KANUK

The Kanuk History

More than twenty-five years ago, a few outdoor enthusiasts created Kanuk, a small Quebec company. SINCE 1974 Twenty-five years ago, the only way to get outdoor equipment suitable for our climate was to make it yourself. That's when we designed our first Kanuk anorak with zippers under the arms for ventilation, and our first parka made of hand-made insulated fibres to fight humidity. COMMITTED TO HAND-MADE FIBRES Kanuk’s use of certain materials and hand-made fibres that do not absorb humidity greatly contributed to improving the garment comfort. At the time, the best insulator, down, would lose all of its insulation properties in humid conditions and would dry very slowly.


		IMPECCABLE DESIGN In addition to using new materials, Kanuk developed a unique technique to increase its coats’ insulation. To shut the cold out entirely, no stitching is allowed to penetrate the thickness of the coat. This technique, the cornerstone of Kanuk’s production, has been refined over the years and is still the secret of our coat’s warmth. Made for adventurers and winter campers, people in Quebec now wear their Kanuk's everywhere. Kanuk coats are so comfortable that those in the know wear them for all sorts of activities: skiing, hiking, walking or even heading to the office! WEAR YOUR KANUK IN TOWN! Cameramen and movie technicians were the first to wear their Kanuk's in town. They had to work outside under harsh conditions and were quick to appreciate the value of a Kanuk! They talked
A photo from the Kanuk Archives. In the good old days, Kanuk’s customers were outdoor enthusiasts such as rugged woodsmen (and women). Their choice of colours ranged from royal blue to… royal blue!		about the comfort of their coats to their friends, and through word of mouth, Kanuk has became the small, successful company it is today. People in Quebec who face winter daily are now looking for comfort. Ten years ago, only the eccentrics would wear heavy parkas. Now big, warm, comfortable coats are extremely popular. Today, Kanuk offers more than 35 models of warm winter jackets in eight sizes and more than 30 colours.

The first winter jacket to be designed and sewn by Kanuk. The hood was lined with polarguard (now replaced by more attractive and resistant polar fleece). The Kanuk design – no stitching penetrates the thickness of the jacket to shut outcold, and hand-made fibres do not absorb humidity- is the cornerstone of Kanuk’s success.				The very first garment to be designed and sewn by Kanuk in the seventies: the Kangaroo anorak with zippered openings at the sides for ventilation.

Made in Québec

How the Kanuk coats are made
		The 25 years of experience of Kanuk has made them experts on finding the warmest insulations, the most performing and durable materials, the strongest zippers that you can find on the market. The Kanuk coats and jackets are made to last years and we demand from our suppliers an irreproachable quality of their products. The design team creates models that are truly warm, light and comforta- ble. Each new sample is tested for both material and cut. Kanuk's differen tial cut, with the outside component of the jacket cut larger than the inner component, offers more warmth and ease of movement. Particular care is paid to the sizing so that our jackets are as comfortable and flattering inXXS as in XXXL.

The team of tailors, Michel de Lafontaine, Armando Ayerdis and
Dominique Hallé, cuts the fabric and insulation by respecting the main
line for impeccable drape and for a more esthetic look even after several
washes.

After cutting, each piece of insulation is stitched one to the other, onto the
lining, and each stitch is tacked at the beginning and end for absolute
solidity of seams. Each piece of insulation, once stitched, is individually
overlocked before assembly for even greater sturdiness.

The insulation, cut larger than the lining, is solidly anchored in the seam
by overlocking for perfect stabilization. Thanks to Kanuk manufacturing
(stitching and overlocking every piece of insulation), the insulated com-
ponents a Kanuk jacket is stable and withstands washing. This technic
alsomeans that the jacket falls better and is more flattering, even with
very thick insulation.

Diane Devault assembles the windbreaker and insulation with a mini-
mum of sewing. No seams go through the jacket, so loss of heat through
the seams is avoided. The windbreaker and insulation components are
joined only at the collar, the cuffs, the hem and along the zipper.

At the same time, Denise Désilet sews the windbreaker component of
the warm Kanuk jacket.

Everything is assembled together, windbreaker and insulation, with just
a minimum of stitching. The two parts are joined only at the collar, wrists,
waist and along the zipper. No seams go through the coat so no heat wil
escape from inside.

Then, the snaps are installed. The Kanuk snaps are anchored to the
fabric that separates the fibres to ensure the fabric's integrity.

Last step in production: quality control.
The seams of each jacket are inspected. The quality controle is rigou-
rous at Kanuk. Only coats answering the strickest standards cross the
doors of our workshop. We love our job and we are proud of our work.