Technical Jacket Research Testing and Finishing Package

October 30, 2023

Victoria Chew

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 Table Of Contents

Research - Arc’teryx Store 3-9

Research - Arc’teryx Jacket Reference 9-11
Research - The North Face Store 12-13
Research - EXTRA Helly Hansen Jacket at Sportchek 14
Samples (Section Title) 15
Samples - Lining 16-17
Samples - Goretex Shell 18-25
Samples - Full Jacket 26-29
Samples - Finishing Touches 30
List Of Samples 31
Finished Photos 32
Design Improvements For Final 33
Style Card (Needs Update & Colour Removal) 34-38
Pattern 39
Work Cited 40

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 Research - Arc’teryx Store

As one of the most popular brands of technical outwear in the current market, Arc’teryx’s technical
jacket engineering is one of the best for articulation and movement. The quality of such jackets can be best seen
in how clean and mobile the articulation is. Starting from the gussets in the underarms to fully seam-sealed and
waterproof notions and technical fabric, it is no doubt that Arc’teryx truly has some of the best equipment for
staying dry and mobile.

Depicted in these photos are three of Arc’teryx’s Goretex

jackets. The quality of their engineering can be seen just starting at
how the sleeves are connected to the main body (Coelle Shell. In the
following photos, the mobility of the jackets is shown by having an
arm raised without being stiff or hiking up the sides of the jacket.
To help reduce bulk and ensure comfort, Arc’teryx folds down their
pocket bag and seals it down with round bemis tabs to keep them flush
when their pockets are unused. Additionally, their seam sealing is nar-
rower than what is provided on campus to work with, and it is visible
that their seam-allowances are trimmed down to nearly 2mm before
being sealed. For the light blue jacket (Beta Lightweight) , there are
armpit zippers to help with ventilation and movement, which are fully
waterproof to help keep the wearer dry. Like most models, each jacket
has a no-sew pocket attached with double-sided bemis or framis where
the model of the jacket is shown via laser-cut decal. It should be noted
that in jackets like the Beta AR model, that the interior no-sew pocket
utilizes a regular zipper because it is on the inside and can therefore
be punctured by anti-theft guards to ensure there are no holes punched
Fig 1. Arc’teryx Coelle Jacket into the jacket that would otherwise render it non-waterproof.

Fig 2. Coelle Jacket Articulation Fig 3. Coelle Jacket Front

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 Research - Arc’teryx Store

Fig 4. Coelle Jacket Back Fig 5. Coelle Back Interior Fig 6. Coelle Front Interior

Fig 7. Coelle Elbow Fig 8. Coelle Cuff Fig 9. Coelle Price Tag

4
 Research - Arc’teryx Store

Fig 10. Beta AR Jacket Front Fig 11. Beta AR Jacket Back Fig 12. Beta AR Jacket Sleeve

The sleeves for each jacket have gussets to ensure movement, but the cuffs of the sleeves have variants.
On the Beta AR model, the sleeve’s cuffs are sewn down and topstitched to keep them down. They also have
velcro tabs on the outside so that adjusting the width of the cuff opening can be altered to suit the wearer. It
should be noted that on the inside of this jacket, that after the cuff is sewn on and taken up, that it is gone over
with seam-seal tape. On the Coelle model, there are no Velcro tabs but instead there is elastic inside to expand
and contract to suit the wearer’s wrist. This feature allows for ease of comfort and ease of dressing but also ren-
ders how tight or loose the cuff is unchangeable.

Fig 14. Beta AR Jacket Collar and

Zipper Guard

Fig 13. Beta AR Jacket Cuff

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 Research - Arc’teryx Store

Fig 15. Beta AR No Sew Pocket Fig 16. Beta AR Pit Zip Fig 17. Beta AR Price Tag

Each model of jacket has its own hood with shock-cord and toggles. There is typically a stiff brim of the
hood on the inside and channeling on the outside to tighten the hood. Of which, there are pull tabs and release
hardware on the jackets in accessible areas to make adjustments and releasing much easier.

Fig 18. Beta Lightweight Front Fig 19. Beta LT Cord Channeling Fig 20. Beta LT Back Interior
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 Research - Arc’teryx Store
Overall, Arc’teryx’s jackets were quite impressive and well-made. It is understandable why these jackets
are so expensive because of the thought and work that goes into them. Additionally, their hardware and master
of the technical jacket craft plus expensive materials makes these jackets very special because their hardware is
not commonly seen on other technical jackets in the market.

Fig 23. Beta LT Interior Lining

Fig 21. Beta LT Hood Fig 22. Beta LT Hood Interior & Pocket Bag

Fig 24. Beta LT Underarm Articulation & Comparison For

Jacket Hiking Up
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 Research - Arc’teryx Store

Fig 27. Beta LT Interior Armpit

Fig 25. Beta LT Front Interior Fig 26. Beta LT Interior Armhole Gusset

Fig 28. Beta LT Interior Seams Fig 29. Beta LT No Sew Pocket Fig 30. Beta LT Elbow Articulation

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 Research - Arc’teryx Store

Fig 31. Beta LT Waterproof

Zippers Fig 32. Beta LT Seam Sealing Fig 32. Beta LT Price Tag

Research - Arc’teryx Jacket Reference

For context, this jacket belongs to Katrina Hui, and it was used as a reference to make the pattern
for this project. This gallery depicts the fit and features of the jacket that will be transferred on to the pro-
totype. However, some features may be changed/eliminated/or added.

Fig 33. Katrina’s Arc’teryx Jacket Mobility

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 Research - Arc’teryx Jacket Reference

Fig 34. Katrina’s Arc’teryx Jacket Articulation

Katrina’s jacket in these images help show the mobility that the gussets provide. The wide range
of movements like raising your hands above your head and having them bend at the elbows shows the
ease of movement and more importantly, comfort when it comes to wearing the jacket.

Fig 35. Back Seams & Hood

Toggle Fig 36. Elbow Articulation Fig 37. Velcro Cuff
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 Research - Arc’teryx Jacket Reference

Katrina’s jacket is an old-

er model of one of the Beta jackets.
Features like the darts at the bust point
have been moved out for ease of con-
struction and perhaps, to save time too.
There are also no armpit zippers on this
model unlike the previous two, which
could be different models entirely or a
version without them.

Fig 38. Jacket Side Front Fig 39. Jacket Side Back

It should be noted that as the reference

pattern to the prototype jacket, that all features
and steps of construction were not followed
accurately. By which, steps have been done
under the assumption of correct construction
due to the jacket not always being present to
be referenced properly. This includes samples
Fig 40. Jacket Hood
like the hood channeling, velcro cuff tabs,
zipper guard, garage, and centre front zipper
to name a few. These will be mended properly
Fig 41. Jacket Back hopefully during the construction of the final
jacket.

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 Research - The North Face Store

Fig 42. North Face Jacket Fig 43. North Face Articulation
The North Face ski jackets had the least amount of articulation out of all the jackets that have been in-
spected and photographed. On the black one, there was very little articulation for such a heavy and tight jacket.
It had a snow skirt and sealed seams with a quilted, detachable lining. However, even with the lining detached,
the jacket was still not very mobile. It would hike up when an arm was raised and felt very stiff. The fabric was
also a polyester, perhaps for warmth with a non-PFC water-repellent coating. (Women’s Plus ThermoBall™ Eco
Snow Triclimate® Jacket, 2023). (This is not the exact jacket, but the make is similar). The hood peak was stiff
so that water can bead off, and there are no shock cords present for adjusting it. The front zipper was covered
with an overlap and the zippers were covered too. None of the zippers were water repellent, which was surpris-
ing, given that all the seams were. On the sleeve cuff, there was a velcro tab for adjustment but not much else in
terms of uniquely technical features.

Fig 45. North Face Fig 46. North Face

Jacket Seam Sealing Jacket Quilted Lining

Fig 44. North Face Jacket Fit & Mobility

Fig 47. North Face
Jacket Zipper

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 Research - The North Face Store

Fig 49. North Face Goretex Jacket

Fig 48. North Face Goretex Jacket Articulation & Armpit Zipper
On the second jacket, there are much more technical features with pink and black Goretex being used
as the self. Starting off, there are channeled shock cords present for hood adjustment however, there are light
bar tacks where the cord comes out, which may hinder the fully waterproof functionality of the jacket. There
are also waterproof zippers present on the jacket as well as a zipper guard and garage. Inside the jacket there
is an attached quilted lining for warmth and non-slip material on a snow skirt to help keep the jacket in place.
Internally, there are also pink shock cords and cord stoppers for adjusting the hem of the jacket. On the breast of
the jacket, there is an additional seam-sealed zipper pocket and armpit zippers. Of which, the armpit has some
articulation, but not enough to prevent the jacket from riding up at the side and front/back. Finally, there are vel-
cro adjusters on the cuff of the sleeves which appear to be adhered on instead of sewn, a greater improvement
compared to the former. (Women’s Dawnstrike GTX Insulated Jacket, 2023)

Fig 52. Zipper

Garage

Fig 51. Shock Cord

Toggle & Bar Tack

Fig 50. North Face Goretex Jacket Fit & Mobility Fig 53. Waterproof Zipper

Fig 54. Ski Skirt Fig 55. Ski Skirt & Lining
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 Research - EXTRA Helly Hansen Jacket at Sportchek

While researching Arc’teryx and The North Face, Helly Hansen jackets have come into prominence due
to their technical applications. They’ve become quite popular and are becoming more common in public spaces,
which is why it was interesting to see what all the fuss is about. To start off, this Helly Hansen jacket is not fully
waterproof. It is a ski jacket, and it does have some articulation in the armpit due to the front yoke extending
into the under arm. It is not fully articulated, and there is visible stitching that has punctured the self fabric ren-
dering it prone to leaking. The pockets are covered and so is the zipper as it is protected by an overlap, however,
neither zippers are waterproof. The hood has a centre piece to it that allows for shaping and space for the wear-
er’s head and has a stiff brim to it to allow water to bead down it. Uniquely, there is a “RECCO” sensor in one
of the sleeves to help locate lost skiers/snowboarders if they get lost in the mountains or covered by snow. There
are also velcro tabs at the sleeve cuffs for adjustment, but those are sewn-in rather than bemised in.

Even though this is one ski jacket from Helly Hansen, there are technical ones that do have waterproof
zippers and sealed seams. However, during the excursion for research, none were found. To supplement this
statement, here is a higher-technically fashioned jacket by Helly Hanson for comparison. https://www.helly-
hansen.com/en_ca/w-odin-9-world-infinity-shell-jacket-62749?color=630258 (Women’s Odin 9 Worlds Infinity
Shell Jacket, 2023).
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Samples

15
 Samples - Lining

The lining was the first thing to be sewn for the jacket. The side piece/underarm gussets were sewn to
the centre back piece after the yoke was sewn to it. After, the mesh part of the yoke was topstitched to
help keep it down and reduce bulk. Mesh was used on the upper yoke of the back and front because it is
more breathable than the nylon ripstop (gray). Unfortunately, the Goretex fabric used for this prototype is
not breathable, requiring a vent at the centre back to help with ventilation. Also, the front lining piece of
the jacket has a pleat to double as a pocket bag, so that it expands when filled and remains closed when
empty.

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Samples - Lining

After the lining was

sewn, the hood lining
made of mesh was sewn
to then be attached to the
lining body. After that,
the lining would be put
aside until it is ready to
be attached to the hood
for facing and channeling
the shock cord.

The finished lin-

ing and what the
shock cord looks
like when attached
to the hood with
grosgrain.

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 Samples - Goretex Shell

After the lining was sewn, the Goretex shell was started, beginning with the centre back. The vent
at the back was sewn, and turned up and bemised down to prevent the Goretex from sticking up. Dou-
ble-sided bemis was used for this application because sewing the vent down would puncture the Goretex,
which would hinder its waterproofing ability.

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 Samples - Goretex Shell

Moving on to the front of the shell, the darts of the lower front were sewn down and seam sealed.
This part is difficult to do because the dart is so narrow, however, when done right, the dart shapes the
chest, allowing for better comfort and less bulkiness around the upper chest/underarm. Once both front
pieces are finished, they are attached to the yoke.

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Samples - Goretex Shell

To allow the jacket to come together, the sleeves were

sewn and seam-sealed with the machine before being sewn to
the front pieces. The other side of the sleeve was seam-sealed
with an iron and Teflon because the curve of the sleeve will
not fit in the machine. Additionally, the curves of the side seam
attached to the sleeve gusset is quite curved, time and patience
should be taken when sewing this seam. Also, next time, that
cuved seam should be seam sealed to help prevent puckering
from the roller on the machine.
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 Samples - Goretex Shell

Process photos for showing the interior of the jacket, prior to

lining it.

NOTE: Right where the centre back meets the side gusset piece, there is a piece of fabric from
gusset piece that always puckers because it is too long for the centre back. It is very difficult to
sew, and to remedy this, that piece will be removed from the final jacket. Also, the next time this
jacket is sewn, the centre back yoke should be attached last to help reduce the awkwardness of
sewing at such a narrow and meticulous angle.

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Samples - Goretex Shell

After the shell body is sewn, the hood is sewn and the
hood facing is prepared. Of which, a grommet is punctured
into the facing and added. This part of the jacket is wrong
and was corrected, however, the grommets on the inside
facing still remain on the prototype. In actuality, the grom-
mets should be on the self fabric facing the outside so that
the shock cord can be pulled without the wearer sticking
their hand in the hood.

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 Samples - Goretex Shell

After the hood is prepared, 4 layers of canvas was used to create a stiff brim for the hood peak. The
canvas was cut, sewn together, then bemised into the hood facing. This is where the shock cord differenti-
ates from the style card design, where the shock cord had channeling on the outside of the facing instead
of being inside. This was not done correctly and will be corrected on the final jacket. This error was also
due to an oversight of not having the reference jacket be readily available for reference and coming up
with solutions that did not meet the style card’s desired requirements. Additionally, it should be noted
that the bemis adhering the hood facing to the rest of the hood is not optimal, as it begins to peel off with
enough force. It is however, strong enough to handle the pull of the shock cord, which was surprising con-
sidering that when the shock cords were tested one of them broke off due to the fraying of the grosgrain.
This piece was later reattached.
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Samples - Goretex Shell

For the side pocket, only one was done for the
prototype. Using a waterproof zipper that was found on
the floor, the zipper was cut to meet the required size of
the pocket opening. Of which, two layers of double-sided
bemis was used to adhere a pocket bag facing to the jacket
so that the laminated side of the Goretex is not damaged
when using the pocket. The other piece of double-sided be-
mis was used to adhere the zipper to the pocket opening on
the facing itself. To make the pocket bag, the lining piece
of the jacket will be bemised around the facing to create a
pocket bag, similar to the one on the sample jacket. It will
even expand due to the pleat on the lining piece.
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 Samples - Goretex Shell

The sleeve of the shell jacket, once fully seam-sealed, is prepared to have a cuff-facing attached.
The cuff facing is sewn using a 1cm seam allowance and is quickly seam-sealed to prevent water from
leaking into the jacket. After that, the cuff facing is sewn to the shell, where it is bemised down to keep
flush and flat after the lining is attached.

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Samples - Full Jacket

^Lining if the pocket bag were not bemised down before it

was attached to the hem.

Moving on to the hem of the jacket, the hem was

fairly simple to sew, as the facing is sewn to the jacket
before being attached to the lining. Now it should be noted
that here because the pocket bag was bemised before the
lining was attached, that there was severe bunching no
matter how many times the hem was unsewn to make
slight adjustments to it. The bemis was too strong to re-
move, and the hem where the single pocket bag is suffered
because of it. If anything were to be changed, the pocket
bag should have been adhered after the hem was fully
sewn to prevent this.

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 Samples - Full Jacket

Moving on to the zipper guard and garage, the zipper guard was sewn and clipped around the
curve before being ironed down.

The zipper garage itself is a half-circle piece of Goretex that has been sewn on the curve to accom-
modate a zipper pull. It was sewn, ironed, clipped and flipped before being attached.

27
 Samples - Full Jacket

Before attaching the zipper pull and garage, a separating zipper was sewn to the jacket itself, fully
closing off the lining in the process.

Once the zipper was sewn, the zipper garage was sewn down and then the garage was added but
not be fore clipping down the seam allowance of both the zipper guard and zipper tape.
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 Samples - Full Jacket

The garage was then added, and the zipper was sewn down to prevent the zipper tape from fraying. This
however, if done with a waterproof zipper, would not be effective at all, upon reflection. Those zippers are much
thicker; however, they may not fray as much. Much consideration and discretion will be taken to ensure that the
final zipper is done properly. However, to remedy the fact that the zipper may not be waterproof in the end, the
row of stitching from when the zipper tape was stitched down to the zipper guard was seam sealed.
29
Samples - Finishing Touches

To finish off the jacket, a no-sew

pocket was added and bemised to the
inside front lining. It utilized the other half
of the waterproof zipper, even though no
water should enter the jacket, which is an
oversight. However, after the pocket was
added, velcro tabs to adjust the sleeves
were added and bemised to Goretex on the
hook side while the loop side was bemised
to the jacket. It was during this step where
another noticeable mistake was made,
and that was, upon reflection, the velcro
hooks are actually coming from one of the
seams in the jacket, which makes much
more sense than just randomly beamising it
down. Another mistake on the velcro tabs
is that after marking them, the left sleeve’s
tabs were placed incorrectly, and don’t
look like they would adjust the cuff open-
ing nicely.

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 List Of Samples
NOTE: Some photos may be missing for certain samples on this
project.

1. Sleeve Gusset
2. Hem
3. Cuff
4. Velcro
5. Vent
6. Lining
7. Zipper Guard
8. Zipper Garage
9. Shock Cord
10. Hood
11. Seam Sealing
12. No Sew Pocket
13. Grommets

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 Finished Photos

Front - Worn Back - Worn Side - Worn (Shock Cords

Pulled)

Front - Flat Front - Flat (Up Close) Back - Flat

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Design Improvements For Final

As it is with samples and

prototypes, there is lots to be changed
before committing to the final. The
first, is that the original design had a
wave at the back to help reinforce the
dragonboat theme of the jacket. Sew-
ing and seam sealing the jacket did not
work well, so a solution was made to
laser-cut the wave and bemis it on as
a decal at the back of it. This will be
done on the final.

Another improvement to be
made would be the order in which
things are done. Firstly, the cen-
tre-back yoke should be sewn after the
side pieces and gussets are. Secondly,
hood should be corrected with the
correct channeling. Third, the lining
on the front of the jacket should be
done as one of the last steps to prevent
the hem from being rolled and ugly.
That way, if any adjustments were to
be made before committing to closing
the lining, they can be made without
compromising the integrity of the rest
of the jacket. Also, as one last step, the
velcro hooks should be sewn in to the
sleeve, not beamised in because it will
not last with the amount of pulling and
strain the velcro tab takes.

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 STYLE CARD
Style Number: 70-70-W-F Date: Oct.16/2023
Style Name: Arc’teryx-Inspired Dragonboat Jacket Season: Fall 2023
S�tch Guide

1-Needle

Seam Seal

Bemis

Fabric Guide

S Self
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

S Self
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

C Contrast
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

L Lining
100% Nylon

M Mesh
100% Polyester

No�on Guide

Grommet

Waterproof
Zipper

Long Cord
Lock

Round Cord
Lock

Velcro

Style Card (Needs Update & Colour Removal) 34

 STYLE CARD
Style Number: 70-70-W-F Date: Oct.16/2023
Style Name: Arc’teryx-Inspired Dragonboat Jacket Season: Fall 2023
S�tch Guide
Front
1-Needle
C

Seam Seal Zipper Garage

Bemis
L

Long Cord Lock

Fabric Guide

S Self
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

S Self
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

C Contrast
100% Nylon Goretex
Velcro
(Exclusive of Coating).

L Lining
100% Nylon

M Mesh
100% Polyester S
Waterproof Zippers

No�on Guide

Grommet
L
C Colour-blocking
Waterproof
Zipper

Long Cord
Lock

Round Cord
Lock

Velcro

Style Card (Needs Update & Colour Removal) 35

 STYLE CARD
Style Number: 70-70-W-F Date: Oct.16/2023
Style Name: Arc’teryx-Inspired Dragonboat Jacket Season: Fall 2023
S�tch Guide
Back
1-Needle C

Seam Seal
S
Bemis

Fabric Guide

S Self
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

S Self
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

C Contrast
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

L Lining
100% Nylon

M Mesh
100% Polyester
S

No�on Guide

Grommet
C

Waterproof
Zipper

Long Cord
Lock

Round Cord
Lock

Velcro

Style Card (Needs Update & Colour Removal) 36

 STYLE CARD
Style Number: 70-70-W-F Date: Oct.16/2023
Style Name: Arc’teryx-Inspired Dragonboat Jacket Season: Fall 2023
S�tch Guide
Side
S
1-Needle

Seam Seal

Bemis
C

Round Cord Lock

Full piece for

articulation
S

Fabric Guide

S Self
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

S Self Back vent

100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating). S
C Contrast
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

L Lining
100% Nylon
Sleeve articulation and
M Mesh lowered back prevent
100% Polyester
the jacket from riding
up and allow for full
mobility of the arms

No�on Guide

Grommet

Waterproof
Zipper

Long Cord
Lock C

Round Cord
Lock Shaped for better
fit and movement Lower back to
Velcro
prevent riding up

Style Card (Needs Update & Colour Removal) 37

 STYLE CARD
Style Number: 70-70-W-F Date: Oct.16/2023
Style Name: Arc’teryx-Inspired Dragonboat Jacket Season: Fall 2023
S�tch Guide
Interior
S
1-Needle

Seam Seal

Bemis

Waterproof
Zipper

M
Back Vent Facing
Fabric Guide

S Self Bemis (Double-sided

Seam Seal to adhere no-sew pocket)
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

S Self
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

C Contrast
100% Nylon Goretex
(Exclusive of Coating).

L Lining
100% Nylon

M Mesh
100% Polyester

No�on Guide

Bemis
Grommet

Waterproof L C
Zipper

Long Cord
Lock

Round Cord
Lock

Velcro

Style Card (Needs Update & Colour Removal) 38

 Pattern

This pattern was digitized by Victoria Chew and Katrina Hui.

Some pieces have changed on this pattern, either as improvements or
stylistic differences.

39
 Work Cited

BETA JACKET WOMEN’S. (2023). Retrieved from Arc’teryx: https://arcteryx.com/ca/en/

shop/womens/beta-jacket-7135

BETA LIGHTWEIGHT JACKET WOMEN’S. (2023). Retrieved from Arc’teryx: https://

arcteryx.com/ca/en/shop/womens/beta-lightweight-jacket

COELLE LIGHTWEIGHT JACKET WOMEN’S. (2023). Retrieved from Arc’teryx: https://

arcteryx.com/ca/en/shop/womens/coelle-lightweight-jacket

Women’s Dawnstrike GTX Insulated Jacket. (2023). Retrieved from The North Face: https://
www.thenorthface.com/en-ca/womens/womens-jackets-and-vests/womens-snow-jack-
ets-c299283/womens-dawnstrike-gtx-insulated-jacket-pNF0A82W9?color=LK6

Women’s Plus ThermoBall™ Eco Snow Triclimate® Jacket. (2023). Retrieved from The
North Face: https://www.thenorthface.com/en-ca/womens/womens-jackets-and-vests/wom-
ens-snow-jackets-c299283/womens-plus-thermoball-eco-snow-triclimate-jacket-pNF0A7WY-
I?color=JK3

Women’s Odin 9 Worlds Infinity Shell Jacket. (2023). Retrieved from Helly Hansen: https://
www.hellyhansen.com/en_ca/w-odin-9-world-infinity-shell-jacket-62749?color=630258

40