Downlite Outdoor, purveyor of down and feather processing and supplier of responsibly sourced performance fills, has named Debrand Services as a partner in its effort to increase sustainable initiatives and circularity practices.
Downlite Outdoor supplies premium down to brands such as Marmot, REI, Canada Goose, Lululemon, Ralph Lauren, Enlightened Equipment, Hammock Gear, Columbia Sportswear, Haglöfs, and Cascade Designs. The company noted that every season brings a batch of products at the end of their useful life, raising the topic of circularity and the opportunity to upcycle components like down, zippers and snaps.
Debrand aligns with apparel brands to elevate sustainability by extracting as much value as possible from finite resources. With Downlite Outdoor, Debrand works with product overages in client jackets, sleeping bags, pillows and bedding that are out of circulation due to past seasons and unsalable goods to market.
“We have been aware of Debrand’s evolving logistic systems for a couple years and now we can announce our new relationship with the help of our apex brand partners to collectively support this movement in circularity back into the supply chain,” said Lindsay Parrish, vice president of sales at Downlite Outdoor.
Ohio-based Downlite has pioneered breakthrough innovations in performance down technologies, as well as traceability and transparency through its global supply chain.
“There are many reasons why an item or garment can find itself heading back from the consumer to the retailer,” Wesley Baker, co-founder at Debrand, said. “Effectively managing this process means leveraging industry knowledge, physical infrastructure, and data to ensure everything goes to its highest and best use. Yes, it’s circularity, sustainability and brand security, but it’s also just smart resource planning.”
Downlite is among the largest U.S. suppliers of bedding for the home and hospitality industries, as well as bulk down and feather to apparel and sleeping bag makers in the outdoor industry. The company has four U.S.-based manufacturing sites, one manufacturing site in Canada, and its sourcing teams are based in China, Europe and the U.S. Downlite is Bluesign certified and a member of the American Feather & Down Council.