Our Eco Friendly Collection is built upon our judgement of what sustainability means with respect to designing and manufacturing products in a manner which is environmentally responsible. The criteria we use to assess brands and their manufacturing practices is outlined below.
Sourcing the raw materials needed for production from local mills vastly reduces transport miles and therefore cuts carbon emissions. Typically, harvesting raw materials from within the UK and Europe involves more stringent environmental regulations, helping ensure that crops regenerate for future use. Local sourcing of materials also helps support local businesses and communities.
Organic, recycled and other ethically sourced materials help reduce the use of harmful pesticides and pollutants, which are proven to damage the environment, both over the near and long term.
Cotton is one of the most chemically intensive crops involving significant amounts of fertilisers and pesticides. By buying products made with organic cotton, you are helping decrease the market for non-organic cotton, which will lead to a reduction in the use of the harmful chemicals required to produce it.
Use of recycled materials finds new life for these materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, or worse - the worlds oceans and waterways. Also, compared to using virgin materials, use of recycled materials offsets the use of new petroleum, emitting fewer greenhouse gases and conserving water and energy in the process.
The traceable down standard provides assurance that down in apparel, household, and commercial products comes from a responsible source that respects animal welfare and can be fully and transparently traced.
Vegan friendly products are simply those made without the use of animals or animal byproducts. Many outdoor equipment and clothing products are made using synthetic fabrics including nylon and polyester, which are vegan friendly (it would be more difficult to find a non-vegan tent than a vegan one). Natural fibres including cotton, bamboo and cork are also vegan friendly.
The distance a product has to travel from where it is manufactured to the end consumer has a big impact on the carbon footprint of that product. Like us, the majority of our customers are based in the UK, and so brands who make their products in Europe received a position assessment on this point. Keeping production within the UK and Europe drastically reduces the air miles products have to travel, cutting down on carbon emissions. Local manufacturing also helps to support and sustain local communities.
Modern day consumerism encourages brands to create cheap goods that last for only a season or two, then push consumers to buy their latest range and newest products. The only sure-fire way to reduce and reverse the negative impact we have on the planet is to reduce consumption. Of course, the longer a product lasts, the less often it needs to be replaced. Therefore a key way to help offset the environmental impact of manufacturing new products is to design and make products that last for decades or even a lifetime, negating the need to buy another anytime soon, or ever again.
Creating and producing equipment and apparel, no matter how locally or ethically, has an impact on the environment - it’s a simple fact of the manufacturing process. There are however, ways in which brands and manufacturers can partially offset this negative impact, such as
One Percent for the Planet is an international non-profit organisation whose members contribute at least one percent of their annual sales to environmental causes. They are perhaps the biggest and most well known, but there are others. Several of our brands are proud members of these organisations.
The B Corp and bluesign® certification programmes certify that brands meet the highest standards of environmental responsibility and sustainability.
Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
Being bluesign® Approved certifies the highest degree of assurance for consumers and ensures that the products were manufactured with responsible use of resources and the lowest possible impact on people and the environment. The strict bluesign® CRITERIA requires that brands act responsibly and sustainably with regard to people, the environment and resources.
