In celebration of its 115th anniversary, Rossignol highlights its commitment to sustainable product development, eco-conscious design, product life-cycle, and recycling solutions by introducing its Essential ski.
Available in limited quantities in FW22/23, the ski was developed using the simplest and fewest raw materials, ensuring that more than 75 percent of the ski is 100 percent recyclable.
“Improving end-of-life management for a product means better design right from the start,” said David Bouvier, senior marketing director, Mountain Sports Equipment, Rossignol. “This has inspired us to design a ski made from as few materials as possible, all of which can be recycled and reused. Compared with a conventional ski with a current average recyclability rate of just 10 percent, we’re excited to announce that over 75 percent of the Essential ski can be recycled. By 2028, we aim to have one-third of our ski collection developed through this same approach and ethos.”
Rossignol also applies simplicity and recyclability across other product collections in development, including ski boots, technical equipment and apparel.
The Rossignol Group has also entered a partnership with MTB, a player in recycling and related manufacturing processes. MTB has developed a water-free process for improved recycling of conventional modern ski constructions. This development was timed with the Essential ski for compatibility and contributing to a circular economy and product life cycle. Recycled materials are repurposed across automotive, garden or construction industries and, in the future, within new Rossignol Group products. Operational in 2023, MTB’s Recycling Box is a tool to improve the recycling of conventional skis, boots and pole construction.
After announcing its Respect program in 2020, a CSR initiative to reduce its carbon footprint by 30 percent by 2030 and its industrial waste by 40 percent by 2025, the Rossignol Group continues to place its environmental and social commitments at the heart of its strategic initiatives. Each of the Group’s manufacturing facilities will operate on renewable energy by January 2023.