OUR
STORY
It's simple really, recycle an old shell to make a new pack.
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Chinuuk takes lived in, tested, used and abused quality shells and recycles them into unique mountain focused packs. One shell, one pack, as little new materials as possible. We let the shell do the work by maintaining pockets, zippers, and seams where possible. This saves the jackets integrity and eliminates waste. Little things like drawstrings, buckles, and elastics are also repurposed.
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Every shell is deconstructed and hand sewn into its new form in Calgary Alberta.
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Chinook winds /ʃɪˈnʊk/ or simply Chinooks, are a type of warm, dry wind that occur on the downward slope of a mountain when warm air has lost its moisture. Warm air gliding off the mountains creates the chinook's tell-tale arch, revealing a strip of sky along the horizon between the ground and a straight line of cloud cover.
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Pronounced shi-NUUK throughout most of the Pacific Northwest, the sometimes hurricane force winds offer Albertans temporary refuge from the harsh winter cold.
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It's also our namesake.
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CREATOR
Joel Maerz
Outdoor enthusiast and mechanical engineering grad with a passion for hiking, skiing and very long road-trips. Currently gaining experience with products, brands, and the outdoor industry at a retail level to kickstart a career in technical outdoor gear design and engineering.
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Radically challenging my sewing skills.