Suston SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR NEWS / SUMMER 2022
SCOPE 3 CLIMATE
COLABS Learn how the outdoor industry is taking on the largest source of emissions, together.
REGENERATIVE
REVOLUTION
What’s holding it back?
UKRAINE’S
VOLUNTEERS Meet the alpinist legend bringing gear to those in need.
LET‘S protACT WHAT WE LOVE
The mountains are our home. Whose role is it, if not ours, to protect them? Our new protACT academy is completey devoted to providing information and inspiration. In order to protect what we love. Help saving the mountains. ortovox.com
PHOTO: ALEXANDER DONKA
PHOTO: STÉPHANE ROBIN
EDITORIAL & CONTENTS
18 Moving Fast from Vision to Reality
10 News
The latest in Outdoor.
14 Nikita Balabanov
Ukrainian climber’s struggle to help a war-torn nation.
T
Gabriel Arthur, Editor-in-chief
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PHOTO: SAVORY INSTITUTE
18 Recycling Works
Discover innovative recycling projects making a difference.
24 Trail Running
Maxi-Race brings sustainability into the competition.
28 Regenerative Agriculture What is it, and why is it taking so long to take off?
34 Aluminum FAQ
44 Suston Editor-in-chief: Gabriel Arthur, gabriel.arthur@norragency.com Editor: Jonathan Frænkel-Eidse Art director: Susan Larsen & Viktor Meidal Cover illustration: Kicki Fjell Editorial advisory board: Arne Strate, Katy Stevens, Joel Svedlund sustonmagazine.com
PHOTO: LIAN VAN LEEUWEN / @SALTLAKE_LIAN
hree years ago, I took part in a think tank called “Outdoor Futures,” at the Monviso Institute in the Italian Alps south of Turin. An international team of sustainability managers and experts were brainstorming and working on a vision that could mean a “total make-over for the outdoor industry” (you will find the full story at sustonmagazine.com). Among the many great ideas that were discussed, I specifically remember one: that Western outdoor brands should team up and together with their suppliers in Southeast Asia make a shift towards renewable energy at the factories. For instance, by installing solar power on their rooftops. Three years ago, this was just an idea. Today, it is starting to happen (read more in our climate section on page 36-43). I don’t believe that our think tank can take credit for this idea – it was probably launched at many similar workshops. But I do think it is fascinating how fast change can happen. This is one reason why we at Suston love our jobs. We get the chance to first discover and share about the sustainability visionaries – and then follow up with their results. What are your visionary ideas today? And how will you, together with others, make sure they will happen within two–three years? Get in touch and let us create positive change together.
Is aluminum sustainable?
36 Scope 3 CoLabs
How is the outdoor industry tackling supply chain emissions?
44 Waves of Activism
A visit to Patagonia’s Surf Impact Camp.
51 Program
Sustainability seminars at OutDoor by ISPO Munich.
Partner cooperation and sales: Victoria Reim, victoria.reim@norragency.com Suston is published by NORR Agency. norragency.com, info@norragency.com C/o Impact Hub Stockholm, Jakobsbergsgatan 22, SE-111 44 Stockholm
suston – 5
OBSERVATION
Exhibition With a View BY WERNER MÜLLER-SCHELL PHOTO KJ GREENLAND
SEEMINGLY WITHOUT EFFORT, the giant icebergs float
onwards to the Arctic Sea. Some of them are as tall as skyscrapers, pointing upwards, proud, and rugged. Others, on the other hand, are flat and widely formed - like islands that have magically left their ancestral place and are now moving out into the open sea in step with the ocean currents. Up to thirty-five billion tons of ice calve off the end of nearby glacier Sermeq Kujalleq annually, and its rate of forty-four meters per day makes it the world’s most active glacier. With this spectacle as backdrop, Greenland’s Ilulissat Icefjord Centre opened its doors last summer with the goal of informing visitors about the history of the ice, the culture and climate change. “The Ilulissat Icefjord, with its huge ice sculptures, is certainly one of the most spectacular places to watch ice. But it is not only the beauty of nature that makes this place so special, but also the fact that the ice tells a story: The story of how climate change is changing our world,” shares the leader of the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre, Elisabeth Momme, before concluding: “We hope that those who visit our museum and the Icefjord will go home with the awareness that humankind cannot put itself above nature – that nature and humankind are one, that we must take care of nature, and that it is only on loan.”
OBSERVATION
Kayaktivists Fight for Komarnica BY GABRIEL ARTHUR PHOTO MILJKO GIBO BULAJIC
THE KOMARNICA CANYON – and the river with the same
name running through it – is one of the wild wonders of southeast Europe. It leads through the DragisnicaKomarnica nature park, found near the rugge, UNESCO World Heritage Site Durmitor National Park in Montenegro. Among white-water kayakers, the Komarnica Canyon is also well-known internationally with its many rapids passing vertical cliffs that rise to 700 meters. The most spectacular segment of the canyon, Nevidio, was first explored as late as 1965. Among hydropower developers, however, the Komarnica Canyon holds other values. In a shift towards renewable energy, politicians in Montenegro have identified the canyon as a possible site for a huge power plant. In 2020, a concession to construct a 171-meter-high dam was given to a partly state-owned electricity company. The decision caused great alarm among environmentalists, nature tourism operators, wildlife conservation experts, and Montenegro’s outdoor community. Since then, they have been protesting with the goal to stop the dam and get the entire area under UNESCO protection. During a three-day camp in the beginning of May, two hundred activists representing all engaged groups gathered, while protesting kayakers paddled through the canyon. The new Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazović, also showed up, as well as the Minister of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, Ana Novaković Djurović. One of the organizers, prof. Miljko Gigo Bulajic, who also works as a white-water kayak instructor, is more optimistic after the event. “This was the first time we gathered activists from all sides, and they were very clear: No dam on Komarnica! And we felt that the two ministers are on our side.”
NEWS
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres in an address to America's Seton Hall University graduates.
PHOTO: KEVIN MCELVANEY
“My message to you is simple: Don't work for climate-wreckers. Use your talent to drive us towards a renewable future.” FULL CIRCLE EVEREST
PHOTO: ANDREAS KRÜGER
The seven climbers from the Full Circle Everest team, led by Philip Henderson, reached the planet’s highest summit on May 12, becoming the first expedition completely comprised of Black climbers to successfully reach the peak.
Secondhand Takes Off THE GERMAN specialty outdoor retailer Globetrotter recently reported it has doubled its secondhand business in just two years, and now offers used outdoor gear and clothing both online and in all its stores. Upon receiving the secondhand products, they are inspected in Globetrotter's workshops for their suitability and staff repairs them if needed. Next, they are put on the shelves for sale affixed with Globetrotter's own sustainability seal, A Greener Choice. Customers are then offered the security of a one-year warranty. In 2021, a total of 4,211 secondhand products were sold. According to Frilufts Retail Europe, the mother company of Globetrotter, one spin-off effect of the project is a noticeable increase in sale of quality products that are highly repairable. Not only does this enable the extension of the useable lifespan of products and thereby reduce their overall impacts, the ability to sell the same product twice also makes financial sense. Based on these successes, the secondhand concept is being spread to Frilufts Retail’s other retailers Naturkompaniet (Sweden) and Partioaitta (Finland). 10 – suston
EXPOSING APPAREL'S CIRCULARITY MYTHS A GREENPEACE REPORT released this April exposes what it calls the "myth" of fast-fashion's circularity claims. Titled "Poisoned Gifts," the report follows apparel that is disguised as secondhand clothing on its journey to East Africa, where more than half of it ends up as textile waste in dump sites, are incinerated in open fires, are discarded along riverbeds or are washed out to sea. This report follows Greenpeace's Detox My Fashion campaign's focus on cleaning up supply chains, arguing that the apparel industry must also address its massive end-of-life impacts.
WOMEN SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS
This year’s Women in Sustainability Leadership Award (WSLA) went to Jill Dumain. For over 3 decades, Jill Dumain has served as a thought leader in the outdoor industry, holding top positions in Patagonia and Bluesign before moving to the world’s foremost certification company SGS in 2021.
We’re Climate Neutral (Again)
AFTER DEBUTING as Sweden’s first communications agency to be Climate Neutral Certified for 2020, Suston Magazine’s parent company NORR Agency has again become Climate Neutral Certified for 2021. NORR Agency achieved this milestone by first measuring its 2021 greenhouse gas emissions, which amounted to 120 tCO2e. Eligible verified carbon credits from reforestation, solar and wind projects were then purchased to offset that footprint. Finally, emission reduction plans were implemented, which included reducing travel emissions assuring that renewable energy is used for all print productions, and step by step also the digital operations.
PHOTO: TAPIO-HAAJA/UNSPLASH
NEWS
RECYCLING AWARD FINALIST
Carbon negative by 2040
FINLAND'S PARLIAMENT has approved a new Climate Change Act that would commit the country to carbon neutrality by 2035 and carbon negativity by 2040. While a handful of countries already have legally binding climate neutrality laws, Finland would be the world's first country to make a similar binding commitment to carbon negativity. Achieving this goal will not be easy for a country still largely relying on fossil fuels, however, and the Act remains to be signed by President Sauli Niinistö before going into effect.
The ”ReCycle” Bike Bag by Vaude is a finalist in the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2022 in the category Household and Leisure Product. The bike bag line’s main material is 100% recycled and PVC-free, while its hardback panel is made of 64% material coming from household waste.
PHOTO: MICHAEL HALBFURTER
SUMMER OF PRIDE
THE HEMP BIBLE FOLLOWING SIX years documenting the worldwide rediscovery of industrial hemp in 26 countries on four continents, in March 2022 Maren Krings released her encyclopedic volume on Industrial Hemp titled “H is for Hemp.” Featuring stunning pictures, compelling stories, expert interviews and graphics, the goal is to enhance awareness of the innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists and enthusiasts who are currently leading the modern hemp revolution. With informative and at time amusing anectodes, the book reveals how hemp can help mitigate various socio-ecological crises and contribute to a sorely needed reset in today's world. The book itself is printed on tree-free, exclusively produced hemp paper. Read more about Maren Krings' work at sustonmagazine.com.
For this year’s Pride Month in June, the North Face is teaming up with environmentalist, drag queen and LGBTQ+ advocate Pattie Gonia to host the Summer of Pride Series. The Series will tour the US and will have workshops, panels and activities for any and all individuals who love to be outside.
NAVIGATING INFORMATION OVERLOAD
B
efore I go on, let me make one thing clear: I am all for data and unequivocally believe that it is a critical part of sustainability. Without data, we cannot set ambitious targets, and we cannot measure progress. However, we are currently seeing problems with the quality and quantity of data and information, and there are a few factors fueling this. Firstly, when we start to measure things, we are suddenly able to rank them. Winners and losers thus begin to emerge, which can in turn result in emotional responses – one example being conversations surrounding the LCA data of various fiber types. To address this, many organizations must go to great lengths to prove their worth, and in the worst case cherry-pick data to match their agenda. Either way, the quality of information declines. Secondly, digital and mass media publishes huge amounts of information daily – often with sensationalism and misrepresentation of information for the sake of a story. Information validity again suffers as the lines between reporting and academic publishing become blurred, industry reports come from non-credible sources, and magazine articles can lean on the grandeur of academia to over-authenticate the integrity of information. Sometimes this is unintentional due to inexperience. Other times it is intentional to fit a specified agenda. In both cases, it serves to polarize the industry. How do we cut through the noise? Primarily, we need to slow down and produce our own data where possible instead of relying on secondary data. We need to do this with care, using appropriate tools and interpreting the data in correct ways. If we use reports, we need to look for credible information that is coming from verified sources, even checking references if necessary. And finally, we need to remember that just because something has been published, it doesn’t make it a reliable source of information. Dr. Katy Stevens, Head of CSR and Sustainability, EOG suston – 11
NEWS
EOCA funding recipient “Rescue the Narcissi Valley” project in Ukraine, sponsored by Ortovox.
To help it achieve its vision of closing the textiles loop, the German brand Pyua has turned to an undyed and 100% recycled and recyclable mono-material from Sympatex’s Banff range of laminates for its Spring 2023 collection.
1100 FORESTFRIENDLY PRODUCTS
The world’s largest compilation of recycled and NextGen paper and packaging options available to brands and companies — the EcoPaper Database (EPD) — has just been updated and expanded. The EPD, created by international environmental non-profit Canopy, is a listing of over 1,100 paper and paper packaging options available to help businesses reduce their impact on Ancient and Endangered Forests.
12 – suston
PHOTO: RESCUE THE NARCISSI VALLEY PROJECT
PYUA’S CIRCULAR LAMINATE
A Landscape Legacy THE WARNING SIGNS that we need to protect and
regenerate ecosystems are everywhere – one need look no further than record global temperatures or risk of viruses leaping from wild animals to humans. Healthy ecosystems, on the other hand, can mitigate climate change by absorbing and storing carbon as well as hinder the spread of disease. This is where European Outdoor Conservation Association’s (EOCA) work to protect biodiversity and habitat is more vital than ever. As Tanya Bascombe, General Manager at EOCA, explains: “With EOCA's current focus, Wild for Nature: EOCA’s Landscape Legacy Project, the projects the association supports will conserve, protect, enhance, restore, and reconnect habitats within landscapes that are particularly important for the biodiversity that lives there and also for tackling the climate crisis.” The pandemic was a challenge for all, and it was not a given that a conservation organization dependent on external funding would make it
1.5
SCANDINAVIAN Outdoor Group makes 1.5°C climate commitment a membership criterion.
through a global recession. But EOCA’s members' dedication would prove otherwise. “I was encouraged to see that not only did members continue to support EOCA throughout the pandemic, but they enthusiastically came up with creative new ways to raise even more funds for the association,” recalls Tanya Bascombe. With over five hundred applications for funding during last year, Tanya Bascombe observes that the need for funding for vital conservation work is growing. Nearly 140,000 votes in two public voting rounds furthermore demonstrates strong public engagement. Thanks to the support of its members, last year EOCA committed €400,000 to thirteen projects in eleven countries. “Commitment through good times and bad,” shares Tanya Bascombe, “ensures that EOCA can fund a range of conservation projects in a variety of wild landscapes around the world as part of the outdoor industry’s role in addressing the loss of biodiversity and tackling climate change.”
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IS ONE ESTIMATE of how many years of viable topsoil the planet has left unless counter measures are taken immediately. Find out more on page 26-28.
PARTNER: AKU SPONSORED CONTENT
Reacting Responsibly on Climate Impacts Aku steps forward to find production solutions to reduce its climate impact – achieving an outdoor footwear industry-first CO2 emissions calculation certification.
A
ku is a part of a single ecosystem, both socially and environmentally. It also is responsible for its balance. This principle has been behind the company’s organization and management of its production policies on the one hand and its relations with the social environment on the other, preferring the term “responsibility” instead of the now abused concept of “sustainability.” CO2 emissions calculation certified “Certification of the process for calculating the level of CO2 emissions of our models is an important milestone,” declared Giulio Piccin, Product & CSR Manager of Aku, who continues, “It is the confirmation of a commitment that
our company has been carrying out for a long time.” With regard to the calculation of CO2, Aku is now aiming even higher with the goal of calculating and certifying the level of emissions of the entire life cycle of the product and acting to reduce these emissions to achieve climate neutrality. In fact, initiatives are already underway, the best example being that of the Bellamont Plus model where a 12% emissions reduction is already proven today compared to 2017, the year in which its Environmental Impact Declaration was first certified. Business in an ecological emergency At issue is the environmental emergency, which is precisely why Aku has long
supported initiatives such as the ICE MEMORY project for the protection of the climatic memory contained in alpine glaciers and beyond that is threatened by global warming. Supporting scientific research, advocacy and environmental organizations are, however, only some aspects of Aku’s commitment to ecosystem balance. “An increasing number of independent brands have begun forming alliances to establish demonstrable environmental commitment by industry,” explains Vittorio Forato, Aku marketing manager, who concludes: “A regulatory evolution increasingly centered on the objectives of the 2030 Agenda will furthermore require ever greater obligations on production companies, making it necessary to be aware, prepared and willing to invest.” OutDoor by ISPO: H3 201-A aku.it/en/ suston – 13
RESPONSIBILITY
THE NEW MISSION
de a heroic first ascent Last November, Nikita Balabanov ma between supporting k lin in ma e th is he y, da To as. lay in the Hima front in Ukraine. outdoor brands and the warBALA BANOV A BY GABRIEL ARTHUR PHOTO NIKIT
14 – suston
O
n the 23rd of February, Nikita Balabanov had planned to fly out of Kyiv to climb a summit in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. But a skiing accident had hurt his back. He was meant to support a group on Mount Everest in April and did not want to take the risk of missing this expedition because of injuries, so he decided to skip the Kyrgyzstan tour at the very last minute. The day after, Russia invaded Ukraine, with troops aiming for Kyiv. Nikita Balabanov immediately decided to move westwards to help and support older relatives around Lviv. His hometown Irpin, just north of Kyiv, soon became a devastated battleground. “Like many young Ukrainians, I wanted to join the armed forces after the attacks. But at the recruiting office they told us that so many had already volunteered that they only accepted people with a military background.”
Several other expeditions would follow and in November 2021, Nikita and Mikhail together with Viacheslav Polezhaiko made the headlines in the climbing world once again. The team completed the fabled Southeast Ridge of Annapurna III (7,555m), with almost three vertical kilometers to the summit. Only a few attempts had been made before, the last of which was in 2016. In normal times, the international publicity that followed would have been a good injection to Nikita Balabanov’s mountaineering career, also for the guide operations that he has worked with for many years as an outfitter. But as with all Ukrainians, life plans were put on hold after President Putin’s decision to invade. “Before mountaineering and organizing expeditions became my full-time job, I had worked eight years within the outdoor industry in Ukraine, mainly with imports and logistics. So, I knew many good contacts, both in Ukraine and around Europe.”
Award-winning mountaineer
The link between west and east
Instead, Nikita Balabanov started to look for other ways to help. Besides assisting the many groups of volunteers that were forming, he wondered if he could also use his international network in the outdoor and climbing community? In Ukraine, climbing is a small, though growing, sport. Hardly anybody knew about him. But in places like Chamonix, many experienced alpinists would have recognized him instantly. In 2015, Nikita Balabanov and his climbing partner Mikhail Fomin received the Piolet d’Or – the Oscars of mountaineering – after climbing the sheer face of a 1,700-meter pillar on Talung (7,349m) in Nepal.
Above right: the Southeast Ridge of Annapurna III. Above left: Nikita Balabanov and comrades at their storage and logistics center in Lviv.
Nikita Balabanov started to send e-mails to his industry contacts, asking if their companies could support Ukraine with clothing, footwear, sleeping bags and other equipment. Meanwhile, some old contacts began writing to him asking “How can we help?!” Just over a few days’ time, a collaboration was established between Nikita Balabanov and Piotr Turkot from the Polish Outdoor Group. Then the Scandinavian Outdoor Group asked their Polish colleagues how the Nordic brands could support, and the European Outdoor Group also reached out. “Everyone acted really fast. The team from Polish Outdoor Group became like a logistics hub that suston – 15
RESPONSIBILITY
The volunteers working together in Lviv are all passionate about hiking and mountaineering, and among them are ex-soldiers. They know both what characterizes good outdoor equipment and what the soldiers on the front need.
brands from all over Europe, especially from the Nordic countries, started to ship to. There, the team sorted the gear and prepared to transport it to Lviv in Ukraine.” In Lviv, Nikita Balabanov realized that large quantities of aid was on its way and he still had no place to store it. He soon teamed up with a small informal volunteer group, all sharing the passion for hiking and mountaineering. “You must remember that there has been war in Eastern Ukraine since 2014. Some in our team have been soldiers before and have a great network on the ground among our armed forces. Luckily, the volunteers got hold of a large storage facility.” From here, what followed was week after week of nonstop work. “We took the first day off after 51 days – and then we continued. In total, we are around 15 people, including the drivers that transport the gear east to the troops.”
Protecting Ukrainian soldiers
Nikita Balabanov says that outdoor brands can support them with many things such as shell jackets in the right colors, footwear, sleeping bags and mats, water filtration and purification, and cooking equipment. The group especially supports smaller combat units in the various hot spots of the war. “In the beginning of May it rained a lot in eastern Ukraine. Some soldiers were telling us that they were soaking wet. It felt so good to be able to deliver around 200 shell jackets to them.” Nikita Balabatov estimates that the European retail price for the aid donated by the outdoor brands would amount to 1 million Euros. 16 – suston
“But the last weeks it has slowed down, and I don’t get so many contacts anymore. I can understand if the outdoor companies cannot give away unlimited amounts.” Still, he hopes that helping Ukraine will remain on the agenda. “We do not want money. But if the outdoor industry wanted to sell to us with larger discounts, we can help with necessary arrangements.” “We are very thankful for all support we have received so far. And the fact that we already have accomplished a lot with our limited resources makes me proud. This is one small victory on the way to the big victory.”
NIKITA BALABANOV AND HIS TEAM WANT TO THANK: Polish Outdoor Group, Scandinavian Outdoor Group, European Outdoor Group, Exped, Silva, Smartwool, Kamik, Rocklands, Woolpower, AKU, Garmont, Polygiene, Comodo, RAB, AMC, Oase-outdoors, Lifestraw, Peak UK Kayaking Co LTD, Camp, Primus, Hilleberg, Haglöfs, Tasmanian Tiger (Tatonka), Source Tactical, Black Diamond Equipment, Bartek Klocek and Michal Matrejek from Crag Sport, Piotr Turkot, Sasha Yakunin ... “And many more!” Does your brand want to support with outdoor equipment? Get in touch with Nikita Balabanov: mykyta.balabanov@gmail.com
sustainable for real It is 90 years since Jonas Lundhag opened his little shoe factory in Jämtland - he had an idea of making boots that could last a lifetime ... and only then will it be sustainable for real.
This boot is over 30 years old and n ewly repaired. Ready for more miles on the trail .
RECYCLING
THE RE-FACTORY Renewcell bases its solution on the Swedish forest industry and cutting-edge research. Customers are already lining up for when the company starts producing recycled textiles in a repurposed paper mill this summer. BY HENRIK SVIDÉN, NÄRINGSLIVETS TIDNING PHOTO ALEXANDER DONKA
U
ntil the closure in 2020, Ortviken was one of Sweden’s and Europe’s largest manufacturers of newsprint. The PM5 machine was inaugurated in 1985 and had a capacity of 255,000 tonnes of paper per year. But digitalization soon hit the newspaper branch, forcing the parent company SCA to close PM5 and dismiss seven hundred employees. Just a few months later, another Swedish company stepped in, Renewcell. When the event is summarized on SCA’s site, the power of the transition to a society where printed newspapers are passé and the textile industry is under pressure by demands for sustainability becomes crystal clear - with new innovations as a result: “PM5 will now be dismantled to make way for the company Renewcell’s recycling of textile fiber, which is expected to start up at Ortviken’s industrial site in 2022.” The paper machine was demolished in the autumn of 2021 and during the beginning of 2022 all new equipment was delivered and installed. By the summer, the facility will be up and running. As early as 2018, Renewcell opened a small factory for recycling primarily cotton garments in the town of Kristinehamn. However, the new facility in Ortviken will be many times larger. According to Patrik Lundström, CEO of Renewcell, demand
PATRIK LUNDSTRÖM
CEO, Renewcell
is increasing so fast that the plans for future expansion must be constantly adjusted: “We already have contracts for 40,000 tonnes. But much more is underway, so we have decided to expand from the previously planned 60,000 tonnes in production to 120,000 tonnes.” H&M is both co-owner and customer, and important customers include Levi’s and Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein’s parent company PVH.
Innovation from a technical university
It all started with cutting-edge research at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm when professors Gunnar Henriksson and Mikael Lindström discovered a new way to break down cellulose. At first, the aim was to produce ethanol from forest raw materials, but soon they realized that the process could also be used to break down and recycle apparel. But it takes time before research and innovation becomes a product on the world market. In 2012, the company Renewcell was started. Two years later, a fashion show gained a lot of attention when the catwalk model wore a yellow dress made of Circulose, where the raw material was jeans recycled using the company’s patented method. Now, ten years after its beginnings, production on an industrial scale will commence. But it is also in recent years that sustainability issues have become the highest priority among textile companies. As Patrik Lundström puts it, Renewcell is just in time: “Growing cotton, running the cotton through the value chain once and then burning up the fabric. We can’t do this anymore. It’s crazy.”
Recycling over and over again
The old paper mill and the new textile factory have more in common than people might think, as both revolve around cellulose. “We reuse cellulose-based clothing and make cellulose pulp from it, which can be used to make
Used garments with high amounts of cellolosic content is sourced.
After shredding, the raw material is ready for processing.
FROM CELLULOSE TO CIRCULOSE
Cellulose is a molecule, consisting of hundreds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. It is the main substance in the walls of plant cells, helping plants to remain stiff and upright. It is also the main ingredient in paper and cotton. 1 Renewcell receives used garments and textile production waste with high cellulosic content, like cotton or viscose. 2 The textiles are shredded, debuttoned, de-zipped, de-colored and turned into a slurry. 3 Contaminants and other noncellulosic content are separated from the slurry. 4 The slurry is then dried to produce sheets of Circulose, Renewcell’s patented material. 5 These sheets are packaged into bales and fed back into the textile production value chain as a biobased equalquality replacement for virgin materials. Source: Renewcell
textile fibers such as viscose. And we can do that over and over again. In the lab, we have seen that the material can be recycled up to seven times. Maybe more.” Furthermore, Patrik Lundström believes that many sustainability initiatives in the textile industry only reach halfway. For example, when making fabric from recycled polyester. “In principle, they have taken a pet bottle and made a fleece sweater out of it. You can recycle a pet bottle many times, but not if you have made it into a sweater because the fabric is then dyed. It would be much better to let the pet bottles spin further in their own cycles,” he says.
Industrial heritage
The forest and paper industry have been vital components of the Swedish business community for generations. Against this background, Renewcell’s business concept is particularly interesting. The investment is largely a consequence of the knowledge that exists in the forest industry. “We built the company on traditional knowledge of pulp production in Sweden. Despite the fact that Swedish companies are successful in IT,
for example, one of our foundations is still the forest and pulp industry,” says Patrik Lundström. He points out that researchers Gunnar Henriksson and Mikael Lindström are some of the world’s foremost in their field. But also, that those who work on the floor in the pulp industry are “world class.” “Learning to run a pulp mill requires years of working in production, a theoretical education is not enough.” The choice of Kristinehamn for the establishment of the first facility was easy given the proximity to Paper Province, a business cluster in the forest industry in the Värmland region in West Sweden. And in Ortviken, the company takes advantage of the old infrastructure on the site, such as buildings, water treatment, electricity supply and more. In addition, Renewcell had the privilege of employing seventy of the people who were laid off when SCA closed its facility. This way, know-how and competence are also recycled. “It is very difficult to acquire an understanding of these processes. But for these men and women, they understand them immediately,” concludes Patrik Lundström.
RECYCLING
Polyester in the Loop PET bottles can’t fuel the circular polyester economy alone. Closing the loop means we need to recycle apparel – and lots of it. The new Demeto facility in Northern Italy might be part of the answer. BY JONATHAN EIDSE
Demeto is a European Project funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme based on gr3n SA technology. Using a pioneering microwave-based alkaline hydrolysis technology, Demeto aims to demonstrate how this new process can be used to chemically recycle PET – rapidly, sustainably, and economically. Following successful demonstrations in the lab and later through a pilot project, Demeto is at the time of writing starting up its demo plant located in Chieti, Italy.
Why it matters?
Most polyester waste streams destined for recycling are currently treated by mechanical processes that are limited to processing single-polymer feedstocks such as PET bottles. The result is a low total recycling rate and the majority of textiles being downcycled. To properly close the loop, meanwhile, the textile industry will need to recycle old garments into new added-value products. The problem is that apparel largely contains either mixed fibers or various treatments that mechanical methods cannot separate and can therefore not recycle. Lacking an economically feasible alternative path, the most common end-of-life solution for these garments is the landfill or incinerator. Gr3n’s Head of Marketing and Business Development Dr. Fabio Silvestri explains how their technology will provide a new end-of-life scenario for apparel: “Demeto aims to change the economic equation by first shredding packaging and apparel made of at least 70% polyester. The shreds are then fed into a reactor where a novel microwave assisted process rapidly depolymerizes the feedstock down to the molecular level. Next, repolymerization is followed by a spinning process that results in polyester fibers with the same characteristics as ones made from virgin polyester.”
From test to production
Demeto is running a range of collaborations within a consortium consisting of 13 partners. One of these is the European Outdoor Group, and a number of its brand member are currently supplying feedstock to the project. They will soon employ its recycled fibers into their products on a pilot basis to “pressure test” this circular model by identifying and overcoming any of its weaknesses. The demo plant is expected to reach 500 kg per batch once in full operation. Based on the results of this demo plant, the plan is to then construct the first industrial-scale plant that can chemically recycle polyester using the microwave process in order to treat approximately 120 tonnes of feedstock per day. In light of the multiple issues affecting polyester value chains, Fabio Silvestri sees Demeto has a promising future: “By creating a recycled fiber with the same characteristics as virgin polyester, Demeto’s gr3n technology demonstrates there is a solution to the problem of continually down-cycling recycled polyester which enables creating added-value products instead. This also has the benefit of reducing the exposure of PET’s value chains to oil and gas market fluctuations, and not least reduces the environmental impact of PET waste.”
FABIO SILVESTRI
Head of Marketing and Business Development gr3n SA
PARTNER: SYMPATEX SPONSORED CONTENT
Let’s Collaborate As pressure towards circularity rises from legislation and consumer demand, Sympatex makes the case for working together to make circularity a reality.
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or Sympatex, the willingness of the market to take collective responsibility for the environmental collateral of our industry has been decisive to its development. Today, the company is a system partner, ingredient supplier and advisory body to its customers. Through these many roles, Sympatex has learned one important lesson: Collaboration is key.
The business model’s basis
The branded Sympatex ingredient is a membrane offered in various laminates that is made from polyester and developed in Europe. The chemical formula of the starting material is environmentally harmless. When laminated with a polyester face and liner fabrics, the resulting monomaterial laminate is recyclable and can theoretically be manufactured into a fully circular end product. Components like zippers, buttons, threads, accessories and shoe soles, however, decide on the product’s recyclability. Here is where circular design thinking begins. In other words, one sustainable ingredient does not make a green product alone, all business processes, development stages and the entire product portfolio must be sustainably adapted. There are several factors currently influencing the market situation and Sympatex’s business model, and include the EU’s push for circular textile solutions, new innovations and legislative processes that ban substances harmful to the environment and health. In March 2022, for example, the Euro22 – suston
pean Commission has been committed to adopting to ensure compliance with the proportionality principle, enforce a complete ban on fluorochemicals and force transparency for the consumer. With the deadlines for developing new product lines in sight, we have to act now. Recall that 100 billion garments and 23 billion pairs of shoes are produced per year, most of them dumped or burned after use in the current linear product life. We need to learn to see the possible opportunity that these represent as a future source of new raw material for producing (textile) industries.
The prerequisite for circularity
The most important is the use of pure polyester compositions. Based on this, Sympatex calls on the textile industry to adopt a collective monomaterial strategy for the performance areas where functional textiles are to be used. Why polyester? Because 1) Only polyester-based mono-materials can be easily recycled; 2) Recycled polyester saves the most water and CO2; 3) Polyester has by far the broadest current application within our industry. Together with its partners, Sympatex develops products that guarantee maximum performance for waterproofness and breathability without harmful chemicals. But true circularity can only be achieved through collaborative efforts. As cross-company cooperations release enormous knowledge and opportunities, Sympatex believes cooperation is the decisive prerequisite for closing the loop.
To this end, the web platform Sympathy Lab powered by Sympatex was launched in December 2021 as a joint forum that stands for collaboration and education that empower industry for the sustainable change. Sympathy lab is inviting all stakeholders to share relevant information here – only together will a much larger movement be created.
2022 SYMPATHY LAB MILESTONES 1. Create a platform for sustainability reports strategic papers for concrete courses of action as best-practice guidelines – independent of competitive thinking. 2. To use monthly vertical TV and audio formats to contribute journalistically to transparency and knowledge in attractive implementation to active discussion and concrete guidance for change. 3. To convince younger generations and young professionals to work in the textile, footwear and outdoor industries - from retailers to teachers. 4. To become the exchange platform for innovative, straightforward and inspiring personalities.
Find out more at www.sympathy-lab.com
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PHOTO: CYRILLE QUINTARD
EVENTS
RUNNING WORLD IS STEPPING UP After a long period of taking forced breaks, the major trail running events slowly got back on track last summer. With a strong desire to reduce environmental impacts. The French Maxi-Race on Lake Annecy is one good example of how race organizers and shoe brands are working together to lead the way.
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BY SAMUEL DIXNEUF
PHOTO: DAVID GONTHIER
ack to the world of old. In 2019, the Maxi-Race on Lake Annecy in southeastern France brought together a record number of 9,000 enthusiasts. Some were alarmed by these high numbers and the drift towards gigantism in trail running events. But Cyril Cointre, a former ultra-trail runner and a member of the race’s organizing committee, was nevertheless keen for the race to be ambitious in terms of environmental impact. He intended to use this event as something like a “test laboratory.” Among the initiatives was an operation to collect and recover up to 2,000 pairs of used shoes. To do this, the organizers relied on the expertise of Run Collect. This start-up was created in 2017 in Lyon, France, by the “two assiduous runners who wear out a lot of shoes” Antoine Jeantot and Romain Drouot, which today has a network of nearly a hundred labelled retailers that help customers to give a second life to running shoes. The event usually takes place in May, but after a gap year in 2020 the Maxi-Race returned in 2021
on an unusual and late date, the last weekend of October, to compensate for the uncertainty that still hung over the beginning of the season. The organizers decided to limit the number of runners to 5,000 for the entire event. The reasons for this were partly sanitary, but also to limit the impact of the runners on the paths. While financial constraints did not allow the renewal of the partnership with Run Collect, many initiatives showed an undiminished desire for transformation.
Paying attention to the details
In preparation of the 2022 event in the end of May, the organizers have left no stone unturned. The food supply is undoubtedly one of the major assets of the Maxi-Race: in association with Greenweez, an online organic products store located on the shores of Lake Annecy, the food products are now “100% organic or from local products.” Water supply is another priority. For 2022, the objective is to not exceed a threshold of 3,000 plastic bottles for several tens of thousands of liters of liquids drunk by the runners in all the races, explains the organization. This means that only 2% of the volume of drinks consumed by the runners will be in bottles. Therefore, alongside its efforts to limit the consumption of plastic bottles, the Maxi-Race uses eco-cups made from seaweed. Meanwhile, the race markers – fabric tape and milestones – have been reusable or eco-friendly for many years. In addition, half of the routes are based on a loop system so that runners don’t have to use a vehicle to get to the start. For the other routes, a bus system has been set up. As far as the trails are concerned, a first cleaning is first conducted a few weeks before the event. “Then, during the races, the trail keepers carry
GREENWEEZ MAXI-RACE
For two days at the end of May, nearly 10,000 trail runners gather in Annecy at the boarder of the French Alps. Around Lake Annecy they can choose between distances from 16 to 110 km. The event is part of the international Maxi Trail Series, sponsored by Salomon. maxi-race.org maxi-trailseries.com
Organizers minimize the event’s impact by alternating trails from year to year.
out a meticulous collection after the runners have passed through, followed by another check within ten days of the event,” explains Stéphane Agnoli, the race director. A consultation on the choice of routes with respect to the fauna and flora is carried out with environmental associations and local authorities. Among other things, this can lead to the creation of footbridges for the preservation of wetlands. The race organizers also make sure to alternate the trails used from one year to the other. “The dominant theme is to minimize our impact,” concludes Stéphane Agnoli.
Participants also contribute
On another note, the awards for the runners have been rethought. “This year, we opted for wooden finishers’ medals made in France. 2021 was the last year we were making welcome t-shirts. After having analyzed the production of recycled organic material, we realized that there is no real difference if we look at the overall production process. A lot of water is used in the manufacturing cycle of organic textiles. Concerning recycled textile, Europe still lacks production units, so these products are often manufactured in Asia, so it is not a sustainable option for us.” About fifteen local sports and non-sports associations are involved in the event. Each year, the Maxi-Race donates part of the proceeds to them so that they can implement and build projects. Each runner, upon registration, contributes between 1–3 Euro. The organizers then complement this amount to reach a total of 30,000–40,000 26 – suston
PHOTO: DAVID GONTHIER
PHOTO: DAVID GONTHIER
EVENTS
Euro, which is donated to the associations. In 2022, the social focus will be the “Sepas Impossible Relay.” Hailing from the same region as the event, the association Sepas Impossible was created in 2014 to communicate about Multiple Sclerosis (MS), to break the isolation of patients and to advocate with public authorities to build a medical establishment for a dignified and adapted care.
Is the running community catching speed?
At the same time, the team behind Run Collect is also carrying on its actions with a new prestigious partner, Hoka, which signed a major partnership with the UTMB World Series last fall. Antoine Berthoud, Hoka Events Manager, explains more: “The partnership with Run Collect with some of our events in France and Europe will allow us to offer a solution to our communities to recycle their worn-out shoes.” The way Run Collect works remains the same, as one of the founders, Antoine Jeantot, shares: “Around 95 percent of our work revolves around our 150 labelled shops on the territory. And 80 percent of the shoes are donated to associations after being sorted. We then collaborate with Fast Feet Grinded, as the remaining 20 percent of the shoes are shipped there to make recycled floors. We only operate one shipment a year to reduce transportation impact.” The trail running community may have started late on its way towards more responsible ways of doing what they love most. But this is a community known for both speed and endurance. Now the race is on.
SPONSORED CONTENT PARTNER: GORE
Responsible Performance
Gore introduces new GORE-TEX products with an innovative expanded Polyethylene (ePE) membrane.
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his Fall/Winter 2022 season, Gore’s new ePE membrane will appear in a selection of consumer end-uses including general outdoor and lifestyle garments, footwear and gloves. Achim Löffler, Consumer Fabrics Business Leader at Gore, takes the new ePE membrane platform as an example to explain the company’s innovation journey Bob Gore began more than 50 years ago: “The GORE-TEX brand is committed to being responsible and continuing onwards to discover innovative products that offer high performance and are also sustainable. ePE helps meet that goal in being extremely light and thin, yet mechanically robust and having a low environmental footprint,” he says.
“We are proud that we are able to use our decades of acquired knowledge and insight of polymer processing and material science to add ePE to our complementary material set.” What’s special about the new ePE membrane technology? Microporous polyethylene (PE) has been available in different markets for many years. However, PE-based membranes that were suitable in other applications lacked the durability for waterproof, windproof and breathable apparel. Products using Gore’s new ePE membrane will provide an optimized combination of durable performance and environmental footprint meeting Gore’s fitnessfor-use standards. “We continue to push the boundar-
ies of what is possible in sustainability and performance in our products,” says Ross MacLaine, Gore Fabrics Sustainability Leader. Gore’s new ePE membrane contributes towards the Gore Fabrics Division’s Sustainability Framework goals, which defines the division’s sustainability ambition and its commitment to contribute to the protection of people and planet.
ABOUT GORE-TEX PRODUCTS USING NEW EPE MEMBRANE • Leverages high strength-to-weight ratio • Enables durable performance and a low environmental footprint • Lower carbon footprint, as measured by Higg MSI • Laminates (membrane and DWR treatments) are PFC free • Certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKOTEX® and bluesign® approved • Various ePE laminates with recycled and solution-dyed textile components • GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY™ promise
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REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE’S LONG DAWN Its enemies call it a dangerous experiment. Its champions call it a silver bullet. What exactly is Regenerative Agriculture – and will it ever see the light of day? BY JONATHAN EIDSE PHOTO CHRISTOPHER MICHEL & SAVORY INSTITUTE
BIODIVERSITY
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n a time of climate crisis where “experts” prefer to drift unproven carbon capture technologies or space-based geoengineering solutions that would blot out the sun, doing anything less complicated runs the risk of sounding naïve. Could the solution to many of our environmental challenges in fact be down-toearth, low-tech, and proven beyond a shadow of a doubt? That is precisely the claim advocates of regenerative agriculture have been making – but why are so few listening? What is Regenerative Agriculture? To understand regenerative agriculture, a little background is useful to help place it within its greater historical context. Essentially, regenerative agriculture proposes a return to an approach that was once commonplace. In fact, prior to the development of synthetic additives, one could scarcely expect a field to produce a yield for more than a decade – let alone centuries – without regenerative practices to carefully maintain or improve the soil’s carbon and nutrient content. The development of new technologies and methods would be a game-changer, however, where fertilizers, pesticides and monocropping have created the “conventional” agriculture industry we know today. While this resulted in considerable labor savings, they have come with environmental trade-offs: Between 30-75% of most agricultural soil organic carbon content has been lost to the atmosphere, for example, and some experts have warned that current rates of soil erosion will only leave us with another 60 years of viable soil. Add to this conventional agriculture’s impacts on biodiversity loss, freshwater contamination and human health – the need for change soon became clear, voiced most poignantly in 1962 by the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. In response, a countermovement arose with the aim to reduce the worst impacts of conventional agriculture by focusing on “organic” practices that would restrict harmful inputs and reduce soil erosion. But even as it has grown to become relatively mainstream, organic production still only represents a mere fraction of total agriculture output. Within this context, just stopping the worst practices would never be enough – a new paradigm was needed. Enter regenerative agriculture.
suring topsoil health by limiting practices that disturb the soil layers and restricting harmful synthetic additives like fertilizers or biocides. Research also finds that regenerative practices can mitigate global warming by sequestering massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and into the soil – hence the hype. Farmers choose what works One of the main actors leading this research is the Colorado-based non-profit Savory Institute, whose mission is to “facilitate the large-scale regeneration of the world’s grasslands... through holistic management.” To help ranchers implement regenerative practices and communicate these outwardly, the Savory Institute’s Land to Market program uses the EOV (Ecological Outcome Verified) scientific protocol to measure land health. Hundreds of farms already use this globally, and several wellknown brands are currently Land to Market members and are actively sourcing raw materials from these verified farms, including Timberland. Land to Market is a rigorous verification, which mixes quantitative and qualitative data with photographic records to verify changes to various indicators in the ecosystem. It is also “outcomes” based, meaning that it is primarily concerned with results – how ranchers accomplish these changes is up to them. Megan Meiklejohn, Supply Chain Innovation manager at Savory Institute’s Land to Market program, explains how an outcome-based verification works: “We’re essentially practice agnostic, meaning ranchers can have the freedom to operate as they like, as long as the ecological indicators are going in the right direction. As conditions can change so
Regenerative agriculture also involves increasing biodiversity to aid in creating a healthy, balanced ecosystem that is more resilient to pest and disease outbreaks.
Past meets present Regenerative agriculture is an approach that focuses on enhancing the ecosystem services of food and farming systems by mimicking natural processes. Among other things, this means ensuston – 29
BIODIVERSITY It may be ancient, but regenerative agriculture researches and employs new methods too.
MEGAN MEIKLEJOHN
Supply Chain Innovation Manager, Land to Market Program, Savory Institute
CHARLES ROSS
Sustainability Consultant & University Lecturer
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much from one context to the next, this provides much more flexibility.” Megan Meiklejohn describes this as a “farmers first” approach, and from her standpoint believes that farmers are both interested and motivated for change: “Many ranchers and farmers are seeing that conventional practices simply aren’t working and that their land is degrading. This results in reduced yields and carrying capacity, which ultimately affects their bottom line,” says Megan Meiklejohn. She continues to argue that regenerative practices, on the contrary, have the potential to reduce the need for expensive inputs and can increase the land’s carrying capacity to support more livestock. No shortage of critics Yet it is precisely yields – or lack of them – that are often cited by critics as the reason we must not replace conventional practices with regenerative ones. Lower yields will, after all, require even greater encroachment on the few remaining wild ecosystems as we are forced to turn them into agriculture land. Sustainability consultant Charles Ross is familiar with the criticisms, and believes that the outdoor industry should not brazenly charge forward without due consideration: “I for one am concerned about growing more fiber crops – we must focus on feeding the planet
rather than increasing the number of t-shirts,” shares Charles Ross, before continuing: “But swapping existing agriculture to regenerative agriculture – be it food, cattle or fiber should be a no-brainer.” Charles Ross points skeptics to a bounty of research, which demonstrates that effectively managed regenerative agriculture can even outcompete conventional agriculture – especially over the long term – as savings from reduced inputs and improved yields in times of drought or other environmental stress can add up. Too good to be true? Why then are there so few actors embracing it? While there’s likely a number of reasons at play, such as an immature supply chain and low consumer demand, ultimately Charles Ross suspects that a more intangible issue might be the cause: Sustainability claims fatigue. “There is so much marketing today about the latest sustainable wonder fiber that many have simply grown jaded,” he shares. “And when it comes to making claims, regenerative agriculture sounds far too good to be true. Many receive this message as something the snake oil salesperson would try to peddle.” Indeed, such skepticism is not limited to regenerative agriculture in sustainability discussions, and the only way to fully overcome it is to demonstrate that extraordinary claims are also
Regenerative grazing practices can potentially sequester more CO2 than forests per acre.
backed by extraordinary evidence. It needs to work, not just in theory but also in practice and at scale. “The majority tends to follow once the early adopters have sorted out the hassles of creating the early supply lines,” shares Charles Ross. “But there’s no major barriers in the way of widespread adoption as long as both brands and producers take their share of the responsibility.” Are we ready to regenerate? With a growing body of evidence, certifying bodies and producers, is regenerative agriculture finally ready to live up the hype? “Regenerative agriculture has always been ready – the question is really if we are ready to re-embrace this old technology?’” says Charles Ross. Here, he draws a parallel to the development of organic cotton and the GOTS standard, where Patagonia was one of the early adopters. Today, it appears to have gone from obscurity to mainstream. But it is important to remember that this transition has taken decades and while organic seems to be all the talk, organic cotton still just represents roughly 2% of the world’s cotton crop. “I believe that compared to GOTS cotton, this will be adopted much faster as we are in a new world of better communication and more knowledge of the supply chain issues,” shares Charles Ross, before concluding: “But above all, we all now know of the reputa-
tion of the apparel industry as the second most polluting activity on the planet! Regenerative agriculture can turn this reputation upside-down, enabling it to become part of the solution.”
REGENERATIVE VS. ORGANIC? “Organic” is a label that can be applied to products that have been third-party certified to have been produced according to a set of standards. These include the strict prohibition of genetically modified seeds and most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. These practices may promote a healthy ecological balance, but the various standards do not require any evidence of this. This is the goal of ”Regenerative Agriculture,” which moves the focus from organic’s harmreduction approach to actual improvement of soil, water, and biodiversity. Several third-party verifiers exist, including Land to Farm and Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC). As the latter label indicates, organic and regenerative agriculture are not mutually exclusive practices and can even complement one another. In other words, agriculture can be regenerative without being organic, and organic without being regenerative, or it can be both.
OUTDOOR’S PIONEERS The North Face has been a forerunner in sourcing wool and cotton produced using regenerative practices claimed to have a net negative carbon effect. Patagonia is one of the leading outdoor brands working with regenerative agriculture for both its apparel sourcing and Patagonia Provisions food line. Timberland sources leather from ranches that are Land to Market verified and has the goal of 100% regenerative natural materials.
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MATERIAL GUIDE
Aluminum Elementals Incredibly abundant, easily recyclable and with clean production widespread, low-impact aluminum is already prevalent in many industries. Unfortunately, the outdoor industry is not yet one of them. ILLUSTRATION KICKI FJELL
What is aluminum and where does it come from?
Aluminum is the second most abundant metallic element in Earth’s crust after silicon. In other words, aluminum is not in short supply. Getting to and extracting it, however, is another matter. It is found within a reddish ore called Bauxite, which is extracted primarily from Australia, Brazil and India. From here, the ore undergoes a chemical refining process, electrolysis, more chemicals and a lot of heat to produce pure, molten aluminum.
Is aluminum sustainable?
Like other extractive mining activities, virgin aluminum extraction and production come with a large impact. Initially, vast areas need to be cleared of vegetation for open pit mining, and debris and dust from these mines is known to cause health hazards, can negatively impact nearby agriculture, and can clog and pollute surrounding waterways. Furthermore, the mining industry contributes to an estimated 10% of global carbon emissions, with aluminum being among the greatest energy-consumers of all minerals. The vast majority of aluminum is produced in China, where a substantial portion of the energy is derived from coal. Finally, at end of life, 27 % of aluminum ends up in landfills, accounting for 7 million tonnes of waste per year. These impacts are significant, but there is another side to the aluminum story. Aluminum is easily recycled, and with 70 % of aluminum currently being collected and recycled globally, aluminum is one of the greatest recycling success stories around. Moreover, so-called “green aluminum,” or aluminum produced using clean, renewable hydropower, is produced in large quantities in the US, Norway and Canada, which slashes its carbon
intensity compared to that produced using coal power. Producing recycled aluminum also requires just a fraction (5 %) of the energy required for primary aluminum production. Finally, a reputable and established non-profit, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), provides the acknowledged sustainability performance and chain of custody standards for the aluminum value chain.
How can we know the difference?
In sum, this means that not only is the element aluminum abundant, but responsible aluminum that is either recycled or is produced from renewable energy is also widely available on the market today. Furthermore, the rigorous, third-party golden standard, ASI, provides confidence to industry and consumers that they are not supporting the most unsustainable industry practices. This is important, because in the absence of any other guarantees one can assume the worst about aluminum’s origins and impacts. That said, aluminum from ASI certified producers is virtually non-existent in the outdoor industry at the time of writing, as are aluminum takeback schemes within the industry. The reasons for this are many, and likely begin with the specific material quality requirements of climbing and other PPE within hardgoods. Supplier relationships are also sacrosanct when it comes to material quality and as such, moving suppliers while meeting material performance and safety standards is no small challenge. Add the pandemic and resulting supply chain shortages to this mix and it is possible to see how interest in this rapidly growing subject may have been derailed. With any luck, this is only a temporary setback that will see both industry and consumer interest in responsible aluminum rise once again.
ALUMINUM STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE
The ASI Performance and Chain of Custody Standards set requirements for the responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium. These two standards form the basis of the ASI Certification program. Aluminium Stewardship Initiative
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PHOTO: ILKERERGUN / ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
ARE WE READY FOR SCOPE 3? Climate initiatives in the outdoor industry over the last few years can be summarized in three words: measurements, offsetting and commitments. But while clear data and bold targets are important, effective action is what truly counts. Suston asked the industry organizations how they support their members to get going. BY JONATHAN EIDSE
CLIMATE ACTION
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t’s now or never states Jim Skea, co-chair of one of the working groups to the latest UN climate report, with respect to our chances of limiting global warming to 1.5° C and avoiding catastrophic climate change. Time is indeed short, and much is at stake. Seeing that the outdoor industry must bear its share of responsibility in contributing to global warming, and that the outdoor experience itself is threatened, industry actors are rising to the call. Among them is European Outdoor Group (EOG), which in 2020 launched the Climate Action Programme (CAP). EOG’s Sustainability Project Manager Verity Hardy explains: “In response to global reports on the worsening climate crisis, the goals set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement and increasing consumer interest in sustainability, CAP was launched to support EOG members’ climate action both within their organizations and across their global supply chains.” Encompassing a range of comprehensive and growing initiatives, CAP’s goal is to bring members in line with science-based targets by halving emissions every decade until 2050. But as EOG’s members represent a diverse range of shapes, sizes, and states of readiness, it was understood that many ofthem would need to first get up to speed. “To help members get started, we have developed topic-specific ‘how to get started’ documents. To avoid duplicating existing information, these contain signposts to online tools and links to appropriate organizations,” shares Verity Hardy. This information is then updated annually to ensure it remains current and relevant. Topics include those which brands will typically encounter on their climate journey such as inventory planning, gathering data, target setting, undertaking reduction measures and reporting, and these are each broken down further into manageable steps. “Most importantly, EOG has created a space for members to ask questions of each other, share experiences and engage in peer-to-peer learning,” shares Verity Hardy. “This has encouraged a feeling of openness, support and community amongst them.”
Scope 3 takes a team effort
With the basics covered, EOG simultaneously set about building greater capacity for effective change by better understanding where its members’ emissions were coming from. In line with other research, the answer was clear: Most emissions come from outside a business’ immediate operations, and largely outside their direct control in manufacturing plants in southeast Asia. To take on these emissions, the focus would rest squarely on doing one of the things EOG does best: leveraging the collective, pre-competitive interests of its members through collective
action. As Verity Hardy shares: “Under the umbrella of this programme, we have also launched the Supply Chain Decarbonisation Project (SCDP) - which focuses on brands working collaboratively with their shared suppliers to reduce GHG emissions and increase the use of renewable energy.” Verity Hardy continues to explain that while supply chains are global and diverse, the SCDP seeks to capitalize on the fact that outdoor brands who share production facilities can jointly engage their shared suppliers, thereby significantly reducing their individual investment per facility intervention while effecting impact reductions. The project is organized into three stages, beginning with a mapping exercise of the brands’ top tier 1 and 2 supplier networks, which confirmed that there is a degree of crossover in the facilities used. The second stage, currently underway, involves the engagement of external partners to conduct facility audits to identify GHG hotspots and potential savings. “The final results aren’t yet in, but the preliminary estimates show a maximum potential absolute carbon saving of 165,000 tonnes in the next 3-5 years from 18 shared facilities; however, the next phase will gather more detailed data and will generate more accurate predictions and individual facility action plans,” explains Verity Hardy. A final stage will see the participating brands jointly supporting and financing facility improvements. But a challenge then looms on the horizon even after clear emissions reductions opportunities have been identified – who will pay for these projects? Their viability will undoubtedly hinge upon the issue of financing, which will require far greater investments than current brand CSR budgets allow. In response, EOG is exploring the potential of creating a voluntary decarbonization fund for its members to support large-scale decarbonization projects. “We believe this may be a great opportunity to approach decarbonization differently, to engage the collaborative spirit and resilience for which the industry is known, as well as a way to take advantage of opportunities such as the overlaps in supply chains that our industry provides us.”
VERITY HARDY
Sustainability Project Manager, European Outdoor Group
OIA and the Climate Action Corps
North American brands and suppliers, meanwhile, can look to Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) Climate Action Corps, launched in 2020 to help outdoor companies get on track with science-based emission targets. Today, members of the Corps have taken it up a notch to lead the ambitious charge towards the outdoor industry becoming the world’s first climate positive industry. And not just at the brand level. The goal is to reduce GHG emissions across all scopes in line
SARAH RYKAL
Senior Manager of Impact Climate Action Corps Outdoor Industry Assocation
CLIMATE ACTION
with science-based targets, removing even more GHG from the atmosphere than one emits and advocating for broader systemic change. And it wants to achieve this by 2030, a full two decades ahead of the Paris Agreement target. “To make this goal viable, OIA prioritizes connecting its Corps members under various collaborations while also offering resources to support them whether they be climate beginners or advanced,” shares Sarah Rykal, Senior Manager of Impact for OIA’s Climate Action Corps.
Active online community
OIA’s Climate Action Corps unites diverse actors from across outdoor industry in setting and achieving science-based climate targets.
Today, there are over 100 Corps members, including brands like Arc’teryx and The North Face, the retailers REI and MEC, ingredient brands like Gore and Primaloft and other actors both large and small within the industry. “OIA today hosts a very active online community that enables Corps members to connect with each other, and it also contains a wealth of reference materials, tools, webinar recordings and the like to help them get started.” The publication Climate Action Corps Guidebook, for example, provides guidance and recommended pathways to help members save time, money and effort in setting up and implementing their own climate strategy. Tools include free or discounted measurement tools such as Higg Index and Climate Neutral’s BEE tool, as well as guidance in their use. At the webinars, members learn more about GHG measurement, target-setting, reduction and climate mitigation advocacy. Energy emissions, meanwhile, are the topic of OIA’s Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA)
Aggregation CoLab, which aims to convene Corps members to effect change in scope 2 (see fact box), mainly by collective sourcing of renewable energy for operations in the U.S. and Canada.
Enabling change in the supply chain
But to reach the Corps’ bold 2030 goal, this is far from enough. Here, OIA makes the same conclusion as EOG: The vast majority of emissions are found in scope 3, and most often outside North America. To address this, OIA has a variety of impact collaborations that focus especially on these emissions and enable companies to dig deep into their supply chains. Such as the OIA’s Carbon Leadership Project CoLab, which aims to measure emissions and set reduction targets with its members’ soft goods and textiles suppliers in Asia and Latin America. Or its newly launched Drinkware CoLab to reduce emissions across shared drinkware supply chains. But Sarah Rykal is particularly looking forward to the launch of the OIA Clean Energy Investment Accelerator (CEIA) CoLab: “The goal of OIA’s CEIA CoLab is to aggregate a solar energy procurement for soft and hard goods supplier facilities in Vietnam. We consider Vietnam as not only a key manufacturing hub, but also one with a mature solar industry that is ready for commercially viable solar installations.” By teaming up participating outdoor brands within the Climate Action Corps with their suppliers, these production facilities will be able to make a much more rapid transition to renewables. “This can lead to dramatic scope 3 emissions reductions,” shares Sarah Rykal, before concluding: “And even more importantly, learnings here can then be replicated across the entire supply chain in other countries.” More info about the climate action initiatives: europeanoutdoorgroup.com/sustainability outdoorindustry.org/climateaction
WHAT ARE SCOPES 1, 2 & 3? Carbon reporting is usually aligned with the GHG Protocol, which divides greenhouse gas emissions into the following three “scopes:” Scope 1 – Direct emissions from companycontrolled entities like its facilities, operations and vehicles. Scope 2 – Indirect emissions resulting from a company’s purchased energy and utilities. Scope 3 – All indirect company emissions within its value chain, which are not included in scope 2.
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RACE TO ZERO – A GLOBAL UMBRELLA For companies outside the immediate geographic spheres of OIA and EOG, there are several other notable climate collaborations. But why not join one backed by the global authority, the United Nations? Launched in 2019 to rally momentum ahead of COP26, the Race To Zero (R2Z) is a global campaign led by the UNFCCC and led by High-Level Climate Champions for Climate Action Mahmoud Mohieldin and Nigel Topping. R2Z is essentially an “umbrella campaign” that gathers other partner initiatives that share the goal of uniting and supporting leaders of businesses, cities and regions towards setting and achieving science-based targets. In other words, by joining its partner initiatives - like B Corporation or the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action – entities are automatically also members R2Z. Those who join R2Z will certainly not find themselves alone, and with a coalition now numbering 7,126 businesses it is the largest alliance ever committed to achieving net zero by 2050. All members counted, the R2Z coalition represents 25% of global CO2 emissions and over 50% of global GDP.
PHOTO: CHILLIM // ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
R2Z is now getting into the heavy lifting of slashing emissions by creating plans, tracking action and measuring impacts and providing accountability to its members - with the next milestone being to halve emissions by 2030.
CLIMATE ACTION
SOLAR SOLUTIONS IN VIETNAM Wouldn’t it be great if a group of Western brands sharing the same manufacturers in Vietnam would say, “Hey, let’s collaborate to switch out fossil energy and invest in solar power on the rooftops of the Vietnamese facilities!” Good news: This is already happening. BY GABRIEL ARTHUR
DAVID EKELUND Co-CEO & CoFounder, Icebug
DR. HANG DAO
Co-Lead, Clean Energy Investment Accelerator (CEIA)
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ast spring, the sustainability team of the Swedish footwear brand Icebug got a tip that colleagues at Arc’teryx were involved in a project to install solar rooftops at factories in Vietnam. Icebug got in touch and found out it was a pilot study to scale the switch to renewable energy among Vietnamese manufacturers working with the apparel and footwear industries. Did Icebug want to participate too? For David Ekelund, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Icebug, the decision was easy. “Having identified power as the biggest source of emissions, we had been looking for this opportunity for a while,” shares David Ekelund. “With all the sun in Vietnam the case seemed quite straight forward, and we had set up a goal of 50 percent renewable energy in Tier 1 already in 2022. But to actually move to action required more specific knowledge about solar and local energy policy than we had. This was an opportunity to reach our goal.” Like many outdoor brands, Icebug is working with life cycle assessments when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions and looking at the full supply chain. Exactly how much emissions were connected to its scope 3 in Vietnam? “Over 85% of our total life cycle emissions are caused before the shoes leave the factory gates.” Saving energy and switching to renewables is where Icebug and other brands with production in places where the energy is largely fossil based – which goes for most of the world, not just Vietnam – is thus seen to get the best climate effect. “This is a no-brainer – if suppliers phase out coal and move as much as possible to solar, the industry will be able to cut emissions significantly,” explains David Ekelund and adds:
“We don’t need innovation to cut emissions by 50% in our industry. The solutions are already there. We just need the will to scale them.”
Team based in Vietnam
The pilot study was initiated by two American organizations, the Clean Energy Investment Accelerator (CEIA) and the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), and IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative from the Netherlands – all three with an international network. The price would be between 25,000– 50,000 USD per brand, depending on how many brands and manufacturers they would involve. Icebug joined together with Arc’teryx, Columbia, Gap Inc, Lululemon Athletica and the retailer Target. CEIA has previously worked with similar projects in both Vietnam and countries like Mexico and Colombia. Their local team in Vietnam handles the project management. The team is led by Dr. Hang Dao and Tung Ho, working together with Supharat Torne, Deputy Director at the clean energy advisory firm Allotrope Partners, one of the stakeholders of CEIA. Dr. Hang Dao shares the main reasons behind the project: “Apparel manufacturing is among the largest global energy consuming sectors: Emitting approximately 10 percent of all global carbon emissions. In Vietnam, the apparel sector accounted for 16% of the GDP in 2021.” The first steps in a transition towards solar power can be straightforward as many solutions already exist on the market, also in Vietnam. But as Supharat Torne explains, these solutions seldom cover more than 20 percent of the demand. “We aim to apply the relatively mature rooftop solar with technology areas that could help achieve 100% renewable energy, such as battery
PHOTO: DONG NHAT HUY
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The energy-intense apparel sector accounted for 16 percent of Vietnam’s GDP in 2021.
storage and on-site thermal operations.” At the same time, the goal is to cut costs for the manufacturers. The key logic behind this is collective procurement – if a group of factories invest and buy together, supported by the brands they produce for, the group will get better prices, share project management, and have more impact when discussing with authorities. The project is divided into three parts. In 2021, the team from CEIA worked with scoping and recruiting participants. Beside the brands, 10–20 of the Vietnamese manufacturers they work with were invited. Together they would form a group request for proposals directed to solar power providers. In the second part, which is ongoing at the time of writing, this procurement is implemented. The team also develops the methodology, tools, best practices etc. so that the project can be successful – and replicated together with other stakeholders. “In April, we published the request for proposals and invited a list of experienced and highly qualified solar vendors in Vietnam pre-vetted by CEIA and the buyer group. Pending qualified and competitive bids, this will also offer energy cost saving to the buyers,” shares Tung Ho from CEIA. In phase 3, scaling is the main focus. This involves sharing know-how and replicating the methodology and approaches with the goal to spread solar solutions across the textile supply chain in Vietnam as well as expanding to other manufacturing regions, suppliers, and brands.
Obstacles on the road
But what might seem like a “no-brainer” in theory, can always be more complex in reality. At the beginning, the CEIA team identified several major obstacles among the manufacturers: Limited tech-
nical and business expertise, a limited understanding of vendors and standard contractual issues, inadequate building structures and infrastructure for larger solar power solutions. Can the rooftop even support the construction load? Halfway through the project, David Ekelund from Icebug sees another obstacle: Business-as-usual. The company’s suppliers in Vietnam receive visits from the solar rooftop providers and then quotes and price estimates. The factory owners can choose to either invest themselves, or let the power company invest, with a long-term contract stating that the factory will buy its electricity for several years. “Even though this second alternative could cut their energy costs with 10–20 percent, the process has been slow.” David Ekelund points out that being in the wake of the pandemic is one factor that slows down decision-making, but also a pre-existing audit and sustainability project fatigue. “Brands ask manufacturers to spend time and resources and make a commitment that will last for years. Can they trust that we won’t move our business elsewhere next year? This adds up to business-as-usual seeming like a better solution.” David Ekelund believes that brands and suppliers must unite against this apathy and take what should be a “no-brainer” to the next level. “To build trust, brands need to make the same long-term commitments that they demand from suppliers,” he shares, before concluding: “At our main manufacturer, Icebug is responsible for around 20 percent of the production. If all the brands producing there would be ready to invest time and resources, that would send an even clearer message.”
SUPHARAT THORNE Deputy Director, Allotrope Partners
TUNG HO
Co-Lead, Clean Energy Investment Accelerator (CEIA)
CLIMATE ACTION
RETAILERS UNITE TO DECARBONIZE How can retailers minimize their carbon footprints? By walking together and supporting the brands that are leading the way, says the pan-European retailer network ORCC. BY GABRIEL ARTHUR
MATTHIAS GEBHARD CEO, Bergfreunde
MELANIE GRÜNWALD Head of Sustainability, Yonderland
I
n the spring of 2021, Matthias Gebhard, CEO of the mountain-sports retailer Bergfreunde, had an informal discussion about sustainability with Bergzeit’s CEO Martin Stolzenberger, another well-known retailer in the same arena. They both agreed: why not join forces on climate action by making a pledge together and inviting more retailers to join? “Martin and I knew that our companies are sharing similar strategies and challenges in the different scopes of our operations. And we agreed that the only way to reach our long-term goals was to choose the right suppliers to work together with. Because in a retailer’s supply chain, the vast majority of emissions stem from the products.” At the same time, they recognized that many brands were getting overloaded with administrative tasks as retailers demand more and more data and information about sustainability performance. “If we would collaborate and set common goals and standards, both us retailers and our suppliers would save a lot of time and resources.” Afterwards, they began reaching out through their personal networks and addressed top management. Who else might be interested in this project, with the working title Outdoor Retailer Climate Commitment? “If you can establish such an idea on the CEO-level, you will get results. And even though we are tough competitors, we respect and trust each other. The next step was to involve the sustainability experts to start laying out the plans.” “It was like an immediate snowball-effect. Very soon, we were five companies, with branches in around ten countries and sales in even more through our online shops.”
From five to ten participants
Melanie Grünwald, Head of Sustainability at Yon-
derland since January 2021, was one of these experts. Among consumers, the name Yonderland is not very familiar, but the retailers under this company’s banner are: The well-known retailers Bever in the Netherlands, Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need in the United Kingdom and Ireland and A.S. Adventure and Juttu in Belgium, France and Luxemburg. In total, there are nearly 200 stores under Yonderland’s umbrella. When the company received the invitation, the timing was perfect, Melanie Grünwald recalls. “Our company was in the process of assessing scope 1 and 2 together with our sustainability consultants. We had set our long-term goals, aiming at carbon neutrality by 2025 for Scope 1 and Scope 2 and to meet the Paris Agreement for all scopes by 2030,” says Melanie Grünwald and continues: “Making a public statement together with other large retailers in our industry would give credibility to our targets and provide accountability for everyone involved.” The retailers Internet Stores and Sportler also joined. In spring 2022, five more European companies came onboard (see fact box). “Other retailers are also interested, which is great. But first we need to get more structure. We are thus far a grassroots organization without any administrative layer. And it is important to remember that ORCC is not a consumer or marketing initiative – we want to create change within the industry,” explains Matthias Gebhard.
The next steps
Matthias Gebhard and Melanie Grünwald explain that each member of ORCC needs to do their homework. To change to renewable energy, switch to LED lightning, phase out single use plastics, put solar panels on the rooftops, support bike
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commuting, investigate better solutions for air conditioning etc. “We are not starting from the same point, some of us have worked with this for many years, and others have just started. How each member company will act is individual – but we can hopefully share best practices, avoid pitfalls, and learn from each other,” says Matthias Gerber. However, the biggest leverage will be if the ORCC retailers can align with the major brands the group is working with. “Even though we at Yonderland still don’t have any exact numbers of the greenhouse emissions in our supply chain, we estimate that 60-70 percent of our total footprint comes from the products we buy and sell,” says Melanie Grünwald. “Yes, we absolutely need to get the brands onboard. You must remember that we are not a cartel, and we are not legally allowed to jointly demand anything from our vendors. But we can give them the certainty that a group of retailers are going in the same direction, and will support them on their decarbonization journey,” explains Matthias Gerber. It is only a matter of time before retailers start to take the carbon emissions from their brands and products into consideration, Melanie Grünwald shares. “That is our scope 3, and we have committed to address it. Within Yonderland, it could be that we will set carbon budgets for our buyers, as a way to reach our climate goals. Then our buyers will need such data from our suppliers. And we will be able to identify where our hotspots are and how to avoid them.” “At the same time, with more knowledge about the products, we can also reward the ones that perform best, for instance through our sustainability label Our Planet.”
Matthias Gerber says that so far, most brands have reacted positively to the ORCC initiative. “Many of course already have their climate strategies – and now they can be sure that we support them. Because of course, economic viability is an important aspect of climate action; as a company, you have to cover the costs.” “But the beauty of it is that climate action can lead to better finances. Who wants to spend money on shipping boxes full of air and a tiny product shipped across the world? The first 20–30 percent of CO2 reductions are usually quite cheap – or even save money!” Melanie Grünwald also points out another group that has reacted positively to the ORCC: The employees. “Our employees want to work for a company that takes its sustainability responsibilities seriously and has a clear path to improve on them.”
OUTDOOR RETAILER CLIMATE COMMITMENT (ORCC) Member companies Bergfreunde.de Bergzeit Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports Engelhorn Internet Stores Schuster Sport Conrad Sportler Sportpursuit Yonderland suston – 43
LEADERSHIP
Waves of Activism The temperature is rising – more and more people in the outdoor community choose to take a stand. Cira Riedel from Suston’s collaboration partner Greenroom Voice shares how an activist camp changed her vision of the ocean and what needs to be done. BY CIRA RIEDEL PHOTO LIAN VAN LEEUWEN / @SALTLAKE_LIAN
A
CIRA RIEDEL
Co-founder, Greenroom Voice
ctivism used to scare me… It felt so dangerous, unbalanced, and wild. Like the 21-year-old woman trying to stop on oil-tanker with her kayak. I admit feeling indebted to activism after having worked in the field of sustainability for a decade, as it is the activists who point out what needs to change in society. But I also must admit having felt overwhelmed and alarmed by the crazy lunatics chaining themselves to trees. The activists I met at the Patagonia Surf Impact Camp, however, were not what I expected. They were deeply touching, gentle, sophisticated, and so full of passion and energy. It would take me a full week to come down to earth after having shared the same space with them for only three days. On the initiative of Gabriel Davis, former surf pro out of the UK and now Patagonia’s Ocean Marketing Manager, Patagonia initiated this camp to support initiatives that want to create a positive impact in and by the surf community. The main focus is addressing preservation and protection of the ocean, as well as the concerns about toxic ingredients used in wetsuits. The camp was held at Ocean Shelter, a private campsite in the southwest of France known for its powerful and consistent beach-breaks. About thirty people attended the camp from different mainly UK-based NGOs, some representatives from surf brands, retailers, surf media, artists and of course activists. I slowly realize that it is these kinds of people I owe the future of my kids to. These people who actually do what needs to be done. People who
heal nature, who take their gloves off, who make it their daily business to do what we should all be doing, paying the due respect to the planet that provides for us like a loving mother.
Eye-opening experiences
Time is the only resource in our direct experience we cannot reproduce. Every hour we spend is a way of expressing what is important to us. A life spent to give future generations a chance to survive is a lifetime well-invested from my point of view. Some of the people we follow during these days spend hours under water on a daily basis, wandering through seagrass meadows, studying kelp, learning, and teaching about the fragile balance of life, always amazed at the capacity of regeneration of nature, if we just “left it alone…” I reflect on my time shared with marine biologist Raquel Gaspar from Ocean Alive, who spent 20 years with dolphins and 15 years gliding through seagrass. She would close her eyes, move and dance with the currents like one of the plants while speaking to us. She would then grow roots deep into the seabed, which store carbon thirty times faster than any forest can. Being next to her is like meeting a mermaid. Raquel teaches us that one acre of seagrass provides oxygen for about 180 people a year and can cleanse sewage for approximately 200 people a year. Seagrass also provides a sanctuary for about a quarter of all species of fish and it reduces 50% of the pathogens in the water. Can we really afford to lose it? Remember: If we did, the carbon stored in the seabed would
Activists, journalists, and industry leaders gathered for the future of our coasts.
PATAGONIA SURF IMPACT CAMP The get-together in spring 2022 was a first edition of what will hopefully go down in history as the initiation of great change within the surf industry. “We wanted the group to be small enough so open conversations could happen, but large enough that it carried strength and a potential to make real impact. The group will hopefully maintain momentum around the key projects, or act as a supportive space for ideas, collaborations or future campaigns,” says Gabriel Davies, the initiator of the Surf Impact Camp.
RETAIL
Dr. Raquel Gaspar is a marine biologist and co-founder of Ocean Alive.
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surface and transform a formidable carbon sink into a gigantic carbon emitter. Then there was the soft-spoken, surfing environmentalist Dan Crockett at the Blue Marine Foundation. Dan holds an extensive knowledge of high-level Blue Carbon topics as well as a portfolio of local and global restoration and research projects, together raising millions for the regeneration of the ocean. Just listening to him made me feel like I was on a dive into the world beneath the surface, drinking in the knowledge that will help me to survive as a human. On a scale of one for dead and ten for alive, the ocean (there is actually only one) is on a four. And what about Hugo Tagholm, who managed to create a career from cleaning up the ocean with Surfers Against Sewage. Shaking hands with royals and the “establishment” one day and marginalized grass roots activists the next, he overcomes imagined boundaries to make true change happen. Before it was the activists who scared me, now it’s the people who don’t act that scare me more. This experience leaves me humbled and deeply grateful for the heroes that are actually out there saving future generations.
NGO ATTENDEES AT THE CAMP Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) is a prolific non-profit environmental organization based in the UK. Hugo Tagholm was the keynote speaker. sas.org.uk Blue Marine Foundation is a UK-based marine conservation charity that is dedicated to restoring ocean health by addressing overfishing and the destruction of biodiversity. Dan Crockett supports its project development and directs projects on the high seas and within national marine parks. bluemarinefoundation.com Ocean Alive is an NGO working to support the “keepers of the sea” who are protecting the fragile saltwater Sado Estuary ecosystem and its seagrass meadows. Raquel Gaspar is co-founder of Ocean Alive. ocean-alive.org
SPONSORED CONTENT PARTNER: MYCLIMATE
CO2 – Offsetting Beats Reduction?
While most companies in the outdoor industry welcome CO2 reduction measures, voluntary carbon offsetting still receives criticism. Yet, it perfectly complements a holistic climate protection strategy as an immediate measure.
T
he key to sustainable success in business is to implement a thorough examination of the existing situation. Calculating the corporate CO₂ balance, analysis of current measures, and capacity building about the statutory framework, competitive environment, and the risks of climate change on business models: This all creates the foundation of active corporate sustainable engagement. Companies can develop their climate strategy based on their carbon footprint inspired by the competitive landscape. As a result, the implementation allows them to discover and harvest the
“low-hanging fruits” and put everything in motion to reach their mid- and longterm goals or even a net-zero claim. As part of the overall process, many companies are offering voluntary CO2 compensation, thus making individual products, product lines, or the entire company climate neutral.
One strategy among many
Hardly any other instrument in the fight against climate change is subject to such intense criticism, sometimes even labelled as greenwashing. It would be justified if CO2 compensation is the only pillar of a company’s climate protection
strategy. But, such blatant greenwashing is virtually non-existent today. The desired advertising advantage is disproportionate to the direct costs incurred and, above all, the risk to one’s reputation. Instead, compensation, i.e. the offsetting of specific CO2 emissions by supporting effective climate protection projects, serves as an instrument to calculate the actual costs of a product, bring them into one’s sphere of responsibility, and not burden the customer. Offsetting is not suitable as a standalone miracle weapon for corporate climate protection. It is only effective in line with strategic plans and implementation to reduce the product or company footprint. However, offsetting projects have one significant advantage: their immediate effect. In the case of mitigation projects - i.e. reducing emissions via more efficient technologies, for example - the certified offset usually takes place within two years. In the case of nature-based carbon capture projects, the time horizon extends up to ten years. Yet the captured CO2 has a long-term effect. Therefore, a commitment to offsetting is fundamental because it tackles the time issue in global climate protection roadmaps. It is illusory to believe that we will meet our reduction goals by cutting our emissions massively within a decade or two as if by magic. On the contrary, we are in a long-distance race, and the more consistently we tackle it, the faster we will reach our goal. Myclimate advises companies on climate protection strategies. The focus is on the analysis and identification of reduction potentials. However, as a pioneer in voluntary carbon offsetting, we offer this effective instrument to round off corporate climate protection engagements.
COME FIND US Visit us at ISPO Sustainability HUB in Atrium 4 at MOC (Munich Order Center) and learn more about CO₂-footprinting, climate-neutral products and services, SBTi consultancy IT solutions, resource management, and carbon offsetting.
OutDoor by ISPO: Atrium 4 at MOC myclimate.org suston – 47
ISPO Munich 2022. Most relevant than ever.
Messe München
November 28–30, 2022
ispo.com/munich
Let’s Meet in Munich! ISPO Munich, along with a range of analog and digital services under the ISPO brand, is the world’s leading sports network for business professionals and consumer experts. We ask four key players why ISPO Munich is important for the industry and for a more sustainable outdoor community.
TOBIAS GRÖBER, HEAD OF ISPO GROUP In what ways do you see ISPO Munich as an international changemaker?
As a global platform, we will not only focus on product innovation and trends but dedicate more space and time to the bigger sports picture and the power that lies within. Especially in context with topics like sustainability, diversity, culture, digitalization, and society, we will drive the change in the industry to a completely new business model.
LENA HAUSHOFER, PROJECT DIRECTOR, ISPO MUNICH & OUTDOOR BY ISPO How will the sustainability theme be a crucial part of the event?
At ISPO Munich 2022, brands will present their expanded product range, which pays off on the trend theme of sustainability. The mutual exchange after so many years is that it’s important to move forward together. Because the future of outdoor sports lies with us, and regenerative value creation and sustainable business is one of our top topics.
DAVID NORDBLAD, GENERAL SECRETARY, SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR GROUP What can we expect from the Nordic brands at the upcoming trade show in Munich?
Many of the Nordic brands have sustainability integrated in their company DNA. This has been clear among many of our exhibitors in the Scandinavian Village at ISPO Munich over the years – and I am confident it will be even more so in November 2022. Together, the Scandinavian Outdoor Group wants to push the boundaries for our industry.
ARNE STRATE, GENERAL SECRETARY, EUROPEAN OUTDOOR GROUP How are the outdoor trade shows in Munich key players when it comes to sustainability?
OutDoor by ISPO was the first trade show in Munich that initiated a sustainability strategy. Today, becoming CO2 neutral by 2030 is one of the main goals of Messe München. Also, the Sustainability Hub with inspiration, know-how and networking – along with EOG’s extensive programme and the conference part – are all tools to help the sector move forward.
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EVENT CALENDAR
Sustainability Events at Outdoor by ISPO Meet the experts, join the discussions, and learn the latest in outdoor industry sustainability!
Programme Officer, Open Apparel Registry The Open Apparel Registry (OAR) is a free, open data tool mapping garment facilities worldwide and allocating a unique ID to each. Join us to learn how outdoor brands are benefitting from disclosing their supply chain data on the OAR, and how the EOG plans to use the OAR in its upcoming work.
12:30 – 13:30
PFAS Movement - Nature Needs No More Hazards
Location: Room F106
SUNDAY, JUNE 12 16:00 – 17:30
EOG CSR and Sustainability Social
Location: EOG Booth
Join us for a long overdue catch up to get the show started.
MONDAY, JUNE 13 7:30 – 9:00
Hohenstein Group OEKO-TEX® shares how its tools for management and communication of safety and sustainability efforts work together for traceability, transparency and cost reduction along the textile and leather supply chains. Synthetic Fiber & Materials Strategy at Textile Exchange
Location: Room F106
The Industry Breakfast presents a way for the industry to think about how to successfully operate in the future. We will show case studies of how this can be achieved successfully, while enhancing your business.
9:30 – 10:30
11:30 – 12:30
Location: Forest & River Tent
Impact Calculator and EcoPassport from Oeko-Tex
Location: Room F106
Speakers: John Murphy, Technical Directory Europe,
TUESDAY, JUNE 14
09:30 – 10:30
Higg Tools for Sporting Equipment Location: Room F106 Join the EOG, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Leadership and Sustainability to hear how they have been working together and with brands and retailers from the hard goods sector to develop the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) to better function and support sporting goods facilities who wish to use the Higg FEM. Hear how they have developed the ’How to Higg’ Guide and how they are currently working on the FEM 4.0 to ensure it specifically supports sporting equipment manufacturers, their processes and materials.
10:30 – 11:30
Speakers: Dr. Kate Riley, Fiber & Materials Strategy Lead: Synthetics, Textile Exchange Textile Exchange will share an update on its new Fiber and Materials Strategy for Synthetics, together with ambitious shortterm and long-term goals as we work towards achieving the 45% GHG reduction goal by 2030.
EOG Industry Breakfast
Speakers: Josephone Källström, Jonatan Kleimark, Chemsec Get up to speed on PFAS, how to identify them in your products, what to substitute them with, and receive a timeline for all upcoming legislation.
ranging affects these events have on the human rights and what the sector can do to address the workers affected.
Transparency in the Supply Chain using the Open Apparel Registry
Location: Room F106
Speakers: Katie Shaw, Chief
09:30 – 10:30
Heightened Human Rights Due Diligence – An Insight into Current Risks Location: Conference Room K3 Speakers: Mariette van Amstel, Head of Membership, Fair Wear Foundation There are several conflicts that are having a direct impact on the people working in the outdoor industry’s supply chain, in particularly in Ukraine and Myanmar. The European Outdoor Group invites Fair Wear Foundation to give an overview of ‘heightened human rights due diligence’ with the aim of building awareness and understanding of the wide-
Sign up for the Suston Monthly!
Besides the Summer and Winter print issues of Suston Magazine, we also publish one of the most popular newsletters within the outdoor industry: The Suston Monthly. Each month, you will receive our stories, knowhow, inspiration, as well as best practices from our Suston Partners. Sign up and read more articles and guides at: sustonmagazine.com
13:30 – 14:30
Textile to Textile Recycling with the Accelerating Circularity Project Location: Room F106 Speakers: Petra Schweiger, Programme Manager Europe, Accelerating Circularity Accelerating Circularity aims to establish systems that will use the embedded value and resources in existing textiles for new products, reducing the millions of tons of textile waste annually going into landfills and thereby supporting the reduction of the industry’s GHG emissions. Join to hear hear more.
WINTER ISSUE: Welcome Hard Goods, Community Heroes & much more. Published before ISPO Munich
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Our new Rise Collection of drinkware represents the high-end intersection of sustainability, design, and durability. Inspired by the desire to elevate the look, feel and function of reusable drinkware, the collection is styled for everything from entertaining in your space to busy days on the move. Learn more at kleankanteen.com