Canada Goose, the manufacturer of outerwear, has partnered with The North West Co., a retailer of food, products and services to rural communities in Canada, and First Air, Canada's largest northern airline, to establish Canada Goose Resource Centers in Canada's Arctic. The centers will provide traditional 'sewers' with access to free fabrics and materials to make their own outerwear, a strong tradition of northern Canada.


 

The centers will open in Nunavut this month, at Northern in Pond Inlet on June 11 and Northmart in Iqaluit on June 12.

Specifically, the partnership will provide local, traditional sewers with free fabrics, buttons, zippers, Velcro and supplies to support the established practice of making jackets and clothing for members of the community. This partnership originated in May 2007, when two highly skilled sewers from Pond Inlet, Nunavut, came to Toronto to collaborate with Canada Goose to create a uniquely Canadian jacket that celebrated the best of Canada.

“Canada Goose counts on the iconic imagery of the Canadian North when we sell our brand around the world, and this is our way to say thank you,” said Kevin Spreekmeester, vice president of marketing for Canada Goose. “Canada Goose Resource Centers give us the opportunity to recycle high-quality fabrics and premium materials that have been discontinued. Northern sewers often have to cobble together odds and ends to create their designs; hopefully, this will help. Thankfully, we are able to work with tremendous corporate partners like The North West Company and First Air whose generosity helps make this initiative come to life.”