Save The Duck scales new heights with mountain expedition as it preps store expansion

Innovation has long defined the outerwear sector, where performance, protection and material experimentation drive the market forward. For Save The Duck, which sits at a crossroads between technical outerwear and city fashion, this innovative mindset is embedded in its DNA. Built on an ethical and sustainable vision, the brand continues to seek opportunities in an effort to prove responsibility and performance can coexist at scale.

One such challenge emerged when mountaineer Minga Tenzi Sherpa approached the brand requesting a custom, feather-free suit that could withstand altitudes over 8,000 metres and temperatures of minus 30 degrees celsius.

“We spent six months experimenting,” the brand’s founder and CEO, Nicolas Bargi, told FashionUnited following a celebration of Sherpa’s achievement in New York. Bargi, who noted that this was Save The Duck’s first venture into activewear, said the brand’s mission was clear: creating a lightweight down suit utilising animal-free technologies.

The final design used Plumtech, Save The Duck’s proprietary synthetic insulation, paired with recycled synthetic shell and lining. “This gave us an opportunity to show the world that the synthetic fibre, Plumtech, could achieve this performance,” Bargi said.

Sherpa went on to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000 metre peaks in the suit, marking not only a significant milestone for himself but a “world-first in ethical climbing”, with no animal-derived materials present in his gear.

“For me, this confirms that synthetic insulation is the future of down,” Bargi stated, reaffirming a belief he has held since the brand’s inception in 2012, despite doubt over synthetics from the broader fashion market. “I’ve always believed that synthetic fibres are much more advanced than perceived… In the beginning, I was told synthetics weren’t right for fashion, but I was convinced they could be the future.”

A growing link to performance, without repositioning

While activewear is not a core focus, sport has increasingly intersected with Save The Duck’s brand philosophy. This year, its US division partnered with the US Figure Skating team, a collaboration that pushed the brand’s technical capabilities yet reinforced its mission.

“Save The Duck is not really an activewear brand, but in the end, it’s about the philosophy. We want to get this message out. One of the pillars of my company is what I call “edu-branding” – educating people through the brand,” Bargi stated.

Still, the founder emphasised that the company does not plan to reposition. Instead, these projects reflect how the lines between sport, performance and casual fashion have increasingly blurred.

Strong markets trigger retail push

Exploring new realms of innovation is just one way in which Save The Duck is thoughtfully evolving its presence. Since announcing a target to reach 200 million euros in revenue by 2029, the brand has sharpened its focus on regions where it sees the clearest opportunity for growth.

While currently present in 40 countries, the US (wholesale-led) and Japan (retail-led) are outperforming a slower European market. Italy and the DACH region remain solid, but overall, Bargi is forecasting only “minor growth” across Europe in the coming year, compared to stronger projections for the US and Japan, the latter being where the brand established a joint venture in 2024 ahead of expansion plans.

To further support this growth, Save The Duck is accelerating retail expansion. With 80 percent of its business tied up in wholesale, the company intends to significantly increase its direct footprint. “We have around 20 stores in Europe, and we’re planning to open 30 more over the next three to five years, plus additional stores in Japan,” Bargi revealed. “I’m confident we can achieve 200 million euros in another two years.”

The brand continues to operate with backing from two major shareholders, L’Occitane Group execs Reinold Geiger and André J. Hoffman, who joined the business in 2022. “They are here to build a long-standing brand,” said Bargi

A stronger, seasonless product mix

Another strategic focus is diversification beyond winter. Save The Duck’s product ratio sits at 75:25 winter to summer, yet retailers are increasingly requesting year-round assortments. In response, the company is building up a ‘Smart Leisure Collection’ designed to adapt leisurewear for city living.

“When a brand becomes known for one category, customers look to that brand for that specific thing,” Bargi noted. “Expanding into new categories takes time.”

Indeed, growing as a sustainability-first firm does come with challenges. “Circularity is very difficult to implement, because whatever you do in this industry, you are going to make an impact,” Bargi emphasised. Multi-fibre garments, for example, complicate recycling, making a focus on longevity the most realistic solution.

Save The Duck has already embarked on circular initiatives, from resale with Ebay and Certilogo to a donation programme with Humana, and was among the first to adopt Digital Product Passports, ahead of incoming EU regulation.

Early in the brand’s journey, however, industry adoption proved difficult. A biodegradable jacket that turned to gas when buried failed to widely resonate with consumers, pushing Save The Duck to pivot towards more scalable innovations. Today, 85 percent of its materials are recycled, with outerwear, unlike wool or knitwear, already well suited to such processes.

Consumer sentiment has also shifted. Around 50 percent of ‘Duckers’ – a term coined by Bargi for fans of the brand – purchase from Save The Duck for its philosophy, with the rest buying primarily for style. “We have to conquer the rest of this market who are still missing the message,” he said.

Protecting value in a discount-driven market

Of course, communicating this message to consumers, particularly ones so accustomed to discounting, is becoming harder. Save The Duck has taken a stance against events like Black Friday, instead opting to educate consumers on why its products hold their value.

“We have to make money to research the future of fibres and develop new branding. If everything is discounted these fixed costs will not get covered,” Bargi said. “We think our jackets are good value for money, so we don’t discount them. Unfortunately, our wholesalers do. We just try to set an example and give out a positive message.”

All of this paints a picture of a company and a founder that are willing to stand their ground. Save The Duck’s next chapter is thus defined by both expansion and conviction. From the Sherpa expedition to global retail growth, every step reflects back on a solid founding ethos.

“For us, sustainability is not something we choose to invest in,” Bargi said. “It’s our DNA. We are born like this. For those that invest in this commitment, it is a priority, but it also must work with financial progress, because we are a for-profit company. My dream, however, is to build a brand that can take this big message of change across industries.”