Can a 100% Recycled Jacket Perform Well in Winter Conditions?

Fashion trends come and go, along with the materials these trends employ. A hip new wool coat today, trash tomorrow. An organic cotton tee this summer, garbage by winter. A polyester suit one day and….BOOM! a new snow jacket the next. Companies push fashion to new and fresh arenas year after year, but not every company does so with the mindset of delivering products that are as fresh to fashion as they are to the environment. Picture Organic is a clothing company operating under a simple, but powerful concept: creating innovative products utilizing the most Eco-friendly applications.

Since Picture Organic’s founding in 2008 this French company has surely grown. Picture Organic now uses 100% biological cotton certified under the Global Organic textile standard, produces 100% recycled polyester products, crafts jackets featuring recovered fabrics, and continues to strive in reducing the company’s carbon foot print. In 2013 Picture won the Gold Award at ISPO in the outerwear category for the 100% recyclable Welcome Jacket, as well as the “Environmental Excellence” Award. If keeping winters alive and being active with your purchases to reduce environmental impact, then check out Picture Organic’s full line of outerwear, clothing, and accessories.

Product Details

Company: Picture Organic
Manufactured in: China
Product: Wood Jacket
Price: $230.00

Review

Days: 3 Days
Resort: New York City & Hunter Mountain
Conditions: Cold windy days with temperatures in the mid 20s, slushy rain, and crisp blue bird sky’s.
Rider: James Morse
Style: The Wood jacket lends itself to a bit of aviator flare with P.U leather trim on the pockets, chest, hips, and zippers. The black and brown complement each other nicely as does the mix of texture featured through out the jacket. I think it’s a fresh look for a snowboard/ski jacket that’s fashionable on the streets of New York as well as at the mountain. The leather patch on the left shoulder is also a really nice touch.
Material: 100% recycled polyester outer shell, 100% Nylon liner, P.U leather trim, P.E fur lining in the hood, and a bit of down for warmth.
Quality: For a recycled jacket the quality is rather impressive. The stitching is tight, the panels meet at attractive angles, the zippers are smooth, all buttons clip together without to much effort, and over all the jacket feels solid. It feels like you can beat it up on the mountain and it will still look good in the city.
Features: The jacket has seven pockets: 2 side entry hand pockets with zippers, 2 top entry hand pockets with flaps and buttons, 1 chest pocket with zipper, 1 inner media pocket with viewing window on right side, and 1 inner pocket with Velcro. The jacket also features the option to have the hood wrap around the front of the neck or fall at the shoulders. (View pictures) P.E fur is featured in the hood an the hand pockets are lined with fleece. The jacket also features an adjustable hood and cuffs.
Tech: 5k waterproofing / 5k breathability. This tech is perfect for an everyday street jacket, but maybe a bit light for some everyday riding. While wearing the jacket in the light rain it did hold up well and water beaded up nicely, keeping the inner jacket dry as well as myself. Prolong exposure to rain or heavy snow might prove differently, but it’s hard to know outside of testing.
Fit: This is the only confusing aspect of this jacket. I normally wear a small in snow jackets, but the Wood jacket was a large and fit me fine. I’m not sure if the company’s sizing is a reflection of French or European trends or just the way the Picture Organic sizes items. If you do purchase a jacket from Picture Organic I recommend sizing up 1 to 2 sizes. The jacket fits outstanding, with plenty of movement in the elbows, shoulders, back, and waist. The hood is a bit large and can impede ones vision.
Warmth: The down in this jacket goes a long way. Wearing this near the water front of Brooklyn with the wind blowing, I stayed nice and warm walking the streets. The addition of fur in the hood also helps to retain heat produced by the body. I would have liked a bit more from the fleece lined pockets for my hands.