The Great Outdoors: OUTDOOR GEAR
Ahh, the great outdoors. That bastion of bugs, bites, and restless nights in cramped tents. Hardly my favorite activity, but still, I like to think of myself as an intrepid adventurer who's always prepared to spend months in the wilderness equipped with the ultimate in high-performance gear. Luckily, the outdoor industry has made supreme eco-advances. Many manufacturers of recreational products are ahead of the curve when it comes to creating goods that respect nature and running businesses that leave a minimal environmental footprint. It makes sense: the majority of people drawn to work at outdoor companies are nature enthusiasts themselves, and many of the CEOs and founders are outdoor legends and preservation pioneers.
There is perhaps no greater eco rock star than Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia. Not only has he single-handedly (actually he used both hands) scaled the imposing rock faces of Yosemite National Park, Chouinard has also succeeded in creating outdoor eco-performance gear that lives up to its promise to keep you warmer, cooler, and drier. And it all starts with plastic soda bottles. Since 1993, the company has been making top-quality fleece garments out of recycled soda bottles through a process that melts the plastic down into pellets, transforms them into yarn, and spins the yarn into a polyester fabric. It's not just a few bottles here and there, but 86 million that have successfully been kept out of the trash heap. Through continuous innovation, Patagonia now combines recycled soda bottles with unusable fabrics and worn-out garments to create polyester fibers that are used for fleece clothing, Capilene—Patagonia's signature moisture-wicking polyester fabric—base layers, shell jackets, and board shorts.
Upping the eco-ante further, when cotton is called for, Patagonia relies exclusively upon certified organic cotton for its men's, women's, and kids' clothing, so no toxic pesticides or insecticides need to touch your skin. The company has also created the world's first customer-garment recycling program. Drop off your used Patagonia Capilene base layers at any Patagonia store or mail them into the company's service center, and Patagonia will break down the fabric, give it a good scrubbing, and integrate the material into new garments. Sure, the program would be more appealing if customers received store credit for the materials they gave back to Patagonia, but it's a good start and an exciting example of how companies can create continuous product life cycles that limit the need for more raw materials.
For outdoor adventurers who depend upon rugged high-performance footwear to ascend tall peaks, and for those adventurers who depend on stylish oxfords to climb corporate ladders, Timberland offers quality eco-aware options. To advance its company-wide commitment to a cleaner planet, Timberland has gone after the most noxious ingredients found in conventional footwear: the toxic solvents used to bind components together. Timberland has sought alternatives and hit upon high-performance, nontoxic, water-based adhesives. Timberland has found that shoes with healthier ingredients outperform their conventional counterparts. Additional eco-footwear innovations include the introduction of recycled rubber for rugged outer soles and eco-friendly SmartWool for thermal-regulating interior comfort.
Yet, where the environment is concerned, a shoe is not just a shoe. It's also a box. Every pair of shoes comes packaged in its own box. So making that shoe box out of eco-friendly materials is an important challenge, one that Timberland meets head-on. In 2006, the company began packaging all footwear in boxes made from 100 percent recycled cardboard accompanied by a "nutritional" label printed with soy-based inks that describes the company's environmental and community footprint.
Timberland's commitment to a cleaner planet also extends deep into its own operations. Timberland's European distribution center in the Netherlands is powered entirely by wind energy, waste steam, and small-scale hydro power. The company's manufacturing facility in the Dominican Republic draws power from wind and solar energy. And Timberland's product distribution center in California is powered by one of the fifty largest solar panel systems in the world, providing over 60 percent of the distribution center's energy needs and eliminating 480,000 pounds of annual carbon emissions.
Timberland is now rolling out the industry's first eco-labeling program to help consumers quickly understand and verify the eco-impact of its products. Green Index tags found on select Timberland items rate a product's eco-performance from zero to ten across three key categories: greenhouse gas emissions specific to the production of the product, chemicals and solvents used in the production of the product, and organic, renewable, and recycled materials used in the product itself. Green Index tags help consumers easily choose the most eco-aware products. Stay tuned as the rest of the industry follows Timberland's lead.
Okay, you've got your Timberlands for mountain climbing and your Patagonia clothing to keep you acclimated to the weather. Now you're ready to do whatever it is that people who enjoy camping do. For me, it's enough just to know that Mother Nature is out there, but for others who need the real thing, I suggest packing along an array of Freeplay Energy products for your campsite. Freeplay is a U.K.-based provider of radios, lanterns, and flashlights that have regenerative energy sources built right into them. With integrated solar panels and hand cranks, you never have to worry about dead batteries when trekking in the wilderness (though if you happen upon an electric outlet you can always recharge the internal batteries and run your Freeplay products using the AC adapter). The Freeplay Eyemax radio offers impressive sound quality in a sleek compact design that doubles as an LED flashlight. Leave it in the sun to charge up or turn the hand crank for thirty seconds to get thirty minutes of light and radio pleasure. The Freeplay Summit is a multiband global radio and alarm clock that offers the same self-sufficient energy technology as the Eyemax and when fully charged can play continuously for twenty hours. Other products like the Weather Band radio enable you to tune into AM/FM stations as well as seven NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) emergency weather broadcast channels. Factor in the integrated LED flashlight, and the Weatherband radio becomes a super-reliable product for both everyday and emergency use.
Let's say you're already an eco-enlightened adherent of Digital Convergence—the rapidly advancing technological trend enabling single electronic devices to perform multiple functions that formerly required multiple products. You depend upon an all-in-one gadget like the Palm Smartphone for GPS navigation, phone calls, emails, surfing the web, listening to MP3s, taking photos, and shooting videos. To keep your all-purpose gadget consistently charged and at the ready, turn to a Voltaic Systems backpack or attachable daypack. Voltaic Systems offers a line of bags that are embedded with solar panels and which feature a battery that stores the sun's energy. Each pack also comes with a wide assortment of plug tips that can be fitted to power virtually any handheld device. Sleekly designed and built to withstand harsh outdoor conditions, Voltaic Systems bags provide an elegant solution for powering up with nothing more than a bit of daylight. Convenient plug-charge-and-play capability is enabled with cords that are woven through the pack's shell, which makes charging up as easy as placing your cell phone or iPod inside the shoulder strap pouch. "This is wearable electronics—where the electronics are fully integrated in a seamless way," explains company founder Shayne McQuade. "You will see things like an LED charge indicator light integrated into the logo that it actually lights up when the panels are collecting the sun's energy. We're aiming for a full integration of textile and electronics." The Voltaic Systems line of backpacks, daypacks, and messenger bags are built with padding to protect laptops and other valuables, as well as plentiful pockets and storage compartments. A pack capable of powering a laptop is in the works.
Other portable solar power options include the line of Reware Juice backpacks, which are equipped with solar panels, and Reware Power Pockets—travel-size solar panels that are capable of delivering up to twelve watts of power—enough to power some small laptops—and can be easily folded and stowed away. When folded, Power Pockets measure only five inches wide by nine inches long and three-quarters of an inch thick, and weigh less than a pound, making them your convenient energy accessory. Or opt for a tent with solar panels like the Solar Intent, which is roomy enough to sleep up to six people. The Eclipse Intent comes with an LED light source and rechargeable batteries that can illuminate the tent's interior for up to eight hours when fully charged. It might not deliver enough light to comfortably read, but it will prevent you from stomping on your brother's head when heading out to relieve yourself in the middle of the night.
Should your outdoor adventure lead you to pristine mountain peaks where the air is crisp, the snow is deep, and the snowboarding is calling your name, then you will probably want to have an Arbor snowboard strapped to your boots. Makers of top-quality snowboards and skateboards, Arbor relies upon responsibly harvested wood and fast-growing bamboo to enhance the style and performance of its boards. The Arbor Mystic, for example, has been called the Mercedes-Benz of snowboards. This board is a radical performer thanks in large part to a bamboo-reinforced core that is both lightweight and durable. You can go for big air, and if you don't land it, your board will still be intact—even if your pride isn't.
Performance Wear
OF THE EARTH
Oftheearth.com
A company committed to eco-conscious performance wear, Of The Earth utilizes eco-aware fabrics like organic cotton, merino wool, cashmere, silk, linen, ramie, hemp, Tencel, soy, and bamboo in its apparel. The Of The Earth line is one of the most extensive eco-collections available for men and women.
PATAGONIA
Patagonia.com
Patagonia provides high-performance outdoor clothing for men, women, and children and has implemented some of the most forward-thinking eco-initiatives in the industry. Patagonia uses organic cotton and recycled PET in its clothing lines and has begun one of the industry's first garment recycling programs to transform used, worn-out clothing into spun materials for new garments. Patagonia is also now branching into eco-aware footwear.
PRANA
Prana.com
Prana believes that performance and design integrity should be mirrored by eco-integrity. The company integrates materials like organic cotton into its line and also offsets the carbon emissions of 250 of its national retailers through the purchase of renewable wind energy credits.
SAHALIE
Sahalie.com
Sahalie has been making outdoor performance wear for more than thirty years. The company integrates eco-innovative materials like bamboo and soy into clothing. Organic cotton is also prominently featured in many items.
SMARTWOOL
Smartwool.com
SmartWool is revolutionizing performance wear through its natural wool garments that are not only thermal regulating but also extremely comfortable. Founded by two ski instructors in New England, SmartWool makes base layers and mid-weight layers that will have you on the go in comfort and style.
TEKO SOCKS
Tekosocks.com
Teko's high-performance socks are made from a variety of eco-advanced materials like merino wool, organic cotton, recycled polyester, and ingeo—a material derived from corn. The warm, soft, non-slip socks are made in a North Carolina facility that offsets 100 percent of its energy use through the purchase of wind energy credits.
TIMBERLAND
Timberland.com
Timberland's company-wide environmental commitment starts with performance footwear that eliminates toxins and utilizes recycled and eco-aware materials. Timberland is also one of the world's largest purchasers of organic cotton. Many of its operational facilities are powered by renewable energy like solar energy.
Outdoor Gear
CLEAR BLUE HAWAII
Clearbluehawaii.com
When a waterproof pack is called for, check out Clear Blue Hawaii's stylish solar-paneled pack that will keep your gear dry and gadgets charged. Integrated solar panels enable you to charge your devices even while surrounded by water.
EUREKA SOLAR INTENT
Eurekatent.com
Roomy enough to sleep six people, the Solar Intent is equipped with flexible solar panels that power an LED light to illuminate the tent's interior and deliver up to eight hours of light when fully charged.
FREEPLAY ENERGY
Freeplayenergy.co.uk
Freeplay is a U.K.-based provider of radios, lanterns, and flashlights that are equipped with integrated, regenerative energy sources such as solar panels and hand cranks. With Freeplay products you never have to worry about dead batteries, which makes them great for the campsite and emergency situations.
REWARE
Rewarestore.com
Reware Juice bags integrate solar panels directly into backpacks and messenger bags. Some bags are made from recycled materials, creating quite possibly the most eco-friendly product in the world. Reware also offers Power Pockets—foldable, stowable solar panel kits that you can take along wherever your travels lead.
SIERRA STOVE
Zzstove.com
The tiny yet powerful Sierra Stove relies upon a small fan powered by a single AA battery to create a forced ventilation system that generates intense heat for cooking. Fuel the fire with twigs, bark, pinecones, and other small kindling and your meal will be prepared in short order. When collapsed, the Sierra Stove measures 5.5 inches by 3.5 inches and weighs just 2 pounds. Use rechargeable batteries for a fully eco-enlightened alfresco dining experience.
SOLIO
Solio.com
A sleek, ultra-portable solar power solution, the Solio fits in your pocket and fans out to reveal three solar panels that can charge your mobile gadgets when on the go.
VOLTAIC SYSTEMS
Voltaicsystems.com
Voltaic Systems offers quality-constructed backpacks and messenger bags that have solar panels and battery storage integrated directly into them. With your Voltaic pack you'll always have a power source with you.
Sporting Gear
ARBOR
Arborsports.com
Arbor designs and manufactures snowboards and skateboards for high performance thanks to innovative eco-aware materials like lightweight yet extremely sturdy bamboo. Arbor also makes clothing base layers using bamboo fabric, which naturally wicks moisture to keep body temperatures regulated while you're active.
BODY GLOVE
bodyglove.com
Body Glove, a leader in action sports wear, offers its ECO wetsuit, the first of its kind in the industry. The high-performance wetsuit is made of Body Glove's BIO-stretch rubber and ECO-flex materials that are stretchy yet non-petroleum based. Using healthier materials enables Body Glove to create a wetsuit that is nontoxic and requires only one-tenth the amount of energy to produce as standard petroleum-based wetsuits.
COMET SKATEBOARDS
Cometskateboards.com
Comet Skateboards produces high-quality skateboards using bamboo and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified woods—attesting that the wood is sourced through responsible forestry management practices—and treated with water-based, low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) finishes to avoid toxins. The skateboards are manufactured in a California factory powered entirely by solar energy.
KINGSWOOD SKIS
Kingswoodskis.com
The first modern-day, high-tech bamboo skis were handcrafted in New Zealand by Kingswood Skis—and today are shipped all over the globe. The skis feature cores made from engineered bamboo. Sure, it's an eco-aware choice, but the company was also inclined to use bamboo because it's extremely strong and shock-absorbing, ideal qualities for skis.
VENTURE SNOWBOARDS
Venturesnowboards.com
Venture handcrafts premium snowboards using only the finest materials available that also minimize the company's eco-footprint, such as FSC-certified woods for snowboard cores and hemp and organic cotton for top sheets. The company also offsets all of its energy usage through the purchase of wind energy credits.
Information/Education
OUTDOOR RETAILER
Outdoorretailer.com/or/about_us/green_steps.jsp
The Green Steps Program overseen by Outdoor Retailer provides a mechanism for outdoor industry companies to share their best environmental practices with one another. Outdoor Retailer organizes trade events for the outdoor industry and uses the proceeds of the Green Steps Program to purchase wind energy credits to offset energy used at those events. The program's website also enables consumers to quickly research eco-friendly companies and learn about their eco-initiatives.
