Two weeks ago, VNU and Outdoor Retailer announced a new program designed to highlight the various environmental initiatives of the outdoor industry. The program offers different advertising opportunities and calls out companies that are taking active steps towards a healthy and greener outdoor industry.
Since the announcement it appears the outdoor industry has jumped in with both feet. Both large and small apparel and hardgoods manufacturers are planning on participating in the program. There is some concern among companies who have a long-standing history of environmental advocacy that some marketing departments will start “green-washing” their companies in an attempt to appear environmentally friendly, but for the most part all agree that gaining mindshare and calling out the environmental concerns of the industry trumps any of these potential issues.
Beaver Theodasakis, CEO of prAna, told BOSS, “The Green Steps program is right up our alley, and seems to be in alignment with our business philosophy. Weve always tried to help educate and help bring awareness to people-our employees, our community, and even our customers. We try to help them just pause for a moment and start to think a different way.”
Three years ago prAna began using organic cotton in 19 styles, and has since systematically expanded their involvement to 22 styles last year and 33 for this season. Theodasakis said that their involvement will continue to expand, and the company is beginning to add hemp products to their line as well.
prAnas commitment to organic materials goes beyond simply choosing the material for their product line. “We helped one of our shirt sources in India switch over to organic,” said Theodasakis. “They were making some great dyed yarn shirts, which could only be made in India, and I brought the owner over here and showed him the difference organic cotton makes and helped educate him. Now he is using organic cotton in our products and even selling some organic product to other companies.”
Patagonia is another company who has a long history of dedication to environmental issues, and was one of the first to switch over entirely to organic cotton. Eve Bould, Director of Environmental PR for Patagonia, told BOSS, “Whats important, from our point of view, is that there is a lot of momentum building around the environment right now. It started at OR in the summer of 03 with the organic panel that the Organic Trade Association held, and continued in 04 with the sustainability panel. Its great to see this continue and build going into winter market.”
Patagonia participated in both panels with different speakers and plans to participate in the Green Steps program.
Osprey may not be the first company to come to mind when environmental activism is involved, but the company attended both the organic panel and the sustainability panel at OR, and is using what it learned there to implement various programs.
Along with several basic energy conservation initiatives, the company has plans to implement a rain-water collection system on top of their building in Cortez, CO. With the advent of Colorados Green Energy Amendment, which should make renewable energy resources much more abundant in the state, Osprey has also added green energy to their budget. Nathan Kuder, Ospreys Product Manager was recently put in charge of the companys environmental program, and plans to expand the initiatives even further.
“In the next year or so, we will be using more natural materials and recycled materials in our packs and bags,” Kuder said. “We are hoping to engineer some materials that we can own Eventually our goal is to have 10% to 20% of our product line involved in natural or recycled materials.”
“The concept of corporate sustainability has been around since the 70s,” Kuder said. “This program really gives us the opportunity to try and develop Industry sustainability, the opportunity to team up with bigger companies, like Patagonia and Nike, and make it an industry-wide initiative.”
