Early years (1957-1980)[edit] In 1957, Polish immigrant Sam Tick founded Metro Sportswear Ltd. after spending years working as a cutter in other factories.[3] Metro manufactured woolen vests, raincoats, snowmobile suits and other functional outerwear before creating down-filled jackets in the early 1970s.[4] In 1972, Tick's son-in-law, David Reiss, joined the company and eventually became CEO. Metro Sportswear evolved with innovative approaches to creating superior down-filled garments and became a leading private label down manufacturer.[1] Metro mainly focused on manufacturing custom-ordered down-filled coats and heavy-duty parkas for the Canadian Rangers, city police departments, the Ontario Provincial Police, municipal workers, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry of Correctional Services.[2] Developing years (1980-1997)[edit] In the early 1980s, Metro Sportswear expanded to 50 employees and David Reiss purchased the company from Sam Tick. In 1985, the down-filled parkas it had been producing were officially registered under the name Snow Goose.[3] In the early 1990s, Metro began selling its products in Europe, where the Snow Goose name was already registered. Metro registered its European products under the name Canada Goose.[2] Expansion and Growth (1997-Present)[edit] In 1997, David Reiss' son, Dani Reiss, joined the company and eventually became president & CEO in 2001. Dani ignited the company with two key decisions – to produce only under the name Canada Goose and to remain "Made in Canada", when popular thinking was to manufacture in Asia.[2] [3] The business expanded rapidly in the mid-1990s, with sales and revenues increasing from roughly $3 million in 1991 to roughly $17.5 million in 2008.[5] In the early 2000s, Canada Goose began to expand internationally and in 2010, it opened an office in Stockholm, Sweden for its European operations.[6] In 2011, Canada Goose expanded even more with the acquisition of a new plant in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.[7] As global growth continued, Canada Goose had to move its Winnipeg operations into an even bigger facility in 2013 to accommodate increased production.[8] The company also recently opened its first U.S. office in Denver, Colorado as part of its growth strategy in the U.S.[9] [10] In just a decade, Canada Goose has seen its annual revenue grow by 3,500% as the company builds market share in Europe, the U.S. and Asia.[2] Product[edit] A number of Canada Goose jackets worn in Observation Hill, Antarctica. Canada Goose manufactures a wide range of jackets, vests, hats, gloves and other cold weather apparel designed for extreme cold weather conditions. Some Canada Goose jackets also utilize coyote fur on the hoods.[4] The jackets are known to be highly coveted garments and are only sold at select high-end retailers. The garments have been popular in Scandinavia since 1998, and became popular in Canada around 2008. Many celebrities have been seen wearing the jackets, though the company does not pay them. These celebrities include Matt Damon, Hilary Duff, Hayden Christensen and Maggie Gyllenhaal. In addition, the jackets have appeared in some Hollywood movies, with actor Nicolas Cage (in National Treasure), and actresses Jessica Alba (in Good Luck Chuck) and Kate Beckinsale (in Whiteout).[11] In the movie The Day After Tomorrow, which chronicles the Earth entering a modern-day ice age, Canada Goose's Expedition Parka is worn by research scientists representing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. As well in the television show The Big C, actress Laura Linney is seen wearing the jacket in Season 2, Episode 13, "Crossing the Line". British Film Director Marcus Dillistone wore Canada Goose clothing when he completed his art suite at the Icehotel (Jukkasjärvi) in 2010. Jeremy Clarkson and James May, the presenters of British television show Top Gear, donned Canada Goose jackets for their expedition to drive a vehicle to the magnetic North Pole in Top Gear's Polar Special. The Expedition Parka is standard issue for participants in the United States Antarctic Program.[11] Competition[edit] Competitors range from Mountain Equipment Co-op to North Face and Columbia, all of which produce jackets for the masses and most of which sell at much lower prices.[11] Corporate Responsibility[edit] Canada Goose is involved in several environmental and social initiatives including The Conservation Alliance[12] and Polar Bears International (PBI). As part of its support to PBI, Canada Goose created a custom line of PBI products, including an aviator hat, Expedition Parka and Chilliwack Bomber for men, women and children. $25 from all PBI sales are donated to the non-profit organization devoted to preserving the habitat of polar bears around the world through research and education.[13] Canada Goose Resource Centres[edit] Canada Goose operates four Canada Goose Resource Centres that offer fabric and materials to Northern Canadians free of charge: Pond Inlet, Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Kuujjuaq. Established in partnership with the North West Company and First Air in 2009, the Canada Goose Resource Centres provide local traditional sewers with high-quality fabrics, buttons, zippers and other supplies free of charge to support the established practice of making jackets and clothing for members of the community, a strong tradition of Northern Canada.[14] Counterfeiting[edit] Canada Goose faces major issues with its products being counterfeited. There have been a number of incidents in which counterfeit Canada Goose jackets are sold online through fake websites. Often times these fake coats use fur from dogs or cats instead of coyote fur. In addition, instead of using goose down in the coats, insulation called feather mulch is used. The insulation used in counterfeits is not as effective as goose down and it can often include bacteria and mildew.[15] To combat this issue, Canada Goose created a webpage outlining their concerns about counterfeiting and what the public can do to report a crime. In 2011, Canada Goose began sewing holograms into every jacket as proof of authenticity.[16] In January 2012, Canada Goose launched a lawsuit against International Clothiers Inc. in the Federal Court of Canada for trademark infringement. Canada Goose alleged International Clothiers Inc. of intentionally designing a logo and positioning it on jackets to mimic the Canada Goose Arctic Program trademark. The specific International Clothiers Inc. product lines in question were the foreign-manufactured Canada Weather Gear and Super Triple Goose.[17] Canada Goose claimed that unfair business practices were used including publishing print advertisements to promote the jackets as Canada Goose products.[18] A settlement was reached in November 2012.[19] In October 2012, Canada Goose won a landmark legal battle against counterfeiters in Sweden. The District Court of Stockholm, in one of the most significant counterfeit cases in Sweden, found five individuals jointly and severally guilty of felony fraud, trademark infringement and customs offenses. The Court sentenced two of the defendants to serve time in prison and also awarded Canada Goose damages for a total judgement of 701 000 SEK (approximately $105,000 CAD).[20][21] Criticism[edit] Animal rights group PETA criticized Canadian politician Justin Trudeau and his family for wearing Canada Goose products in a family Christmas photo because of the use of fur. Canada Goose maintains a conscientious position on the use of animal-derived products, saying that in particular, the use of coyote fur is "only as absolutely necessary, and exclusively for functional purposes." There are several Canada Goose jackets that are fur-free, and the down used in Canada Goose jackets is a byproduct from the Canadian poultry industry.[22]