Article
Enablesus
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The most sustainable ski wear is what you already own
It’s that time of year when snow junkies pull out their gear and hit the slopes, but what if your favourite ski wear has worn out? How do you know your making a sustainable choice with any new ski wear you purchase? Here at enablesus we are linking consumers sustainable values with transparent global brands, and we recently completed a thorough analysis of multiple companies providing ski clothing — and found that the most sustainable ski wear is that which you already own!
Whether you’re an expert or a beginner on skis or a snowboard, you have likely found something in your ski wear has either broken or simply worn out over time. Unlike other apparel, ski wear is often made with a lot of different types of materials (sustainable or not), and there will eventually be a broken zipper, fastener, seam, or torn fabric. Conscious consumers may worry about the impact of the ski wear they buy, and fret over having to replace any of it. They should, because ski wear does tend to have a higher environmental impact than regular apparel.
For example, a set comprising a jacket and pants can easily weigh 2 kg, compared to an organic cotton button down shirt weighing only 0.3 kg. How does that translate in terms of greenhouse gas emissions? The Stockholm Environment Institute noted in a study that the polyester material often used to make ski wear can produce 7.2 to 9.5 kg CO2 per kg of material with an ecological footprint of 17 to 22 m2 for that same kilogram of material. Compare that to organic cotton, which emits just 2.3 to 3.7 kg CO2 per kg of material, though its ecological footprint is a bit higher at 23 to 33 m2 per kg-material. [1]
So what can consumers do?
Traditionally, ski wear brands would offer consumers lifetime or multi-year warranties. But that’s not helpful when brands simply send out a new item instead of repairing the old. This has been common practice in part because it’s more expensive to repair an item than it is to replace it. The average industrial production cost of apparel is a low as 20% of the consumer retail price. [2] But a new era of repaired and pre-owned ski wear is reducing the impact of everyone’s favourite winter sport.
Repair and pre-owned programmes have found a serious home at many leading ski wear brands committed to producing more sustainable apparel. Repair programmes seem to be the most prevalent, basically allowing different avenues for original owners to ensure the long-term repair of the items they purchased. Pre-owned programmes are newer. These allow consumers to trade in their used items, often for credit. The items are then repaired or upcycled into new items, which brands resell for up to 40% lower than comparable items. [3]
The trend towards repair and pre-owned ski wear is going mainstream.
Of the brands we analysed, enablesus found that 50% offered repair services to the original owners beyond the traditional manufacture warranty for defects. They will also ship spare parts for DIY repairs, including zippers, buttons, fasteners and patches. Brands like Bergans of Norway, Houdini Sportswear, Norrona, Picture Organic, Patagonia and The North Face have repair programmes whereby items can be sent directly to the brands or delivered to their stores. Many of the non-warrantied repairs will cost the consumer extra for workmanship and shipping, but repair prices are still well below the cost of purchasing new ski wear.
Certain brands also have unique repair actions. Bergans of Norway has a repair on wheels service in Norway that periodically visits communities to repair the brands products. Patagonia has an extensive series of DIY guides and videos for the repair of their products, and their own brand stores can make minor repairs on site. Meanwhile, pre-owned clothing is beginning to pick up steam as well.
Online pre-owned marketplaces by ski wear brands are becoming increasingly popular. We found that 42% of reviewed ski wear brands offer pre-owned marketplaces or purchased in the brands stores. Houdini Rental and Picture Organic Rental also have a unique model to rent ski wear both at a brands’ stores and online. This is happening in parallel to more traditional fast-fashion online apparel retailers, such as H&M and Zalando who have started their own pre-owned marketplaces in order to improve the sustainability of their clothing.
Combined with repair, pre-owned marketplaces like Haglöfs Restored, Patagonia Worn Wear, The North Face Renewed, and Houdini Reuse lead to a great positive impact. Many of the ski wear brands we reviewed attribute 80% or more of their greenhouse gas emissions to upstream product supply chains (before the brand receives new items in their possession). It is no stretch to assume that there are similar effects on their ecological footprint as well.
Repair marketplaces still face practical challenges for consumers
Several ski wear brands do not have systems setup to allow for delivering ski wear for repair at their brand’s stores or partner retailers, and repairs are only available for the original purchaser. This means the original purchaser should create an online account on the brand’s websites, upload proof of purchase, and pack and ship items directly to the brand’s facilities. This inconvenience does create a barrier to broad adoption of best practices.
As one consumer noted to us, delivering an item to a physical store is simply less time-consuming and expensive than procuring shipping materials, packing at home and then carrying the package to a drop-off location. They would rather repair their own clothing but may not feel sufficiently skilled to do so. Turns out, she’s not alone.
Only 35% of consumers purchase apparel solely online, according to global research from IBM and the National Retail Federation, with 40% purchasing at physical locations and 25% preferring “hybrid shopping” where they are using a mix of physical and online shopping. [4] It is not reported how many items of ski wear are discarded due to this challenge, but there are possibilities for ski wear brands to address it. For example, current technology can allow brands to electronically tag each produced item and automatically register items with customers at the store or online. It’s also possible to use mobile and blockchain technology to track the chain of ownership, allowing for access to repair for multiple owners of the same ski wear.
Analysis of twelve leading ski wear brands taking sustainable action
At enablesus we used publicly available information to analyse the reported sustainable actions of twelve leading American and European ski wear brands. Our analysis focuses on key opportunities for brands to create a positive impact on people and the environment, by reporting on their diversity in management, material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions, supply chain auditing and whether they offer a repair service and pre-owned products. Curious to know about the analysis results then follow enablesus on We Don’t Have Time, Facebook, or Instgram.
About enablesus
Enablesus is a part of GH Sustainability, a Copenhagen-based company with over 18 years’ experience in addressing sustainably actions worldwide. Enablesus empowers conscious consumers through transparency in sustainability, creating a check on potential greenwashing. Consumers concerned about whether their favourite brand shares their values can visit enablesus.com to find the environmental and social impact information of over 750 brands. Including the transparency in sustainability information provided by the brands and their umbrella organisations. So before you hit the store or go online to buy something new, be sure to check in with enablesus to determine which brands are most worthy of your business.
References
[1] Cherrett, n. et al. (2005) “Ecological footprint and water analyses of cotton, hemp and polyester”. Stockholm Environment Institute. Stockholm, Sweden.
[2] Farra, E. (2020) “What Is the Right Price for Fashion?”. Vogue.com. New York, USA.
[3] Review of prices on Patagonia’s Worn Wear programme (https://wornwear.patagonia.com)
[4] IBM & NRF, (2022) “Consumers want it all: Hybrid shopping, sustainability, and purpose-driven brands”. IBM Corporation, USA.
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Very interesting! I am currently looking for a pair of snow/ski pants because I have never owned one and it's well needed 🥶 so that will be helpful!
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@sarah_chabane snow/ski pants are defiantly great to have in the Northern countries. Check out the pre-owned online shops from these brands (links are in the article) @Haglofs @Houdini_Sportwear @The_North_Face @Patagonia
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Amazing how a little bit of extra care for your existing ski wear can save both a bit of the climate / environment and money, instead of causing more negative impact by purchasing new ski wear.
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@Bergans of Norway , @Houdini_Sportswear , @Norrona , @Picture_Organic , @Patagonia , and @The_North_Face