The winners of the ispo ECO Responsibility Awards 2010
Sustainable production and operation has become an important issue throughout the sporting goods industry. The presentation of the second ispo Eco Responsibility Awards not only focused on the ecological aspects of the products, the jury also examined the sustainability of the overall manufacturing concept. The entries were evaluated according to key ESPA criteria set by TU Munich in cooperation with internationally accredited experts. They include the following areas: logistics, production, eco-compatibility, application, company culture, and CSR.
The "Amaruq eco" is a series-production-ready concept ski
built on the “wood only” principle, and features an impressive percentage of
recycling materials. Völkl’s new touring ski is almost entirely produced from
FSC-certified wood sourced from local forests. A technical highlight is the
complete elimination of conventional fiberglass bracing. It was replaced by a special composition of various layers
of wood veneer – without compromising any of the skis functionality or
performance. The running surface of the "Amaruq eco" is made of
100% recycled surface components, so-called regranulate; the edges are made of
60% recycled steel. A unique feature of the AMARUQ eco’s production is how the
components are adhered: instead of using conventional epoxy the company uses a
bio-resin made from sustainable resources. Yet Völkl goes even a step further, the environmental aspect
does not stop with the ski but extends to the packaging: the AMARUQ eco is
delivered in a special bag made of bio-degradable natural fibers. Each
elaborately produced ski bears the mark “Made in Germany” on a plaque with embossed
serial number. The ski was designed as a sophisticated touring model with a
high degree of environmental awareness, and its dimensions position it between Freeride and alpine ski models. Jury
Statement: With the touring ski Amaruq Eco Völkl proves that sustainability and technical leadership are not exclusive.
The production at the Straubing factory satisfies the highest requirements on
the technical level as well as from an ecological point of view, and also
represents exemplary characteristics in terms of logistics, material selection,
energy supply, as well as company culture in the production of sports
equipment.
Atomic impressed the jury with its eco-friendly split board. The touring
snowboard is made with a poplar wood core and specially bonded ash wood. A
portion of the fiberglass content was replaced with layers of jute, which is
not only sustainable but also lighter. The design is applied with water-based
top-coat lacquer. It takes only three minutes to put the two board parts
together to form an agile Freeride board, able to keep up with the performance
of conventional snowboards. Jury
Statement: With top marks in all areas Atomic shows that
modern, highly functional sports equipment can be manufactured sustainably
without compromising on function or design. The well-thought-out overall
concept from logistics to CSR is a role model not only for the sporting goods industry.
The climbing rope "Kite" was developed for advanced athletic
requirements and conforms to the strict bluesign standard. The rope is also ultra-light, very supple and
features a small diameter. Jury
Statement: Edelrid, which is a part of Vaude, has
internalized its parent’s sustainability concept and offers impressive
solutions for the entire chain of production. Incidentally, the Kite rope is
proof of the ability of
sustainable products to more than match competing products in regards to
function and safety.
Pyua
will impress eco-conscious Freeriders with its jacket and pants combination
"Climate 2L Padded". Like all of the brand’s apparel the jacket and
pants are made exclusively from recycled material and are also fully
recyclable. The use of Sympatex membranes ensures the technical functionality.
All materials are produced without toxic poly-tetrafluorethylene, better known
as Teflon. The outfit features organic, rounded pattern, and Pyua’s color
selection of rather muted shades was inspired by nature. Jury
Statement: Pyua, still one of the
younger brands, continues to implement a consequent and targeted sustainability
concept. Consumers
can look forward to a fashionable product with an attractive look, guaranteeing
the highest level of functionality as well as skin tolerance thanks to the use
of PTFE-free Sympatex membrane, and the garments are fully recyclable.
The fleece jacket "W´s R3
HiLoft" is one of many eco-friendly products manufactured by the
Canadians: it is made almost entirely of recycled and recyclable
Polartec
materials. In addition, the light weight, warm jacket is bluesign
certified.
This means that the production process was evaluated to determine the
use of
resources, level of consumer protection, water and air pollution, and
working
conditions. The jury was not only impressed by the jacket , but also by
Patagonia’s long-time continuing, successful overall
concept. Jury Statement: For many years Patagonia has been
proof that a sustainable overall concept for the entire production chain is
feasible. The R3 HiLoft Jacket is no exception and impressed us with its high
degree of function, well-though-out design, and excellent solutions for
sustainable production.
Austrian textile manufacturer Lenzing Fibers distinguishes itself thanks
to an integral sustainability concept extending from raw materials, use of
resources, to electro mobility in company facilities. Representative of this
overall concept the jury presents the Eco Responsibility Award in the category
Fabrics & Fibers to the “Tencel” fiber. “Tencel” is made of Eucalyptus
cellulose and is used, for example, in t-shirts as an alternative to cotton.
The advantage of Eucalyptus is fast growth and low use of water and growing
space. Lenzing guarantees that the plants are grown without genetic engineering
and use of pesticides. Last but not least, the “Tencel” fiber is
bio-degradable, characteristic for genuine, eco-friendly bio-fibers. Jury Statement: Lenzing retains a leading position in the textile industry thanks to
its exceptional sustainability concept. The integral concept extends to all
evaluated segments, from raw materials, the use of resources to
electro-mobility in company facilities.
The winners of the ispo ECO Responsibility Awards 2009
Sustainability and environment have become more important than ever before. Therefore ispo winter purposely includes these critical topics and presents the first ever, independent ECO Responsibility Award. The jury consisting of experts from various industries, among them scientists from TU Munich, business consultants, journalists, as well as Peter Waeber of bluesign technologies, selected the most extraordinary product innovations.
Völkl’s touring ski Nanuq proves that sustainability does not preclude technical
leadership. In the Category Hardware
the ski convinced the jury not only thanks to its high level of performance but
also due to its eco-friendly manufacturing process. The company considerably
reduced the use of resins and other toxic materials. The evaluation for the ECO
Responsibility Award also included several other positive factors exhibited by
Völkl, such as logistics, material selection, and energy supply of sports
equipment.
In the Category Accessories the Swedish company Klättermusen applied a lot of love for
detail into their backpack GNA, a
comprehensive, sustainable concept with many benefits for the consumer. Old
fishing nets and worn carpeting was turned into a robust and versatile 35-liter
backpack, also featuring an integrated hard-shell laptop pocket. The product
awed the jury all the way from material selection to recycling.
The DLX series by Zimstern won the Category Textile and distinguished itself at the highest level in
technology, design, and sustainability. A multitude of features was integrated
into the jacket and pants. In order to guarantee water-resistance the seams
were finished and bonded extremely flat.
The consumer can look forward to a fashionable product with a trendy look, guaranteeing the highest level
of technical performance thanks to the use of PTFE-free Sympatex 10 µ membrane
while being highly eco-friendly and completely recyclable at the same time.
The first ski boot made from renewable resources by Atomic sets new standards and thus won the Category
Footwear. 80 % of the boot is made from renewable raw materials which are
also recyclable. With its ski boot Renu
Atomic demonstrates who complex products can be developed and produced on a
sustainable level with the help of state-of-the-art components. While
conventional ski boots are made of crude-oil-based plastics, this new boot
protects our fossil fuel resources. Atomic’s company culture proves its high
ecological competence and foresight.
