Les Shu/Business Insider
- Sustainability is a major theme at Denver, Colorado's Outdoor Retailer conference, the biggest tradeshow for the outdoor industry.
- From durable recycled polyester to crushed oyster shells, outdoor companies are implementing unique materials and methods in making their products sustainable.
- We looked at 13 products that show how outdoor companies are elevating their sustainability game.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
You can't walk past more than two or three booths at Outdoor Retailer without seeing the words sustainable or eco-friendly - it's something the outdoor industry (led by those who attend OR) have championed for years - long before it became de rigueur in mainstream fashion. Though it's not surprising to see so many brands embrace eco-friendly clothing or sustainable manufacturing practices at the show, it is a breath of fresh air (pun intended).
But sustainability methods are questionable, particularly in clothing. A manufacturer can claim its products are environmentally friendly even when the use of recycled materials constitutes a small percentage of the overall construction. It's why in recent years, the outdoor industry has been working toward being even more transparent in how it makes sustainable products, including the type of materials used - from man-made fabrics like Polartec Power Air, Cordura Eco, and Repreve, to novel reuse of materials like sailcloth and wool.
Nearly every company that exhibited at the 2020 Outdoor Retailer Snow Show has a sustainability story. Here are 13 companies that delivered an eco-friendly message at OR in interesting ways. Most will go on sale in fall 2020, but some are available now or soon.
- Knitwear: Sherpa Adventure Gear Lumbini Pullover
- Snowshoes: Crescent Moon Biodegradable Snowshoes
- Travel bag: Tentree Mobius Duffel
- Sunglasses: Zeal Optics Aspen
- High-tech fabric: Helly Hansen LIFA Infinity Pro
- Everyday backpack: JanSport Recycled SuperBreak
- Fleece jacket: Houdini Mono Air Half-Zip and Houdi
- Lunch containers: Light My Fire MealKit BIO
- Color water bottle: Klean Kanteen Insulated TK Wide
- Ski jacket: Obermeyer Tuscany II
- Wool backpack: Fjallraven Kanken Re-Wool
- Moisture-wicking, breathable shirt: Headsweats Short Sleeve Performance Tee Shirt
- Tote bags: Sea Bags
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