Moon Parka - the world's first product with a synthetic spider thread

Spider silk thread is one of the most durable materials on the earth. An outdoor brand- The North Face decided to take advantage of its properties to create a jacket with exceptional technical parameters.

The North Face has teamed up with a Japanese company -Spiber to create Moon Parka jacket, which is the first successful attempt to use a synthetic spider thread in mass production. Synthetic spider fibres have got their name QMONOS from the Japanese word meaning a spider web.

The process of creating the technology was complicated and was connected with genetic research, lasting up to 11 years. One spider would never be able to produce enough silk to be able to produce a jacket. Therefore, Spiber researchers decided to develop a technology that can produce an amount of raw material large enough for mass production without any help of animals.

Now we are aware that the invention can be used not only in the production of clothing, but also in the manufacture of surgical materials, artificial blood vessels and ligaments, automotive parts or body armour.

Moon Park has a natural colour of QMONOS thread - it is ... gold! Jacket is modelled on the classic Antarctica Parka, a flag model of The North Face. Spider thread has strength comparable to that of steel, but it is so light and flexible as any other material. Thanks to this, the jacket is light and durable, even in the toughest weather conditions.

QMONOS is biodegradable, its production does not require oil as it is in the case of polyester or nylon. The new technology also does not require the use of PFC to impregnate the fabric. Moon Parka prototype is currently being tested. It can hit the market next year.