It Took a Decade to Perfect This Proudly Un-Technical Trek Gear
Story mfg. had an ethical dilemma on its hands. The English fashion label has spent over a decade building a reputation for handsome handspun vegan clothing, but it desired to create gear for the outdoors. The problem was that the materials commonly used for down — the warmth-providing fluff stuffed into puffer jackets — are animal feathers or synthetic fibers.
Kapok, a natural fiber sourced from tropical trees and previously utilized to create coats and vests for soldiers in WWII, was a promising down alternative but after three years of testing it proved too heavy and itchy. So, Story mfg. made a move rather unprecedented for its slow-fashion inclinations: it opted for a synthetic material. However, in keeping with the company’s climate-conscious ethos, Story mfg.’s synthetic down is recycled post-consumer plastic bottles.
“You might assume we’re committed to natural materials only. That’s largely been true so far,” writes Saeed Al-Rubeyi, Story mfg.’s co-founder, on the brand’s regularly updated and always insightful blog. “We’re not against synthetics. We’re against using them carelessly.” Slow-Tek, the brand’s outdoorsy diffusion line, is demonstrative of how that ought to look. Although getting it right took an age.
Nine years after making a premature Instagram post announcing Slow-Tek, the collection finally debuted at the beginning of 2025 (talk about slow fashion!) and swiftly sold out. Its second drop, a three-parter with prices ranging from $638 to $954, has just arrived on Story mfg.’s website.
Here, bulky puffer jackets and insulated shirts are made of naturally dyed handwoven organic cotton corduroy imbued with the small imperfections that give artisan-made creations their innate character. Patches of contrasting cotton material in uneven shapes decorate the exterior of Slow-Tek’s outerwear and on the inside, there’s that insulating down.
Typically, high-tech outdoor clothing is produced of precision-engineered, weather-fighting plastic lined with waterproof membranes composed of “forever chemicals.” Slow-Tek offers an alternative. And while its plush corduroy offers little by way of waterproofing, it has a rustic charm impossible for scrunchy cold synthetic shells to ever achieve.
Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit the HS Style Guide for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.
