Mover x Ventile

Ventile Shell Jacket in Olive / Source: Mover

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Mayer Nissim

WHAT WE SAY:

Mover’s vision for plastic-free sportswear is founded in a powerful belief: that synthetic fabrics offer no performance advantage, while they wreak huge environmental damage.

That is why the brand collaborated with Ventile on a completely cotton-based collection that still has all the weatherproofing consumers now come to expect from their outerwear. That means comfortable, water-repellent and, crucially, breathable garments – all without plastic-based fabrics or coatings. So when someone tells you that natural fibres cannot deliver the required performance, tell them about Mover. This level of painstaking commitment is rare.

KEY FACTS:

Mover has joined forces with fellow Swiss firm Ventile for a new range of completely plastic-free outdoor wear and sportswear.
As part of its wider plastic-free range of designs, Mover offers three items made with Ventile high-density woven organic Cotton: a shell jacket and two blousons.
Since 2021, the durable water-repellent finish in Ventile’s complete range of fabrics is now completely PFC-free, using 63% renewably sourced content, derived from a variety of plant-based sources.

Model wearing the Blouson Jacket in Sand / Source: Mover

The organic cotton lining of the Swisswool Blouson in Night Blue / Source: Mover

DIVE DEEPER:

The Mover brand first launched in Sweden in 1982 and was the first to introduce Gore-Tex in its ski-garments, offering lightweight, waterproof and all-weather outerwear.
Gore-Tex is made from expanded PTFE, a synthetic fluoropolymer that will shed microplastics into the environment before ending in landfill at end-of-life.
Swiss skier and entrepreneur Nicolas Rochat bought Mover in 2004, switching production from China to Europe and phasing out plastics in favour of natural fibres like wool. In 2017 the company renounced its Gore-Tex license and switched to Ventile’s high-density woven cotton.
In turn, Ventile worked with scientists, textile experts and dye houses, for two years, to launch a PFC-free and PU-free, durable water-repellent replacement in 2021 that it claims does not diminish the quality or lifespan of the finished product.
The Mover collection includes three Ventile-based products: a shell jacket in olive and night sky priced at CHF 360 (USD 365), a blouson jacket in sand priced at CHF 380 (USD 390) and an alpaca wool-lined blouson in olive and night blue priced at CHF 480 (USD 490).
As well as being primarily made of organic cotton, there is no plastic used in any of the fixtures or fastenings of Mover’s Ventile range. Instead, there are cowhorn buttons, brass zippers and pullers, and Aluminium D-rings.
All three Ventile products in the Mover range are membrane-free, have double lap felled seams and can be machine washed at 30°C (85°F). There is no glue used in the construction of the blousons.
All Mover’s products are completely plastic-free and are cut and sewn in Europe, with plastic-free packaging for all its items.

"The partnership shows that the momentum for sustainable, plastic-free items is gaining pace. Throughout the globe we are seeing a trend toward the end of single-use plastics and it is great to see the same sentiment gaining traction in the textile world too."

Daniel Odermatt - Brand Director, Ventile

Key Design Considerations:

Is Ventile waterproof enough for your needs?

Ventile is water-repellent and weatherproof, but not as waterproof as some plastic-coated materials. As it is made from cotton, if rain is long-lasting and heavy enough, Ventile can get stiff, damp and potentially soak through, despite its durable water-repellent treatment.

What other fabrics and fastenings will you be using with Ventile?

Brands less committed to going plastic-free than Mover will find plenty of obstacles. For example, seam sealing tape is often made from reinforced acrylic or polyurethane adhesive. But weatherproofing is often as much a design question as a material one – Mover’s jackets do not have a shoulder seam, a common weak point. Can you design your garments with suitably positioned or protected elements and ensure that eliminating plastic does not compromise their weatherproofing?

What happens to Mover’s Ventile-based products at end-of-life?

Neither Mover nor Ventile make any specific claims about the compostability of their products, nor are they certified as compostable. While the jackets’ organic cotton material is biodegradable, Ventile’s durable water-repellent treatment will affect its compostability. Given this, as well as the metal zip and fastening elements, could you also introduce a recycling scheme (like the one operated by competitor Páramo), to ensure correct processing of old items?

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Mover x Ventile

WHAT WE SAY:

Mover’s vision for plastic-free sportswear is founded in a powerful belief: that synthetic fabrics offer no performance advantage, while they wreak huge environmental damage.

KEY FACTS:

DIVE DEEPER:

The Mover brand first launched in Sweden in 1982 and was the first to introduce Gore-Tex in its ski-garments, offering lightweight, waterproof and all-weather outerwear.

Gore-Tex is made from expanded PTFE, a synthetic fluoropolymer that will shed microplastics into the environment before ending in landfill at end-of-life.

Swiss skier and entrepreneur Nicolas Rochat bought Mover in 2004, switching production from China to Europe and phasing out plastics in favour of natural fibres like wool. In 2017 the company renounced its Gore-Tex license and switched to Ventile’s high-density woven cotton.

In turn, Ventile worked with scientists, textile experts and dye houses, for two years, to launch a PFC-free and PU-free, durable water-repellent replacement in 2021 that it claims does not diminish the quality or lifespan of the finished product.

The Mover collection includes three Ventile-based products: a shell jacket in olive and night sky priced at CHF 360 (USD 365), a blouson jacket in sand priced at CHF 380 (USD 390) and an alpaca wool-lined blouson in olive and night blue priced at CHF 480 (USD 490).

As well as being primarily made of organic cotton, there is no plastic used in any of the fixtures or fastenings of Mover’s Ventile range. Instead, there are cowhorn buttons, brass zippers and pullers, and Aluminium D-rings.

All three Ventile products in the Mover range are membrane-free, have double lap felled seams and can be machine washed at 30°C (85°F). There is no glue used in the construction of the blousons.

All Mover’s products are completely plastic-free and are cut and sewn in Europe, with plastic-free packaging for all its items.

Daniel Odermatt - Brand Director, Ventile

Key Design Considerations:

Is Ventile waterproof enough for your needs?

What other fabrics and fastenings will you be using with Ventile?

What happens to Mover’s Ventile-based products at end-of-life?

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