In the pursuit of manufacturing products with a lower environmental impact, Berghaus has launched a Made Kind label to identify performance gear products made with responsible, eco-friendly methods.
Berghaus’ ongoing program to eliminate harmful substances from the brand’s supply chain takes another step with the launch of Made Kind. Behind efforts to create the new label is the hope for brands and manufacturers to move toward fabrics and technologies that combine high performance with low environmental impact. Progressive methods can range from more eco-friendly materials to improved production processes. The Made Kind seal will be released for Spring/Summer 2016 products.
To earn the Made Kind tag, Berghaus products must meet at least one of three criteria; be made out of a bluesign approved fabric; be made using Berghaus’ award winning Colourkind colouring process; or be made using recycled materials.
The company has also taken a specific focus on reducing fresh water use in product manufacturing, as Berghaus recognizes the mounting pressure being put on this limited resource. The most recent World Economic Forum put water scarcity at the top of a 2015 global risk ranking.
Taking action, Berghaus pushed its Colourkind process, which adds color to a polymer melt before it is extruded into fibers, thereby eliminating steps in standard textile production that consumes the largest quantities of water. Colourkind also skips ordinary processes that yield the most pollutants, resulting in a higher quality end product fabric with improved color fastness.
The Colourkind process reduces fresh water consumption by 89 percent, compared to standard dyeing, while dropping CO2 emissions by 62 percent, chemical use by 63 percent and COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) by 67 percent. Thanks to this smart process, Berghaus estimates it saved 1,000,000 liters of water from its production process in the Spring/Summer 2015 season alone.
Berghaus Bluesign System Partner
The Berghaus Explorer ECO line, along with a group of nylon and polyester wovens and knits, including t-shirts and polo shirts, incorporate the Colourkind process. These products are made with Argentium technology – the company’s popular baselayer technology.
Also in stride with Made Kind and the Colourkind process, Berghaus announced in May 2015 that it joined the international Bluesign system as the U.K.’s first outdoor brand to invest in being a Bluesign System Partner. Led by corporate sustainability officer Elaine Gardiner, Berghaus worked with Bluesign and its supply chain to ensure products meet demanding requirements in terms of hazardous substances, worker safety and environmental protection. The company set the goal of 70 percent of products to contain Bluesign approved fabric by Spring/Summer 2016. The projection will coincide with Berghaus’ 50th anniversary.
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