How hydrosystems work, water pollution, biodiversity, glacier melt ... Why should outdoor brands concern themselves with these topics? Quite simply, both the practice of many sports and the manufacture of outdoor sports equipment and textiles are not only dependent on water cycles, they also influence them.
In 2023, the sixth planetary boundary value for blue water, i.e. fresh water in lakes, rivers or glaciers, was exceeded. This means that the existence of glaciers worldwide is acutely endangered - with a corresponding impact on many winter sports regions. From 2025, however, something will change in Europe: due to mandatory environmental labelling for everyone, water data from brands and their suppliers must be calculated transparently. Fortunately, there are scientists, industrialists, athletes and explorers who are committed to the environment and are driving the measures forward.
Brands play a key role in informing people about the impact of their production methods and understanding the connection between different systems. At the same time, scientific evidence highlights the urgent need to address the risks of climate change. Melting ice caps and more frequent extreme weather events emphasize the importance of taking action to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
As early as 1975, polar researcher Paul Emile Victor warned of limited water resources with his "S EAU S" project. According to the Future Risks Report 2023 by the insurance company AXA™, climate change has been the number one risk for three years and only 13% of the experts surveyed believe that the public is fully aware of the effects of climate change. There is therefore a perception gap between the scientific community and the general public. To counteract this problem, the UNEP (United Nation Environment Program) offers and supports programs based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to a Quantis study the textile industry consumes an amount of fresh water equivalent to the volume of 86 million Olympic swimming pools every year, i.e. around 215,000 billion litres. Hydro engineer Charlène Descollonges explains: "Outdoor brands, like all textile industries, are heavily dependent on water resources, particularly in the production of raw materials, but also in processing - dilution, washing, heating, etc. - transportation and distribution. The brand Hoka brand, for example, has calculated a water footprint of 5,000 to 8,000 litres of water for a pair of trail running shoes. Textile production is very water-intensive and also requires land for the cultivation of cotton and other fibres."
The optimal response for the textile and outdoor sports industry would be a rigorous, cross-sector approach for the entire value chain. As well as providing tangible evidence of measurable impacts that can be presented to stakeholders. Public and private actors should continue to champion current global initiatives aimed at creating a framework that ensures access to reliable, robust, comparable and detailed data.
To accompany these steps and research, the non-profit organization China Water Risk (CWR), based in Hong Kong, advises brands on the water resources used and the environmental and social consequences. Their aim is to promote water sustainability and mitigate the risks associated with water scarcity or pollution. According to them, 4% of drinking water in China is used by the fashion industry. By 2030, the gap between water supply and demand is expected to be 40%. Based on international standards such as the IPCC report, CDP Water Disclosure or "The Science Based Targets Initiative" (SBTI), CWR carries out measurements at its suppliers as well as in its industry or during its production in Asia.
In addition, some labels or certifications fully incorporate the management and impact of water use into their assessment criteria. With Bcorp™, Bluesign™ or Fair Play For The Planet for example, this is the case. The latter is the very first environmentally friendly seal dedicated to sports clubs, venues and events. The FPFP label offers a holistic approach to tackling climate change and gives sports facilities the opportunity to improve their economic growth model while protecting the environment and people's well-being.
What happens if no action is taken? The result could be rising tensions over material and energy prices, including water, false messages to customers and a lack of understanding among the public. Ever stricter standards and conflicts with third parties are conceivable. The role of the associations, trade shows and NGOs concerned is also to contribute to agile, adaptable and scalable standards so that they can finance, organize and apply them to their entire value chain.
Charlène Descollonges: "People often put the cursor in the wrong place and imagine that eco-gestures are enough in times of drought. But we need an overall picture in order to take relevant and effective measures - both to stop the climate crisis and to slow down the water cycle. We have accelerated this through urbanization, intensive agriculture, canalization of rivers, deforestation or intensive timber cultivation."
In societies that pay little attention to this issue, there are also psycho-social risks and ecological fears that can slow down productivity and sales.
According to the European Union's CSRD Directive, companies with more than 500 employees and a turnover of 50 million euros must report on their sustainability activities more comprehensively and according to more uniform standards from this year onwards. The impact analysis will also include an assessment of the water resources used for production. The consequences of this water consumption - including pollution of the oceans, climate change or biodiversity - are part of the scopes for assessing the impact of the environment category. Thomas Buberl, CEO of AXA, writes in the Risk Report 2023: "The results of the survey draw the contours of a world in a polycrisis, where risks are now interconnected. Anticipating these risks helps us to protect ourselves from them and prepare for them more effectively so that the future does not pose a risk for us."
The water cycle inspires athletes, mountaineers, skiers and trail runners. This is exemplified by the film Aurora Riding North by Mathieu Crépel and Damien Castera, the brand ambassadors of Oxbow™ and Picture Organic™ respectively, who follow water from snowflake to wave. Outdoor athletes are directly connected to and involved in the preservation of the environment in which they practice their sport. International brand athletes are committing to ever stronger, science-backed decisions. "Outdoor sentinels" is the name chosen by the Lafuma™ brand to represent the community committed to protecting their adventure areas.
Picture Organic has surrounded itself with a strong family of ambassadors who are champions in snowboarding, skiing, mountain biking and surfing. Together with them, the brand funds and promotes documentaries to raise awareness and share stories of exploration and virtuous practices. In 2022, Cédric Gras and Matthieu Tordeur dedicated a film to the longest mountain glacier in the world, a forgotten glacier in Tajikistan: the Fedchenko. At Salomon, the Mountain Academy program raises awareness through experience. In the film "Will a ski resort without ski lifts change the sport?" shows a freer and less intrusive practice of skiing in the Hankin Evelyn area of British Columbia.
These works are intended to sensitize us to the fragility of the world. In the Pyrenees, the Vinhamala glacier will be one of the half of the mountain glaciers that will disappear in the next few decades. "Guardians of the Climate" is the title of the latest book by Dr. Heïdi Sevestre, a glaciologist, documentary filmmaker and researcher specializing in glaciers and polar research and a member of the Secretariat of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme. In her film "Heïdi's ice, en arctique avec une glaciologue", she observes the retreat of glaciers in the Arctic. With optimism and realism, she is committed to conveying warning messages to companies, institutions and the general public to engage them in an educational way. They are equally inspiring to develop the imagination internally and to convey messages to outdoor sports enthusiasts.
There are numerous associations that outdoor brands can partner with for education or to support scientific observations and research: Mountain Wilderness, Protect Our Winters, Fondation Eau, Neige ] Ice Cream, Water Family, Surfrider Foundation Europe, Under The Pole. When it comes to communication and marketing, it is crucial for a brand to anticipate its impact and leverage its content. For example, through a compelling narrative that connects the key offerings, the functional and emotional benefits, and the role of the brand with biodiversity and the users of the products. Presented in an appealing, authentic way.
If the polar regions are already severely affected, will we also see Europe's glaciers disappear? Outdoor brands face the major challenge of remaining desirable by innovating with less harmful products. The challenge is to preserve the playgrounds in order to benefit from our environment instead of depleting it. This is also the task of the regenerative company. After all, the mountains remain one of the few playgrounds where responsibility and freedom coexist, and that is the message of many explorers. The best response may be to advocate for greater transparency and develop rigorous cross-cutting standards, as demanded by public and private actors who maintain their commitment to ongoing global initiatives. To create a framework that ensures access to reliable, robust, comparable and detailed data while advocating for coherence between different standards and laws.
When people talked about recycled polyester in recent years, they mainly meant recycled PET, which is obtained from plastic bottles and recycled into textile fibers. For a long time, this so-called rPET was considered a good and more sustainable alternative to new polyester. But this is gradually changing. Legislators and consumers are increasingly demanding genuine textile recycling. What is the current situation regarding recycled polyester and why is the issue so important?
Today's booth: Polyester is the most important textile fiber in the world
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Polyester, or PET to be precise, is the most widely produced textile fiber in the world. Over the past 20 years, polyester has overtaken cotton fibers, which had topped the list of the most important textile fibers for many decades. Today, more than half of all textile fibers produced are made of polyester. Accordingly, polyester production has risen from 33 to 109 million tons since 1975. According to Textile Exchange, this figure is set to rise to 147 million tons by 2030. In terms of total fiber production, the share of polyester has grown particularly rapidly, while other fibers such as cotton, polyamide and wool have remained relatively constant in comparison.
This steep polyester curve not only illustrates the unprecedented success story of polyester, but also the dramatic increase in overall textile production over the past 50 years. And what was once newly produced has to be disposed of at some point, in ever faster cycles in view of current fast-fashion consumption habits. Because resources are finite and we want to say goodbye to the crude oil from which polyester is made, it made perfect sense to look for recycling solutions specifically for polyester. After all, it takes several centuries to biodegrade and is therefore slowly but surely littering our planet.
"Switching from virgin PET to rPET was relatively easy and did not pose any major difficulties for the textile industry," explains René Bethmann, material specialist and Senior Innovation Manager at Vaude, during his presentation at the Performance Days in March 2024. The production of rPET from plastic bottles has also risen sharply in recent years and accounted for 14 percent of the total polyester market in 2022. This was made possible because unmixed plastic bottles are easy to recycle without any loss of quality, in contrast to the fiber mishmash of used textiles. This is a key aspect in understanding the success of rPET made from plastic bottles.
In 1993, the US fleece specialist Polartec was the first company to use a polyester made from recycled plastic bottles instead of virgin polyester to produce fleece. Like the PET bottles themselves, the first fleece was green, 'soda bottle green' to be precise. Since then, more and more brands in the sports and outdoor industry have switched to recycled polyester or want to achieve this goal by 2030 at the latest.
Just one percent of global rPET is currently obtained from old fibers, 99 percent comes from plastic bottles. That is far too little. This is why there are now growing concerns about this practice. Brands such as Ortovox have announced that they are phasing out the use of rPET from plastic bottles in order to replace these fibers with natural fibers or recycled fibers from genuine textile recycling. Similarly, EU legislation increasingly understands extended producer responsibility (EPR) to mean that the clothing industry recycles its own waste, i.e. that clothing production should be recycled, resources saved and waste avoided instead of solving the waste problems of the beverage industry. For example, the EU Parliament is calling for a landfill ban and fixed recycling quotas for textiles in the upcoming amendment to the Waste Framework Directive. Sustainability certificates, such as the EU Ecolabel, will also have to respond to these changes.
Textile-to-textile recycling is currently getting a boost from several sides. Firstly, from the market, "because consumers are also beginning to understand that recycled plastic bottles are not the most sustainable alternative raw material for clothing," says Bethmann. "Brands that aggressively market polyester made from plastic bottles as a sustainable solution run the risk of this increasingly being perceived as greenwashing." Manufacturers are therefore keen to find an alternative to rPET made from bottles that is at least as sustainable as possible as soon as possible.
Secondly, it must be assumed that the amount of plastic bottles available to the textile market for recycling will continue to decrease in the future. This is because the beverage industry will also be legally obliged to establish cycles and gradually increase the proportion of recyclate in bottles in the coming years. While the proportion of recyclate in beverage bottles is currently around 17%, it is set to reach 30% by 2030. This means that the textile industry is running out of recycled material. "We are cannibalizing the bottle industry," Bethmann sums it up. "There is no longer enough material available for recycling. Not in Europe, and not in Asia." What's more, bottle recycling in the beverage industry makes much more ecological sense. Bottles can be recycled almost endlessly, but if they are processed into textiles, the cycle ends there because textile-to-textile recycling is not yet available to the required extent.
In an ideal world, we would simply switch to recycling textiles instead of plastic bottles. Unfortunately, however, this is neither quick to implement nor would it be enough. The demand for rPET from used textiles is far higher than the supply. This is mainly due to the source material, the used clothing itself. This is because used clothing is collected in many countries - in the EU, the separate collection of textiles will even be a legal requirement from 2025. But in Asia, where the majority of the synthetic fiber industry is located, the collection of used clothing is still in its infancy. This means that the old clothes have to be transported to Asia before they can be recycled, which again reduces the ecological benefit.
This is why many companies are taking the easier route and initially only recycling production waste. These are already in Asia anyway, and their use can also be ensured in large quantities. After all, recyclate manufacturers do not need a few hundred kilos of used clothing, but several thousand tons to be able to operate an industrial plant in the long term. Production waste is also easier to sort because its ingredients are better documented.
Nevertheless, despite all the hurdles, there is no alternative to textile-to-textile recycling of used clothing in the long term. The technologies are already there, not only in terms of mechanical recycling, but chemical recycling has now also outgrown the laboratory phase. Above all, there is a lack of money to establish these across the board and a lack of willingness to accept these new solutions. "All alternatives are currently generally more expensive than virgin polyester," explains Bethmann. Nevertheless, he advises against a return to virgin PET for cost reasons, not least because the CO2 tax on new polyester will also increase in the coming years and a changeover is unavoidable.
As recycling is not yet available to a sufficient extent and is unlikely to be able to meet the increasing demand for textiles alone in the future, the industry is reliant on alternatives. It therefore has high hopes for the development of polyester polymers that are not made from crude oil but from renewable raw materials such as wood or sugar cane - so-called BioPET. It is important to note that polyester is the general term for a family of materials that also includes PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Until now, when the textile industry talked about polyester, it almost always meant PET. This PET consists of 30 percent MEG (monoethylene glycol) and 60 percent PTA (purified terephthalic acid). So far, it has only been possible to biologically reconstruct MET. Just last year, the Finnish company UPM, in cooperation with Vaude, presented the first fleece with bio-based MEG. UPM sees great potential in biotechnology and is currently investing around 1.2 million euros in the construction of the world's first industrial-scale biorefinery in Leuna in Saxony-Anhalt/Germany. "The aim is to replace the remaining 60 percent," says Bethmann. "Then the CO2 footprint will be almost zero."
Other polyesters are also currently attracting the attention of researchers, such as PLA (polylactides, also known colloquially as polylactic acids), which are usually obtained from sugar cane, or PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates), which are completely biodegradable under natural conditions. The latter are currently being developed by the US organization "Bottle" (stands for: Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment) in cooperation with The North Face to investigate their suitability as textile fibres.
The abbreviation CCU (Carbon Capture Utilization) stands for another pioneering new type of material: CCU fibres. This involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from steelworks or petrochemical plants and converting them into ethanol through fermentation, which serves as a monomer for new polyester. If the high energy consumption during production can be covered by renewable energies, these fibers could even become climate-positive, i.e. bind more CO2 than they release.
It is uncertain which fibers will win the race in the end. "We are only dealing with around five types of material in outdoor clothing, which is comparatively few. I am therefore optimistic that we will find more sustainable alternatives," concludes Bethmann. Until the range of textile-to-textile recycled, bio-based or CCU polyester fibers has increased, he advises that product development should consider even more carefully than before which materials and properties are best suited to the desired application. In the long term, it will always come down to developing products that can be used for as long as possible before they are hopefully actually recycled at some point.
A sustainable world is possible - and sport has an important role to play. This is the motivating message that our author and "Sport for Change" jury member Aude Penouty brought back from changeNOW 2024 in Paris. Creative start-ups and initiatives such as the Inno Labs from ISPO and NOW Partners are sending out the right signals. This gives us hope, although time may be running out for some events.
Sport for Change was the place to be: the sport special at the changeNOW trade show, which brought together 1,000 concrete solutions for a more sustainable world with potential investors in Paris at the end of March, networked the current big players in the sport ecosystem. The goal: Sport for Change wants to achieve a united front for climate action in the world of sport - with conferences, workshops and a tailored program for professional athletes. That's why there were not only separate sessions for associations, clubs, major sponsors, organizations and NGOs, but the event also offered a stage for innovations, with a pitch session and an area where participants could present their (sports) projects.
This is the goal set by Georgina Grenon, Director of Sustainable Development Paris 2024. The first opening ceremony of the Olympic Games outside a stadium will start in July with the idea of achieving more with less and making it usable in the longer term. The focus will be on topics such as meals, infrastructure, mobility, resources and consumption during the Games. For example, the plan is to supply 100 percent of the sports infrastructure with green energy or to use half as much single-use plastic for drinks and food as at the Olympic Games in London. Reuse is at the heart of supplying the Olympic Village, with the promise that everything can be recycled or donated afterwards. So far, 90 percent of the six million products and equipment needed for the organization are managed by the Games' suppliers and later reused.
Looking ahead to the 2030 Winter Olympics and potential weather extremes in the future, Emma Haziza, hydrologist, founder and chair of Mayane Labs, said: "We are at a tipping point for water resources globally. In Europe and France, the pace of change will be even faster, with massive impacts on the water cycle and therefore the carbon cycle. This makes the medium-term planning of events a huge challenge. Because we don't know today whether we will be able to mobilize the necessary resources in an unpredictable and depleted world."
When organizing such events, it is essential that we understand the difference between necessary and superfluous in order to organize and preserve the elementary things. Emma Haziza, hydrologist, founder and chairwoman of Mayane Labs
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The start-up pitches were definitely a highlight at Sport for Change. A jury consisting of Tobias Gröber, Head of ISPO Group, Michael Ferrisi, founder of the media company Ecolosport, Marie-Laure Piednoir, Director of Corporate Sustainability at Salomon, Fabien Paget, CEO of 17 Sport, Cédric GIRARD, CEO of DJIBE, and myself, evaluated eight projects with an ecological and social impact. The La Virgule and Notpla brands attracted the most attention for their innovation and maturity. But the other candidates were all strong too: We Are Etendart, Institut du Sport Durable, No Water No Us, Réseau Entourage, Game Earth Fund, Urban Youth Games or Swim For Change by eco-adventurer Matthieu Witvoet - all represented inclusive, environmentally conscious and socially critical viewpoints on sport.
Among the non-sports exhibitors, biotechnology stood out in particular with innovations that protect the oceans or use bioresources that are often processed without the addition of synthetic sources. The American start-up Ravel, for example, presented a solution for "cleaning recycling" that converts dirty, mixed textile waste into drop-in materials that can be used to make new clothing. This creates a fiber-to-fiber circular product. The Chinese company Melephant, supported by the Kering Group, had developed bio-based dyes whose production causes no CO2 emissions. The dyes, which are ZDHC Level 1 and Oeko-Tex Eco Passport certified, are intended for cashmere, cotton, silk and leather fibers.
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Did you know? More than half of modern society's influencers are athletes! Convinced that ecological transition and sport go hand in hand, changeNOW invited several influential athletes to share their experiences. Among them were true icons of the contemporary sports scene such as Boris Ghirardi from Team Salomon and trail runner Kilian Jornet. The "Athletes for Change" session was organized in collaboration with Matthieu Witvoet and Chloé Léger from Climate Workout. Matthieu is an eco-adventurer in the service of the circular economy and sport. Chloé is a project management and human resources specialist. Their aim was to raise awareness and inspire around forty athletes about the sustainable transition. There were many participants from different disciplines: the sailors Stan Thuret and Arthur Vaillant or the members of climato sportifs Amélie Clerc (fencer), Mathéo Gabon (sprinter) and Younès Nezar (judoka). The workshop was sporty, educational and unifying. It was developed in collaboration with Olympians, coaches, neuroscientists and environmental experts. Participants were asked to explore scenarios around the 2048 Olympic Games and develop solutions. The workshop aimed to promote ecological change with the help of sport.
The trade show was artistically accompanied by curator Ronan De La Croix. Under the motto "Which ship would you choose for a better world?", he created an extraordinary space that invited visitors to dream of change. Thanks to the artists Myriam Le Pihive and Alice Bleton, the exhibition audience was welcomed by a benevolent, creative atmosphere. Romain Pilliard provided the sails of his "Route du Rhum" boat and Uptrade contributed beautiful fabrics.
Today, sports sponsorship has a global volume of 73.8 billion US dollars. This support not only plays an essential role in financing events, but also has a cultural and social impact. Partnerships are powerful tools to drive change and promote sustainability. Innovative and more sustainable sponsorships offer the opportunity to drive significant change worldwide. The Sport Sponsors Climate Pledge initiative highlighted new features as well as new supporters and gave an insight into the future of sport partnerships. Julien Pierre from fair play for the planet reported that they are working on a certification of sports facilities. Other great marketing and communication tools were shown by Notpla with their 100% plastic-free packaging and Flycup with their recycled, recyclable and customizable food containers. Rebond, on the other hand, produces footballs and rugby balls in France from an innovative, recyclable mono-material that can be customized with contemporary colors and brand logos.
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The ISPO Group, represented in Paris by Tobias Gröber, is also joining forces for ecological change in the sports industry. "The partnership with the changeNOW Summit is part of ISPO's transformation. We are expanding our target group from the sporting goods industry to the entire sports and health market and supporting our customers along the change levers of tech, diversity/inclusion, sustainability and design to transform their own business models for future regenerative growth," said the Head of ISPO Group. During the conference, ISPO networked solution providers, opinion leaders, athletes, innovators and decision-makers through formats based on the basic principle of "curated chance", including an innovation dinner.
"We actively bring people together in a small, curated setting who would otherwise not have met, but who we know through our market expertise and that of our network partner NOW Partners that getting to know each other generates added value for both sides," says Tobi Gröber. Such innovation dinners take place throughout the year at events such as UN Climate Week, the Olympic Games in Paris, the COP climate summit and as part of OutDoor by ISPO and ISPO Munich. "Together with NOW Partners, we also offer transformation workshops, scenario planning and year-round InnovationIabs to work collaboratively and cooperatively on solutions in an ever faster changing world and to network across company boundaries."
Merijn Dols, Managing Director of NOW Partners, added: "In today's time of change and uncertainty, businesses are facing unprecedented opportunities. It is crucial that industry leaders come together, tackle common challenges and develop ideas. This is what we encourage in our Inno Labs. This is how we accelerate the systemic transition to business models that combine success with a positive impact on people and planet." The impressions of Daniel Truran, CEO of Ebbf and Bcorp™ ambassador, were also positive: "We appreciate the dialog between leaders in one of the most traditional institutions in France. There was a time when careers were to some extent shaped by the school you went to. Today, however, hardly anything is certain and never before has so much innovation been possible. When we come together to envision the future, as we did over dinner, we have seen what happens: the magic of cross-pollinating ideas and the power of networks to make the impossible possible."
The Sustainable Mountain Alliance (SMA) had launched a call for expertise and leadership to find inspiring solutions based on a regenerative economy. The SMA consists of dedicated specialists and scientists such as glaciologist Dr. Heidi Sevestre, Anne Cécile Turner, specialist in systemic governance approaches, Sarah Lewis Obe Oly, mountain sports expert and Olympic champion in alpine skiing, and digital expert Pierre Germeau. Ingrid Beutler, lawyer and co-founder of the movement, was also present in Paris. They made it clear that events such as the Olympic Games are a significant source of CO2 emissions. In addition, global warming can affect mountain areas faster than the rest of the planet - with irreversible local consequences. So is it still possible to organize major sporting events in the mountains in a sustainable way?
In the run-up to the potential hosting of the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in France, it is crucial to consult various stakeholders, encourage them to participate and work together on solutions. This is the only way to ensure a reduced environmental impact and lasting commitments between the region, the brands, the Olympic Committee and the NGOs. This is the aim of the global regenerative think tank, which is jointly run by stakeholders such as Outdoor Sport Valley, Protect Our Winters, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee and the Organizing Committee for the 2023 Alpine World Championships in Courchevel/Méribel and others. For them sustainability is already at the heart of their choice of sponsor. David L'Appartient, President of the CNOSF, said: "This is part of the challenges that will be discussed on the basis of various criteria." In addition, the opinions of the experts and committees should not be alibis, because the aim is to organize games that take the challenges seriously.
With a collaborative and visionary approach, Sport for Change 2024 represented an important step towards a future in which sport a driving force for positive change in society and the environment. can become. The dynamic and impactful initiative brought together inspiring solutions at the intersection of sport, innovation and social change. The programme aimed to mobilize stakeholders in the sports industry to create sustainable and inclusive practices. In addition, the programme highlighted inspiring projects that contribute to the decarbonization of sporting events and social inclusion in sport. Strengthened by the partnership of ISPO and NOW Partners, Sport for Change 2024 was a breath of fresh air that gave hope and strength. Or as trail running champion Kilian Jornet, who joined via video because he wanted to avoid emissions, said: "The sports industry is part of the problem, but also part of the solution."
The European winter sports industry is under pressure to change: climate change, a shortage of skilled workers, inflation, the energy transition and, most recently, declining guest satisfaction. The list is long. But the symposium "Your winter. Your sport." symposium at ISPO Munich 2023 painted a more optimistic picture, as there are solutions that offer hope.
We all know and love it: the magic of winter. Snowflakes dance gently to the ground, a white blanket covers our everyday stress. Noise is muffled, the pace is slowed down. Snowmen, sledges, skiing fun instead of staff shortages, price pressure and presentations. And despite the climate crisis and melting glaciers they will continue to existThe snow days, when the experience of nature unites people from young to old in fun in a way that hardly any other event can. "The snow offers us an alternative world to everyday life. We can make turns wherever we want. We experience freedom and exercise, which has been proven to have enormous health benefits, even when we are out and about on foot in these enchanted landscapes," emphasized Professor Ralf Roth, Head of the Institute for Outdoor Sports and Environmental Research at the German Sport University Cologne, at ISPO Munich. "That's why every winter sports enthusiast should be a climate protector in their own right."
ISPO Munich 2023: "Your winter. Your sport." symposium, part 1 in video (German)
According to Skimagazin, around 125 million cubic meters of water are used for technical snowmaking throughout the Alps. At least around 300 billion cubic meters of precipitation fall on the approximately 200,000 square kilometers of the Alps every year. Snowmaking accounts for only 0.04 percent of this. Jörn Homburg, Head of Marketing and Product Development at Oberstdorf-Kleinwalsertal Bergbahnen, also explained that the water for snowmaking comes from reservoirs and flows back into the natural cycle when the snow melts. "The bottom line is that we use zero liters of water for snowmaking, we borrow it and return it in full to nature in spring."
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In fact, the energy consumption of ski resorts only accounts for a very small proportion of total energy requirements. In Austria, according to a study by the Federal Environment Agency, it accounts for 0.9 percent of national final energy consumption for winter tourism as a whole, including gastronomy and accommodation. In addition, ski resorts obtain an above-average proportion of their electricity from renewable sources. According to Skimagazin, this figure is already almost 90 percent in Austria and around 74 percent in Germany, according to Jörn Homburg. With the expansion of photovoltaic systems and new large pumped storage power plants - such as in Kühtai, Tauernbach-Gruben or Limberg III in Kaprun - this proportion will continue to rise. Panel participant Beate Rubatscher-Larcher, Managing Director of the Kaunertal and Pitztal glacier lifts, drew a vivid comparison with energy consumption: "Half an hour of jet skiing in summer consumes as much energy as 5.5 days of skiing. We simply have to look at the ratios more closely.
In addition to snowmaking, the snow groomers are the main contributors to the eco-balance. According to calculations by the "Snow Space Salzburg" ski resort, more than half of the CO2 emissions are caused by the vehicle fleet. A snow groomer consumes up to 500 liters of diesel per day. Although some new models already have a hybrid drive, which roughly halves consumption, complete electrification is not yet in sight, apart from caterpillars for cross-country ski trails. However, the newer snow groomers from Kässbohrer or Leitner can be operated with HVO fuels (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) on a vegetable basis, for example from deep-frying fat. This reduces CO2 emissions by 90 percent. In the Oberstdorf-Kleinwalsertal ski area, HVO is already being used for all piste rollers are already in use. "This saves around 1,800 tons of CO2 per season and reduces our ecological footprint by 60 percent," says Jörn Homburg. For its part, Prinoth AG hopes to go into series production with a hydrogen-powered snow groomer in 2025. Regardless of the drive system, geodata and snow depth measurements already ensure that the snow groomers are used as efficiently as possible. This saves snow and energy.
Together with the regional association of cable cars and Tirol Werbung GmbH, the Austrian Federal Railways have put together attractive vacation packages that combine travel by train with ski passes for the major Tyrolean ski resorts. These combination tickets including the "Nightjet" night train are becoming increasingly popular, especially in Germany and the Netherlands. Other ski resorts are also promoting climate-friendly travel, for example by offering discounts on ski passes or discounted equipment hire.
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ISPO Munich 2023: "Your winter. Your sport." symposium, part 2 in video (German)
"We are still seeing a profit from the price increases, but this could become a problem in the long term if guests stay away," confirms study author Mike Partel to the magazine "Seilbahnen International". If the snow-sure season is shorter and the supply becomes scarcer or more effort has to be made to maintain the supply, prices at high altitudes could continue to rise - and the regions could reach their limits. Around a third of those surveyed in the study already stated that they felt the ski area was overcrowded. "This trend could be counteracted with targeted management of visitor flows or restrictions," says Mike Partel.
This is already being done in Switzerland, as Vivienne Hosennen from Switzerland Tourism explained at ISPO Munich. The "Swisstainable" concept aims to better balance visitor flows in future. "We want to become the most sustainable tourism destination in the world. To achieve this, we want to attract guests from all over the world to Switzerland not just in summer and winter, but all year round. We want them to stay with us for longer and not just visit the highlights in 48 hours".
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Doubledeck: how the newcomer brand has developed
With its Salomon and Atomic brands, Amer is driving forward the issue of sustainability in winter sports. Among other things, Salomon used textile waste from ski boots for the interior design of its new store in Annecy. Atomic organized the first Ski Industry Climate Summit in autumn 2023 with the support of the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) and the NGO Protect Our Winters (POW). According to Ronny Schwarzenbrunner, special attention was paid to recycling. "Currently, ski boots can be remade from recycled or partially recycled material for two to three cycles. After that, the performance decreases." Another problem is the variety of materials. "With skis, we try to sort as much as possible so that we can reuse it ourselves. The best case scenario would be a closed loop, meaning that a ski becomes a ski again," the Atomic sustainability manager told Skimagazin. "We can make our products as easy to dismantle as possible, but performance and robustness must not suffer as a result. The quality must remain constant, otherwise the impact of the ski is suddenly higher."
There are already products on the market that are made largely from organic or recycled material - for example, the "Essential" ski from Rossignol, which is 73 percent organic, or the ISPO Award winner 2023 Ferreol Surfeur 112 ski. To maintain performance, Ferreol has replaced synthetic fibers such as fiberglass and carbon with natural flax fibers.
ISPO Award Winner 2023: Ferreol Surfeur 112 Ski
The winter sports equipment manufacturers Atomic, Head, Fischer, Blizzard - Tecnica and Leki joined forces with the ecoplus plastics cluster in Lower Austria at the beginning of 2024 to promote the recycling of ski materials in the WINTRUST (Wintersport Resource Efficiency and improved Circular Economy) cooperation project. The aims of the research project are to establish a corresponding collection system and to analyze and evaluate processing options for used winter sports equipment in order to return as much of the valuable material as possible to the cycle.
ISPO Munich 2023 also made the most important topics in the area of sustainability tangible. The sporting goods industry discussed how the path to a circular economy can succeed. ISPO.com picks up on three of the most important topics: Eco Design, the right communication and recycling.
The focus topic in the sustainability area at ISPO Munich 2023 this year was circularity. Compared to previous years, it was clear that the industry has grown out of its infancy in dealing with the topic. Many presentations dealt with detailed questions that are essential in a serious discussion of sustainability. ISPO.com picks out three aspects that are particularly preoccupying the industry this year: Design for circularity, "closing the loop" through recycling and communication with retailers and end consumers.
If you want to offer recyclable products, you have to start thinking about design and material selection. This includes the use of mono-materials, for example, and products must be designed in such a way that individual components can be easily separated from one another. Vaude focused on this at its trade fair stand with its Re:Think approach. From 2024, products will be successively introduced that consist only of recycled polyester, are therefore single-origin and can themselves become a raw material again. These products are marked with the "Re:Think" label. If other materials are used, such as zippers, they are easy to separate and marked with color codes. The products are also easy to repair and the cuts are optimized so that little waste is generated during production.
Visitors to the Houdini booth were also able to see many products made from mono-materials. The clothing designs are timeless, are intended to be durable and are designed in such a way that they can be used for many different activities. Houdini head designer Jesper Danielsson commented: "We grow with restrictions." He also expressed the fact that regulations, such as the EU's planned Eco Design Directive, are not an obstacle, but an incentive to become better and therefore more circular. "Design should inspire," says Danielsson with a view to consumers. Brands have the task of motivating buyers to behave more sustainably, then they would also be happy to repair products and return them for resale or recycling.
Jesper touched on a second important point that was discussed a lot at ISPO Munich 2023: How does all the sustainability information reach the customer? "A trustworthy retailer should be a filter," says Ben Blischke from Intersport International in the panel "How can green claims be substantiated?"
However, it is often the case that retailers simply ask: "Can I say that the product is green?" This was reported by Debbie Read, Head of Corporate Communications and CSR at Equip Outdoor Technologies, another panel participant. This is too undifferentiated. Of course it is challenging, as the products are very technical, especially in the outdoor sector. But statements about sustainability need to be backed up by evidence. This is in the interests of the consumer and is also necessary in view of the EU's renewed Green Claims Directive.
In addition to many brand representatives, representatives of ingredient brands are also thinking about how to communicate their sustainability innovations, particularly in order to reach retailers. They are training retailers and supporting brands in this endeavor, said one ingredient brand representative. Shoppers must have the opportunity to make an informed purchasing decision.
Another important aspect is likely to be even more challenging: recycling. If the circular economy is to succeed, a wide variety of industries that previously had very little to do with each other will suddenly have to work together. For this reason, at ISPO Munich, Messe München brought together representatives from IFAT - the platform for environmental technology - with the sports industry in the cross-industry panel "Textile Recycling - a compelling challenge". Participants were Ruth Oberrauch, Vice President at the Oberalp Group, Nicole Kösegi, Management Consultant and Marc Schubert, COO and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Looper Textile Co.
All panelists agreed that recycling is a highly complex topic that depends on the help of rules and regulations for its further development. Kösegie said that EU legislation on extended producer responsibility was also key, and that "the next three to five years will be crucial".
Schubert is also confident that market demand will accelerate developments: "I think it depends on all of us. If there is enough demand for recycled fibers, the technology will also develop faster. And investors will then in turn invest more in recycled fibers." At present, raw materials are often still much cheaper than recycled materials. "If demand is high enough, we can even be faster than the legislation," said Schubert.
Oberrauch once again made it clear how challenging it is for brands and manufacturers to find the right recycled materials. The Oberalp Group is now processing ski skin offcuts. The company also works closely with a partner company not far from its own site in northern Italy, which can produce padding from textile waste. However, the development process takes time and has been very time-consuming to date.
In all the panels and discussions on the topic of recycling, it became clear that the biggest challenge on the road to recyclability lies in this final step. How is it possible to get products back from consumers, sort them, separate them by type and make them available again as raw materials? Cross-industry discussions between the sports and waste management sectors are important precursors to a circular future.