Parka is ethically sourced from wild coyotes ONLY from Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The Blue Box furs we use on our women’s Laval parka for example come from Finland and the European Fur Auction. You can also find other unique styles, like the Black Arctic Fox fur in the Labrador Parka.
Not to mention, our coyote fur ruffs are much wider and fuller than fur trim you will find with other brands.
Arctic Bay even uses beaver fur in many of our jackets for chin guards, something that most brands are not willing to invest in. For a luxury feature like this, only the elite in outerwear brands like Tom Ford have used beaver fur in some of their styles. Canada Goose did use beaver fur in a limited collection line called "Yuki Matsuda". Those jackets retailed for over $1700, and they still don’t measure up to Arctic Bay’s full catalog of extreme winter parkas and accessories featuring beaver fur.
6. Custom Arm Patch with Built-In Security
We put so much into each Arctic Bay winter jacket and parka that of course we want each proud customer to know they have the real deal. That is why our exclusive Arctic Bay arm patch also uses only premium materials and is manufactured by a specialist in Italy, so you know it is one of our innovatively designed and carefully crafted pieces.
But we also went above and beyond the competition when it comes to giving each customer an official piece of our brand. Each parka has built-in security with a unique identifier from the factory embedded in the hologram that is on the back patch. This way, our customers can always trust they have a Canadian made parka of the highest quality. We even put additional specialty branding into trim details like the lining and snap closures, which also adds to the unique and exclusive aesthetics.
7. Manufacturing with Skill and Care
At the end of the day, when you hold Arctic Bay up to our competitors it is easy to see that all of these little details come together to create one of the most versatile, reliable, and stylized catalogs of luxury outerwear in the industry. And one of the most essential parts of this is manufacturing each piece with skill and care.
Having so many unique elements and little details in our garments means we have to put a lot more careful manual labour to manufacture just one of our Arctic Bay extreme winter jackets. Every jacket undergoes a rigorous assembly process, and in case you forgot, we do it all in our own Canadian factory.
Because our garments are not patched together pieces mass-produced in overseas factories, our customers can count on each piece being expertly crafted to a much higher standard than the competition, making it possible for our winter jackets to last much longer than the traditional brands that people may be used to.
In the end, what makes Arctic Bay stand up against the competition is our dedication to providing proven quality and unparalleled style in each step of creating our outerwear, and commitment to customer service.