Made in collaboration with Andrew Kerr, Le Lin, Valérie Sénéchal, Vanessa Wall
Milkweed, a somewhat unassuming plant, plays a critical role in the life-cycle of the Monarch Butterfly. Gen 1 by Not Down is a mid-layer jacket designed to keep the wearer warm during the start of Montreal’s cold season from September to December. We have used milkweed as inspiration for the garment’s form, function and composition. The floss itself, collected from the plant’s seed pods has also been used as insulative filling.
Our fictional successive line of garments; Gen 1 through Gen 3, reference the three generations of monarchs which survive winter through participating in an annual migration south of Canada. Using only locally sourced, organic and compostable fabrics and dyes, this series of garments get progressively warmer each generation, culminating in a cozy winter parka named Gen 3.
Beyond highlighting its use of milkweed floss instead of down feathers, “Now Down” also means a refusal to compromise on sustainable principles.
While milkweed floss, or estabragh, has insulative properties similar to cotton when used as infill, it is much more sustainable for production in Canada, since cotton grows naturally in warmer and wetter climates.
