For four years, Toronto-based Sasha Jardine ran her colourful woollen coat business out of her home in the city.
Now, with an online following of more than 18,000, SteMargScot has officially opened its flagship store at 1412 Dundas St. W.
SteMargScot: Bringing back the wool coat
The made in Canada brand prides itself in being “the world’s first gender-inclusive outerwear company with a free from plastics and free from metals ethos.”
Made without synthetics, wool is sourced from a local Ontario farm just outside of St. Jacobs, along with a historic family-owned mill in the United Kingdom.
Toggles are handcrafted in Toronto by a female wood-turner, and the brand’s 12-string twisted rope comes from Muskoka. The lining is made with Tencel, a low-impact fibre that reduces waste, water consumption and chemical impact compared to traditional fabric production.
But fans of the brand already know this — it’s printed on the ingredient list on the inside of their SteMargScot apparel.
SteMargScot is a Canadian-made brand.
Jessica Okonski
“We are trying to preserve local artisan skills. I wouldn’t do it if we couldn’t make it here. Everything is done in a really ethical way,” Jardine told Toronto.com.
And this uncompromising approach to sustainability traces back to SteMargScot’s beginnings.
Despite a background in science, Jardine’s idea for the brand was born while walking through Toronto in the winter and seeing how limited coat options can be during the colder months.
SteMargScot founder Sasha Jardine at the brand’s Toronto flagship.
Jessica Okonski
“We don’t have as much choice as we thought we had. Really, it’s a lot of synthetic options. You can spend so much money on a puffer coat and it’s still at the end of the day made of polyester, which is derived from fossil fuels,” said Jardine.
“I wanted to bring back a wool coat that is super hardworking but also stylish and fun.”
And in a sea of black and grey winter jackets, a coat from SteMargScot is sure to stand out, with vivid colours ranging from “Power Pink” and “Preppy Periwinkle” to “Perfect Chartreuse” and “Clementine Red.”
“I love the idea of having fun with fashion and wearing the colours you love instead of just trying to go with whatever is safest,” Jardine said.
SteMargScot: ‘That colourful wool coat company’
After walking through the front door at SteMargScot, adorned by a custom brass handle made in the shape of a sheep, guests will be met with the brand’s sea of colours as they browse through the racks.
“Our goal is to inspire and delight. Even if someone doesn’t buy anything, they come out feeling happier,” said Jardine.
While SteMargScot is known for its coats, the brand also offers sauna hats, bags and floral broaches, all made using wool. Coats at SteMargScot range from $798 to $1,488.
Coats at SteMargScot are made in vibrant colours.
Jessica Okonski
Plus, the flagship is home to other Canadian-made brands, including Simply Merino, Revolution Wool Company, Modern Sunday, Ferris Toronto and dotty.
Before taking over the space, it was home to Lisboa Hardware & Building Supplies, a family-run business that operated for 43 years before closing in 2024.
“It is bittersweet closing the doors, but other doors are open,” the team at the hardware store said after shutting down.
“It’s our honour to be the last family-owned hardware store in Toronto.”
And while Jardine kept some of Lisboa’s character, the flagship now feels more like a “French apartment vibe” rather than a hardware store.
Looking to the future, while the brand already recycles wool and repurposes cut-offs to minimize waste, Jardine is working toward a zero-scrap model where every remnant finds a purpose.
“One of my dreams is to come up with a way to use all of our waste,” she said.
Until then, she’s hoping to be known in Toronto as “that colourful wool coat company.”