Canada Goose helping communities stay warm

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This article was published 17/06/2019 (2530 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Expansion is taking flight with Canada Goose’s Resource Centre program.

On June 4, the winter clothing manufacturer announced a partnership with First Air that will expand the program to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.

The partnership with First Air has been in place since 2009, and Canada Goose was able to donate more than two million metres of excess fabric to Northern communities. At the announcement alone, Canada Goose gave more than 10,000 metres of cloth to sewers and craftspeople to make parkas using the manufacturer’s materials.

The company’s donations of excess fabric started in 2007 when Canada Goose invited Meeka Atagootak and Rebecca Kiliktee, two sewers from Pond Inlet, Nunavut, to its factory in Toronto to make a commemorative parka using their traditional Inuit sewing methods. The pair noticed scraps of fabrics left over and asked if they could bring it home to make jackets for family and friends.

Canada Goose agreed, as it had been looking for a way to responsibly reuse material and give back to the people of the North. 

“This program empowers Inuit seamstresses to continue their traditional ways of sewing with modern technical materials they might never have access to or would find too expensive. These materials allow women in the North to leverage their skill set in sewing, and continue to hone their craft, making jackets for family, friends, and members of their community,” said a statement issued by Canada Goose.

Anna Kaotalok, a Cambridge Bay resident, said the donations are very much welcome because most people in her community like to do sewing projects.

“Everyone is so excited about coming to pick up some material. I have a pair of ski pants that I need some material to do some patching on the knees,” she said.

The materials will be well used by the residents of Cambridge Bay for a variety of projects.

“I’m going to make new covers for my down-filled parkas. I also do a lot of sewing, mainly for my family. It takes me about a day to make a parka. I’ve been sewing since I was nine years old. My mother taught me,” said Annie Neglak, who is also a Cambridge Bay resident.

Pamela Gross, mayor of the municipality of Cambridge Bay, said there are still many seamstresses in the community who are eager to pass on their knowledge and tradition. The donation will also help people stay warm in the harsh winters.

“It does reach 60 below here, and our reality is that we’re cold for eight months of the year, so I know that people are very appreciative of the material,” she said.

In Winnipeg, Canada Goose is located at 1455 Mountain Ave. and 365 Bannatyne Ave.