Global Cool: Snowboarders Gear Up Green

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The epitome of cool in snow season is of course, snowboarding. And the biggest requirement for this most righteous winter pastime is of course, snow. Well, "uh, yeh brah, no duh" you may think to yourself, but in this day and age even snow in winter isn't a sure thing anymore. Winter resorts, from the Rockies to the Alps, have been grappling with ever shorter snow seasons for years now-some of the resorts have even re-branded themselves as "sun and fun" destinations to try and recoup some of their climate change-related financial loss. Bummer, dude.

The epitome of cool in snow season is of course, snowboarding. And the biggest requirement for this most righteous winter pastime is of course, snow. Well, "uh, yeh brah, no duh" you may think to yourself, but in this day and age even snow in winter isn't a sure thing anymore. Winter resorts, from the Rockies to the Alps, have been grappling with ever shorter snow seasons for years now-some of the resorts have even re-branded themselves as "sun and fun" destinations to try and recoup some of their climate change-related financial loss. Bummer, dude. Well, it comes as no surprise (actually, strike that, I am pleasantly surprised) that one of the biggest names in snowboarding gear, Quiksilver, is unveiling their eco-friendly outerwear line next week at SIA '08 as well as the inaugural Quiksilver Natural Selection in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Champion rider Travis Rice collabed with Quiksilver to design a signature jacket and pant which are 55% hemp and 45% recycled PET...PET being a type of plastic in this instance, not ice cream. Sweet.

Check out Quiksilver's take on the line's big launch...

"Because it needs to stand up to the elements, winter outerwear has historically been among the least eco-friendly apparel on the market. The challenge of combining waterproof, breathable and comfortable technology has relied on a great deal of innovation that has, more often than not, been developed with performance, not the environment, in mind. No more. On January 29th, Quiksilver will unveil an all-new line of eco-friendly winter outerwear. Recycled PET water and soda bottles combine with sustainable Hemp fabric and non-toxic natural dyes (free of heavy metals that contaminate waterways) to create outerwear that is highly functional, environmentally conscious and supremely stylish. Designed with the world's most advanced earth-friendly textiles and production processes, the collection represents an entirely new orientation for designing, fabricating, wearing and recycling winter outerwear.

As a company of boardriders, we've always challenged the power and grace of mother nature in a way that is perfectly in tune with the environment, said Dave Rosenberger, VP Sales Quiksilver Wintersports. This new outerwear line reflects this ideal, because it meets the essential performance requirements of riders, while introducing a new, earth-friendly approach to winter apparel.

Eco-friendly fabric highlights and how they benefit the environment:

Biodegradable TPU Laminate

This waterproof, breathable, solvent-free laminate is the first of its kind. Low in toxicity and biodegradable, this laminate will break down completely in only four years. Others can last hundreds of years, turning your old jacket and pants from a fashion faux pas to full-on biohazard.

Nanosphere Finish ­ by Schoeller Switzerland
Created by spacesuitmanufacturer Schoeller Switzerland, this new technology provides a natural self-cleaning effect and an extremely high level of water and dirt
repellence. It is also highly abrasion resistant. It is based on Nanotechnology which makes it possible to copy nature and use the non-stick and self-cleaning process of certain plants and insects onto textiles. In order to do this the surface of the textile is altered by using the
nanoparticles.

Organic Cotton

Organic cotton is renewable, non-toxic and biodegradable. The production of commercial cotton is destroying farmland and is poisoning the waterways around the world. It takes approximately two pounds of pesticides to grow one regular, non-organic cotton T-shirt.

Hemp

Hemp is an economical, renewable resource. It is fast growing, taking about 100 ­ 120 days from planting until it is ready. Hemp, as a rule, does not need pesticides, and requires far less water than cotton during growing.

Non-Toxic Dyes ­

Most common dyes used in our fabrics and textiles/furniture/ carpets etc, are filled with heavy metals that are very harmful to animal, our habitat and mostly humans.

Recycled PETs ­ Recylced Polyester and Soda Bottles
With eight of 10 plastic bottles ending up in landfills, finding economically viable uses for
recycling is still a mandate for environmentally sound businesses. All polyester in the new Quiksilver eco-friendly line is created from PET (recycled polyester made from plastic soda bottles.) It reduces the use of other raw materials like petroleum, and cuts down on the process of refining crude oil into synthetic polyesters and nylons, which creates some of the worst types of pollution."

Quiksilver pits high performance fashion against global warming...Cool.