What the Tech? Paka Introduces Lightweight Puffer with Revolutionary Insulation, PAKAFILL®

Outdoor apparel brand Paka has set the tone for a new wave of outerwear that’s both sustainable and revolutionary in performance. With the debut of the first-ever PAKAFILL® alpaca-fiber insulated lightweight puffer jacket, the brand is changing the standards of the outerwear market.

Patent-pending PAKAFILL® technology assures the warmest ethical insulation in the world, with a thermal CLO value of 2.59, and unlike down and petroleum-infused synthetics, the sourcing and production of PAKAFILL® does not harm animals or the environment.

Upholding the brand’s key tenets of integrity and transparency, founder and CEO Kris Cody personally field-tested the winter jacket by summiting Yanapaccha in the Andes Mountains with Peruvian mountaineer Jose Mostajo. This excursion brought the two 17,913’ in altitude, putting PAKAFILL®’s thermoregulation to the test. “The puffer was the only jacket I used for summiting Yanapaccha in Peru; from the 2am freezing cold to the final ascent under a full sun, I didn’t need to add, remove, or switch layers,” Jose Mostajo shared.

Paka’s jackets not only come equipped with practical features — such as bacteria-prevention and water-repellant qualities — but they also include nods to the environment in which they are inspired — the natural topography and wonders of Peru. The jacket shows off an embossed lining of the Andes mountains and a hand-woven zipper puller crafted by Quechua women weavers in Peru, honoring Peruvian culture. On top of paying homage to Peru, Paka gives back to the earth by partnering with the International Association of Alpacas and donates 1% of all sales to supporting ethical shearing practices.

In this installment of What the Tech?, Hypebeast spoke with Paka CEO Kris Cody about what makes PAKAFILL® the future of winter wear.

Hypebeast: What makes Alpaca fiber the most dynamic natural material in the world?

Kris Cody: Alpaca fiber can thermoregulate temperatures due to its evolution in one of the most rugged climates in the world. Because the animal has evolved in both extremities, its sustainable fiber is able to regulate over a 60ºF comfort range, making it the most versatile natural fiber.

What are some additional fundamental values of the brand and how are they incorporated through different technical aspects of the jackets?

KC: One of the greatest challenges in building this alpaca puffer is that no one had done it before. To make this jacket, we had to work with experts from all over the world and collaborate globally — the alpaca fiber is from Peru, the insulation is made here in the US, and the technical shell and lining are made in Taiwan. A large part of Paka is collaboration, as we’re a people company. This jacket was a success due to a global collaboration.

Another leading value at Paka is clarity — the most profound innovations are the simplest. We reduced and reduced down to the most basic parts to create a highly technical piece for the mountain with little excess. When you’re up at high altitudes, no one wants extra weight.

Lastly, one of our biggest core values is to improve the world around us.

After researching for years with the indigenous Quechua people, what are some of the most valuable lessons the Paka team learned and brought to the design process?

KC: To create circular products. The Quechua have a saying, “Lo que viene de la tierra, vuelve a la tierra” (What comes from the earth returns to it). With all the plastics and unsustainable materials in the fashion industry, we’re innovating with that indigenous wisdom to create products that are made from and for the earth. Simply put, we’re putting more nature into our clothing.

Why did the company select the Peruvian Andes as the location to source Alpaca fiber for Paka jackets?

KC: There are more than 3.6 million free-roaming alpacas in the Peruvian Andes — it’s a place where you freeze to death at night and burn during the day and they have evolved in that climate.

PAKAFILL® insulating material thermoregulates from sub-zero conditions to high aerobic activity — can you dive into the science behind this and how this thermoregulation is sustained?

KC: After my summit on Yanapaccha, I realized we needed to improve the breathability of the jacket even more — no one likes a lining that feels like a trash bag and traps sweat when they’re on the mountain. To achieve this, we designed a laser-punched ventilation system for the lining to perspire into the insulation, maximizing the breathability to achieve a shiver-proof and sweat-proof jacket.

What makes PAKAFILL® jackets highly water-repellent?

KC: Our shell has a durable Water Repellent Coating (PFAS Free) with fine multi-needle quilting. Our PAKAFILL® insulation is also naturally water-repellent (with only 8% moisture-retention rate) — its hollow air pockets hold heat which repels moisture.

What are some other benefits of Alpaca fiber in comparison to down and petroleum-based synthetics?

KC: No shiver, no sweat (which can be deadly on a mountain); it even keeps you warm when wet. The material is naturally antibacterial and odor-resistant, with only 8% moisture-retention rate, requiring less washing or care. Synthetics trap sweat and bacteria together — a combination that results in odor. There’s also a lack of transparency with sourcing in the outerwear space, but the fiber in PAKAFILL® is fully traceable

As a Certified B Corp brand, what are Paka’s plans to continue this technological innovation in the realm of outerwear?

KC: We didn’t develop this technology to keep for ourselves. Down comes at the expense of the geese and ducks that provide the feathers. The alternative, which most outerwear brands use for their products, is synthetic insulation — this comes at the expense of the environment and the humans who wear it — 80% of Americans now have microplastics inside of them. The worldwide insulation market is $50 billion USD and projected to hit 100 million by 2030. The global winter wear market size has now surpassed $200 billion USD and continues to grow each year. We truly look forward to enabling other companies to use a sustainable and ethical option, whether for sleeping bags, blankets, or fellow apparel companies. We’re also looking at other sustainable innovations to use in our own outerwear for FW23, from a moisture-wicking algae to a corn-based shell material.

PAKAFILL® technology will be accessible to all outerwear companies that are looking to use more friendly insulating materials. The PAKAFILL® Lightweight Puffer is available for Pre-Order for $299 USD in Men’s Black, Tan, and Oxblood and Women’s Black, Ivory, and Sergeant on pakaapparel.com.