{"id":20210,"date":"2019-11-03T13:22:04","date_gmt":"2019-11-03T13:22:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/?p=20210"},"modified":"2021-01-19T13:36:44","modified_gmt":"2021-01-19T13:36:44","slug":"a-greener-gear-guide-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/a-greener-gear-guide-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"A Greener Gear Guide, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In the first part\nof a short series, David Lintern looks at choosing clothes and kit\nthat work for you, how to extend the life of your gear, plus some of\nthe eco-labelling to look out for when buying.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responding to questions from readers and followers, Walkhighlands have asked me to pen a few thoughts on \u2018green\u2019 outdoor clothing and equipment. I\u2019ve spent a good deal of time studying the issue over the last 3 years, and it\u2019s worth starting on a positive note: It has become easier to find out about the outdoor trade\u2019s environmental impact over that time. Brands have become more transparent (and consumers have helped them get there). The outdoor industry only comprises about 1% of the world\u2019s rag trade, but has made great strides recently to clean up its act, and as such arguably leads the way in more sustainable textile technologies. At this point, it\u2019s safe to stow a little of our cynicism; it\u2019s not all \u2018greenwash\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Behind the scenes at Braemar Mountain Sports – passionate independent outdoor specialists<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By the same token,\nwe haven\u2019t arrived at the finish line, not by a long way. The\noutdoor apparel business still has some dirty habits, but it\u2019s\nacknowledging and trying to do something about them. I\u2019ll aim to\ncover both the challenges and changes in more detail in later\narticles. Changes upstream – at design and manufacture – will always\nmake the biggest difference to our collective environmental\nfootprint, but before we go any further, I\u2019ll try to provide a few\npointers (with links at the end) to ways in which we consumers can\nlower our own impact. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First things first,\nwe had better address that enormous elephant in the room. Want, or\nNeed? Do I really<\/em> need that new jacket, sleeping bag, tent,\netc? We apparently own twice as much clothing as\nour parents did, yet a third of it isn\u2019t used regularly. Wear or\nuse any item for twice as long, and we reduce its environmental\nfootprint by half. All of us in the \u2018developed world\u2019 need to\ntake a long, hard look at just how much stuff we buy. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If\nI\u2019m honest, what I\u2019ve observed in myself in the past was\nsometimes about laziness, occasionally peer pressure, very often not\nknowing what I needed. The latest or lightest is often sold on a\npromise that often doesn\u2019t bear fruit\u2026 more often, any barriers\nto my further engagement in the outdoors are to do with time,\ncommitment or experience, none of which can be solved or salved by\nthrowing money at my perceived problem. The best money I\u2019ve ever\nspent on the outdoors is on courses \u2013 skills, not stuff. So, the\nfirst rule of being more sustainable is to be sceptical of claims\nthat the shiny new thing will change our lives (only we can do that),\nand more conscious of how marketing gets under our skin. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Inshriach – a reminder of why<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Use less \u2013 use the four R\u2019s<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before\nchoosing something newer (if not greener), there are other strategies\nto reduce our consumption: Recondition, Repair, Repurpose and\nRedistribute. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reconditioning\nsimply means taking better care of what we own to make it last\nlonger. Nikwax, Grangers and others offer a wide range of cleaning\nand reproofing products for everything from jackets, boots and tents\nto stinky running gear. Some of these can seem a bit expensive, but\nregular care slows down wear and tear, can bring tired items back to\nlife and so saves waste (and money) in the long run. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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reconditioning products – a very competitive market<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Similarly,\nour grandparent\u2019s sense of frugality and \u2018make do and mend\u2019 is\nalso back in vogue, with the advent of Patagonia\u2019s Worn Wear\nproject and Alpkit\u2019s in store workshops, both of which will fix\nzips and stitch rips in gear from any brand, not just their own. A\nfew cable clips, a Tyvek tape patch or a needle and some dental floss\ngoes a really long way in the field, but there are also companies who\nwill deep clean and repair kit if you cannot tackle it on your own\n(see footer). \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gear\nthat is past revitalising in these ways can be repurposed \u2013 remove\nbuckles to reuse on other kit, save fabric for future patch jobs, cut\ndown old sleeping mats into new sit mats, or the perennial favourite;\nredeploy old boots as funky flowerpots. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Don’t forget to floss your footwear! In field repair in the Pyrenees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lastly,\nif you didn\u2019t get the fit right and it still has some life in it,\ngear can often be donated to Mountain Rescue teams, outdoor education\ngroups, refugee camp projects or your local high street charity shop.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s\nalso a growing consignment market \u2013 companies that will resell your\nold kit for a small cut \u2013 my local one is a veritable gear cave\nstuffed full of bargains. Buying second hand is of course another\noption, whether from a consignment store, a FB group or online\nauction site. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\nsummary, it\u2019s a false economy to replace an item before you have\nexhausted all these options, even if you are doing so with something\nthat has an improved environmental specification \u2013 the carbon maths\njust doesn\u2019t add up. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tyvek tape, aka Tenacious Tape on a pair of waterproof toursers. A a staple in my field repair kit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fit for you, fit for purpose<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you still feel\nthe need to buy the shiny new thing, it helps to get informed. Having\nmade a bunch of schoolboy errors in the past, I\u2019m a firm believer\nin \u2018buy well, buy once\u2019\u2026 and if in doubt, ask! In Scotland,\nwe\u2019re blessed with some fantastic independent and specialist gear\nshops and some really good, smaller chains \u2013 I\u2019m thinking of Tiso\nand Craigdon Mountain Sports in particular \u2013 who won\u2019t hard or\nshort sell you because 1. They are staffed by outdoor people who are\nas a rule fairly chilled but knowledgeable souls 2. The shops are\nafter your loyalty, your repeat business. This is a generalisation,\nbut perhaps we\u2019re a little better at supporting our LBS (local bike\nshop) and a little guiltier of internet impulse buying for outdoor\ngear. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
At Craigdon Mountain Sports on the Edinburgh circular – one of the best small chains in the country<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When you are buying,\nuse that physical, high street resource. Boots and shoes always\nbenefit from a try on in store, but try to start with an idea of what\nyou will use the footwear for. Trail runners generally don\u2019t\nbenefit from a GTX liner, winter boots will (and no, I\u2019m not really\nsure what approach shoes are for in Scotland, either!). Are you\nwanting to fit a crampon to that boot, and if so which one\u2026 which\nin turn depends on what terrain you are out on, but also what you\nmight want to tackle in the next few years. Be realistic about those\nambitions, and put skills (and paying for them) into the mix. You may\nhave heard the phrase \u201cAll the gear and no idea.\u201d No-one wants to\nbe that person. It\u2019s also a waste of opportunity and resources we\ncan no longer afford. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitting footwear is\ndifficult, as nearly all of us have one foot that\u2019s a different\nsize or shape to the other. Do you have a wide forefoot and a narrow\nheel? Pronation? (that\u2019s not a political question.) A good fitter\nat the store should ask you the right questions and help you work all\nthis out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sgurr na Stri with a Hilleberg Soulo – not ultralight but built to last<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A what-to-look-for\nin a Hard Shell jacket might include: Is it long enough to cover your\nbum for more weather protection, or sit under a harness? Are the\npockets accessible when worn with a rucksack, or obstructed by the\nhipbelt? Are the arms long enough and articulated for good mobility?\nCan you get a mid-layer under it without feeling constricted? (Layers\nwork because they trap air, which then warms up. Tight layers don\u2019t\nallow as much air inbetween) Can the fasteners be operated with thick\ngloves on? Is the hood adjustable, will the adjusters whip you in the\nface in the wind, and does it have a stiffened visor and move with\nthe head when it\u2019s on your head? Are the seams and the quality of\nthe waterproof taping sound? Does it have reinforced shoulders to\nimprove durability under a backpack? Are you expecting a diaphanous\n100g running shell to provide full protection in a 100mph hoolie on\nthe Cairngorm plateau? (Spoiler: get something heavier!) A lot of\nthese things are about personal fit and use, and are best decided in\nthe flesh \u2013 you can\u2019t wave your arms around like a helicopter to\ntest the cut of the cloth if you only buy online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, remember\nthat all outdoor gear works best as part of a team with other items\nyou use \u2013 I\u2019ve found useful to take in my regular socks,\nrucksacks or mid layers to see how any new purchase might fit with my\nold favourites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
super durable Fjallraven kegs on enduro legs, above Glenfinnan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Note that these\nfactors are (mostly) aside from the materials used, which of course\ncan be more or less \u2018green\u2019. But attention to this does greatly\nreduce the risk of badly fitting kit, or stuff that doesn\u2019t suit\nyour type or level of activity, sitting in your cupboard. Buying the\nlowest carbon footprint jacket ever made and then never using it is\nabout as far from eco-friendly as it gets. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nI know some of you may be thinking: Can I get that item a bit cheaper\nonline? In some cases, yes, of course. But I think the added value of\nlooking and trying on in a store, with all that advice and experience\non tap, is worth paying a touch extra for. Besides, they\u2019re all\noutdoor folk \u2013 like us. We should<\/em> keep them in work. Genuine\nsustainability goes beyond the buzzword that made us cynical about\ngreenwash in the first place: it\u2019s about sustaining our own\ncommunities, as well as the environment at large. Still want a high\nstreet? Let\u2019s start by supporting our own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Creag Beag – another reminder of why<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Labels to look\nfor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What makes a product more \u2018sustainable\u2019? There\u2019s a mix of factors locked up in that new jacket; from the solvents used in waterproof membranes and laminates, the dyeing process and the impact of all these on water quality, whether the synthetics are recycled and whether the down is ethically sourced, the use of toxic perfluorinated chemicals (PFC\u2019s) in waterproof garments, working pay and conditions in the countries of both origin and production, the impacts of transportation, whether the item is made to last and recyclable at the end of its life\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\ntextile industry is truly global and components for garments will\noften be made across dozens of countries and multiple continents. The\noutdoor industry is attempting to track progress through this maze by\nusing social and environmental yardsticks, but as yet it\u2019s not a\nunified picture. There are some umbrella standards, and others run on\na business-by-business level, which can be more or less exacting and\nvary across brand collections. It\u2019s still pretty confusing for\nthose working in the trade, let alone the consumer! Without getting\ntoo bogged down in the detail at the moment, here\u2019s a brief guide\nto some of the more universal measures that also make their way onto\nhigh street labels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bluesign<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This is a reasonably exacting Swiss standard; in exchange for a fee, companies are independently audited, and a roadmap is offered for environmental improvements. It covers working conditions, raw materials, dye treatments, and waste by-products. Certain chemicals and production processes are either banned or can only be used within strict parameters. Particular attention is paid to water and air pollution resulting from manufacture, the aim being to reduce CO2 emissions and sewerage. There\u2019s also a health and safety component, so a bluesign logo shows that the people actually making the gear you wear should have worked in a non-dangerous facility, with tests for noise, chemicals and dust. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bluesign\nis not a panacea and so not everyone in the industry likes it (or\npaying for it!). To illustrate – at the moment, controls over\ncomponents like buckles and zips are much lower than for fabric. But\na bluesign label on clothing does show a brand is trying. It\u2019s been\nquite widely adopted, but Berghaus and Vaude are good examples of\nbrands with bluesign at the centre of their own in-house standards;\nlook for \u2018Madekind\u2019 and \u2018Greenshape\u2019 respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Global\nOrganic Textile Standard <\/strong>\n<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Brands\nthat use 70% or more organic materials in a product can be certified\nwith the GOTS label, which covers dyes and processing as well as\nsocial (workplace) criteria. You can look for their logo to help you\nguide a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responsible\nDown Standard<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The\nRDS label on clothing and sleeping bags shows that a brand is aiming\nto eliminate force feeding and live plucking of ducks and geese for\ninsulation, primarily in bedding (by far the bigger market), but also\nin outdoor gear like jackets and sleeping bags. Farms and slaughter\nhouses are audited and controls on how the birds are treated are put\nin place. After the early precedent set by Mountain Equipment and The\nNorth Face, many outdoor companies have now adopted RDS and will use\na logo. The exception to this is Fjallraven, who have their own,\nperhaps even more exacting standard. Control and monitoring of the\nup-supply chain is notoriously difficult, but if you are concerned\nabout animal welfare, an RDS tag is better than none.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fair Wear\nFoundation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Signatories\nare charged with avoiding forced or child labour, ensuring that their\nworkers are free to be part of a union, have healthy working\nconditions and reasonable hours, pay and contracts. Look for the\ncoat-hanger logo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To conclude (for\nnow), it\u2019s worth pointing out the growing practice of businesses\npublishing their environmental audits online. German brand Vaude and\nUS enviro\u2019 champions Patagonia are exceptionally transparent in\nthis regard, but others are following their lead and improving\nquickly. Once again, if in doubt about materials or eco-labelling, do\nan internet search on the brand\u2019s CSR pages or ask in your local\ngear shop. Ask which fabric has the lowest impact but still retains\nperformance, ask if the brand is signed up to Fair Wear and protects\nworker\u2019s rights. If enough of us show we are interested – in how\nthings are made, with what materials and at what environmental cost –\n then the message that good provenance pays can and will travel up\nthe line. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all companies\nare doing everything as yet, and not every retailer will know\neverything. Brands may lead on environmental product lines but it\u2019s\nprocesses that make the real difference, so a certain amount of\nreading between the lines is still useful! And there are sometimes\nuncomfortable compromises to be made, at both design\/production and\nconsumer ends. Price, durability, performance,\nethics as well as environmental footprint are all in the\nbalance\u2026 but now at least they are on the balance sheet as well.\nWe\u2019ll get into more of that next time. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Creagellachie, part of the (eco)system<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Handy links<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Repair and recondition:
https:\/\/www.scottishmountaingear.com\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.alpkit.com\/pages\/repair-station<\/a>
https:\/\/lancashiresportsrepairs.co.uk\/<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Redistribute or consign:
http:\/\/giftyourgear.com\/donate-outdoor-gear\/<\/a>
https:\/\/backcountry.scot\/adventure-consignment\/<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the first part of a short series, David Lintern looks at choosing clothes and kit that work for you, how to extend the life of your gear, plus some of the eco-labelling to look out for when buying. Responding to questions from readers and followers, Walkhighlands have asked me to pen a few thoughts on \u2018green\u2019 outdoor clothing and equipment. I\u2019ve spent a good deal of time studying the issue over the last 3 years, and it\u2019s worth starting on a positive note: It has become easier to find out about the outdoor trade\u2019s environmental impact over that time.…<\/span> <\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/div>\n

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