Advnture Verdict
With its distinctive looks, impeccable eco credentials and versatile, wear-anywhere performance, the Picture Organic Marco fleece jacket will appeal to style-savvy and environment-conscious outdoorsy types.
Pros
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Ethically made, using recycled materials
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Warm and cosy fabric
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Elastic-bound hood, hem and cuffs to lock in heat
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Stylish looks
Cons
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Lacks thumb loops
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Fabric seems prone to pilling
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First impressions
Picture Organic is a French brand with roots in the snowboard and skate scene, and their clothing is known for its stylish looks as well as its strong focus on sustainability. The Marco Jacket employs Polartec Thermal Pro fabric, which is made from 100% recycled polyester, sourced in a manner that adheres to the Global Recycled Standard.
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The garment is ethically manufactured in China too. Thermal Pro is a performance fleece designed to offer warmth, breathability and moisture management, with the ability to dry quickly. But with its knitted outer finish, this jacket has a more casual look that hides its technical qualities. Though the fabric has no in-built stretch, there are elastic bindings at the hem, cuffs and around the hood to help lock in warmth. There are also zipped chest and hand pockets for storage, plus a full length YKK main zip with a soft chin guard.
• RRP: £130 (UK) / €135 (EU)
• Fabric: Polartec Thermal Pro (100% recycled polyester)
• Sizes: XS–XXL
• Weight (men’s size L): 481g/16.96oz
• Colours: Black / Grey melange / Army green
In the field
This fleece offers a very good level of warmth for its weight. It doesn’t look particularly technical, but employs Polartec Thermal Pro, a performance fabric that is widely used for many specialist midlayers. As such, this is a jacket that is certainly up to the task of keeping you toasty on the slopes, as well as for other adventures in the great outdoors. In terms of overall cut, it isn’t as close fitting as some – that would be a difficult feat, given there is no stretch in the fabric – but the bound cuffs, hem and hood all help to lock in body heat (though in the latter case, the hood is still a little baggy). But the length in the arms and torso is generous enough to provide good coverage. We liked the practical pockets for casual wear, and the soft linings make them an inviting place to stick your hands. In fact, we liked the jacket’s overall look and feel so much that it became a common choice for everyday wear. Maybe that was a mistake, because after a couple of months, it no longer looked its best, having pilled at the waist and on the forearms – admittedly, a failing of many fleeces, not just this one. We attribute this to the knitted texture of the face fabric, which looks very stylish but doesn’t seem to offer such good long-term durability. For us, it put a bit of a downer on what is otherwise an awesome fleece jacket, with superb eco credentials that put a lot of bigger brands to shame.
