Outdoor Insight

STRATEGY Being sustainable doesn't happen in a year…and if you haven't started, make 2019 the year, because you are behind." This is according to Amy Horton, senior director of sustainable business innovation for the Outdoor Industry Association, which prides itself as a resource for brands looking to set goals, measure impact and take action. OIA offers boot camps, working groups, white papers and networking opportunities for outdoor firms working toward a common goal of saving the earth. "Although we, as a group, may not have the largest footprint, we have a lot at stake," she says. When it comes to transparency, large firms like Patagonia are often seen as the leaders. For the smaller guys – of which there are a lot – digging in can be daunting. Horton's advice is to take one step at a time. "Start with what you know," she says, "maybe change a material to recycled content." Astral recently began experimenting with hemp in its footwear (hemp relies on rainfall and does not require fertilizers or pesticides). It's been beneficial to the bottom line. "Our hemp line has only been out a few weeks and we're seeing signs of a home run," notes Christie Dobson, VP of sales and marketing at Astral. Sustainability can be a journey. Tom Williamson, VP of sales and marketing for Aventura and Ecoths ("eco" + "ethos") learned along the way that "it's okay not to be 100 percent before you start telling customers about your sustainable efforts." When the Aventura line launched in 2006, 18 percent of the clothing was made with organic cotton. Today, over 75 percent of styles are made with low impact or sustainable materials. For 2019, the brand has increased use of 100 percent Lenzing Modal in tops and dresses. The pieces are produced in Fair Trade Certified factories. Since 2018, all of Nemo's down sleeping bags use Responsible Down Standard down with PFC- free DWR. The brand's Fillo HQ travel pillow uses repurposed foam from its sleeping pad line. "Our goal is to decrease our impact and increase our business value," says Nemo Equipment VP of marketing, Kate Paine. Accountability There are several layers of eco-accountability for materials, products, components and the overall supply chain. Is it good for the planet? Is it good for the people? Does the product perform and is it durable? Are efforts measurable? One of the most exciting initiatives for Black Diamond "surrounds the ability to create superior sustainability outcomes and increase performance/ product longevity at the same time," says Trent Bush, VP of apparel for the brand. In using Green Theme Technologies' Breathable Water Protection DWR, "we not only create substantially better performance in wet climates, the hyper infused super hydrophobic treatment is natural hydrocarbon based (as opposed to PFC-based) and permanent," Bush says. The user never needs to wash in additional chemistry to recharge performance. At Klean Kanteen, the company "has never and will never make a product that does not address an environmental problem and offer a solution," says Danielle Cresswell, senior sustainability manager. The firm's new TKWide (Thermal Kanteen) Closure System increases thermal performance and helps keep single-use plastic out of oceans. Brand team members are making actions measurable through extensive research, attending Sustainability Working Group Sessions and BizNGO meetings, reading the Guide to Safer Chemicals and through third party assessment tools like B Impact Assessment and Higg Index. With relevant issues identified, metrics developed and methods for measuring performance, "now we can start setting numeric targets in areas where we have been mindful but not in a position to know the measured impact of one option compared to another. Being able to show that to staff makes it real and gets people excited," Cresswell says. Maintaining a set of clear, transparent sustainability standards and being audited against them by an independent third party is key, says Nikwax's VP of marketing, Heidi Allen. Nikwax is REACH compliant, has developed its own Restricted Substance List that it is audited against, implemented Higg and is investigating several eco certifications. Every Nikwax product is biodegradable, contains no PFCs, VOCs, phosphates, uses no aerosols and are not tested on animals. "As members of the outdoor industry, we absolutely must do our part to conserve the natural environment we all love and need for our businesses to be successful," concludes Allen. l SUSTAINABILITY 2019 B Y S U Z A N N E B L E C H E R H A V I N G A C O U P L E O F E C O - F R I E N D L Y P R O D U C T S I N T H E P O R T F O L I O I S N O L O N G E R E N O U G H . S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y T O D A Y R E Q U I R E S A N O R G A N I Z E D , O V E R A R C H I N G S T R A T E G Y . June 2019 • Outdoor Insight • 31 outdoorinsightmag.com

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