In recent years, we’ve seen governments and the private sector make investments into the use of more natural, sustainable, traceable and renewable ‘green’ practices.
Within the ski industry there are many examples of brands setting new global standards for green manufacturing. These companies recognise that to ski well into the future, we are dependent on Mother Nature and we need to nurture our environment.
Here are a few that the team at aussieskier.com is excited to get behind & support!
Patagonia: 100% Traceable Down
Wanting to help improve animal welfare throughout the down industry, Patagonia collaborated with industry stakeholders globally to pioneer the Traceable Down Standard. They trace every step of their down supply, from parent farm to apparel factory, to ensure the birds are not force-fed nor live-plucked.
Their process audits their supply chain, end-to-end and has set new standards for the industry and now has people asking…is your down cruelty-free?
Pure Brandz: Exploring With A Pure Conscience
As lovers of nature and our environment, the Pure Brandz commitment to using recycled and environmentally friendly fabrics is second to none.
They hold themselves to the highest standards of safety and sustainability and have the credentials and awards to prove it. Pure outdoor clothing is 100% recyclable, 100% free from environmentally harmful chemicals, and made using already recycled consumer products like discarded plastic bottles. Using the latest green technologies available, Pure Brandz produces high-end eco-friendly clothing for a variety of active lifestyles and we’re thrilled to add them to the aussieskier.com offering for Winter 2018!
The Pure Brandz team have sourced newly innovated product SympaTex® from Germany that’s high performance (100% waterproof & windproof while remaining breathable) but is also 100% recyclable and totally free from environmentally harmful chemicals.
The SympaTex® fabric is used within every single one of their ski and mountain jackets and is made using already recycled consumer products like discarded plastic bottles, saving approx 1.5 tons of CO2 emissions for every 5,000 jackets produced. That’s the equivalent of 1,200 car trips of 10km!
XTM: Certified Carbon Neutral
XTM has taken steps to measure and take responsibility for the impact that their business has on the earth’s long-term livability. So far they have offset 8,000 tonnes, accounting for 100% of their carbon footprint since 2010.
Their voluntary carbon emission off-set investments are designed to fast-track the development of clean energy technologies that replace the burning of fossil fuels. They invest purposefully in the places where most of the emissions from their production are made, currently being Hydro and Solar power projects in China.
XTM has recognised the growing impact of climate change on our environment, and have taken meaningful steps to be a part of the solution. Making our planet a cleaner, healthier place to live for our children and our children’s children.
Salomon: Sustainable Fibres Are At Their Core
The coastal fields of Normandy in northern France might seem like a strange place to go for a material that improves alpine ski performance. But when the R&D team at Salomon’s Annecy Design Center went searching for new materials that would help deliver better ski-to-snow contact and exceptional dampening qualities—all in a lightweight package—that’s exactly where they landed.
Salomon’s patented C/FX Superfiber reinforcement layer is designed to combine all-natural Flax and Carbon Fibre to sustainably provide dampening and vibration absorption.
“Our goal is to let skiers have more fun on the mountain. We took our patented C/FX technology to a new level to provide the power that you need for groomed slopes and the dampening needed when skiing in mixed snow,” says Scott Lumsden, Salomon product marketing manager, Alpine Skis & Bindings.
Watch the video below to see how all-natural flax fibres and Salomon’s design expertise combined to produce the new C/FX technology found in Salomon’s ski range.
The C/FX Superfiber is featured in both the QST and XDR series that ski amazingly and have been very successful in their years of induction.
If we are to keep skiing and living the way that we do, there are going to need to be some fairly big changes in the world. We are excited to be working with these brands that are paving the way for future generations to enjoy the snow and life as we know it.
