Socks to backpacks getting more sustainable
By Eileen Ogintz
Have you ever considered recycling your socks?
Smartwool makes it easy to do exactly that with their second cut project.
You can order a free sock recycling kit or find a participating retailer where you can drop them off. They are turned into new Project Hike socks that are designed to keep materials from being tossed into landfills.
You can also purchase gently used Smartwool gear or sell it through ThredUp. Once it sells, you will get a Smartwool credit.
Minus 33, which makes Merino Wool gear in four fabric weights, supports search and rescue groups across the country with “SAR Kits” made from returns and garments with minor defects. Each kit contains a top and bottom Merino wool base layer, a wool hat, wool socks, and gloves—essentially an entire warming outfit rescuers can supply to those in distress to prevent hypothermia.
Smart, right? At the recent Outdoor Market Alliance show recently in Denver, I saw more brands than ever showcasing products made from recycled materials.
The Cotopaxi Del Dia collection makes unique backpacks, cube travel bags, totes and more out of 100 per cent leftover fabric that might otherwise have gone to a landfill. Not only are no two packs alike but they come in an assortment of bright colors- blue, purple, pink and green.
Luggage company Eagle Creek ,celebrating its 50th anniversary this year , covers its gear with a No Matter What Warranty so it can be repaired rather than tossed, thus far keeping 42,000 pounds of waste out of US landfills. Just as impressive, 100 per cent of their products include at least one or more recycled materials. “They might be new to you, but it’s not new to this planet,” the company pledges. I’m a fan of their Pack-It Reveal packing compression cubes that help you organize your clothes, freeing up luggage space and are made from 100 per cent recycled material. There is an internal divider to separate clean from dirty clothes. Also made from recycled materials are the company’s packable backpacks, totes and duffel bags that fold down to palm-size and weigh less than six ounces. At $59, a great gift for your favorite traveler!
Gregory’s Katmai and Kalmia backpacks are made largely with recycled materials and the company, through a partnership with Big City Mountaineers, aims to provide every child in their outdoor program with a backpack of their own. I’m a fan of the company’s Quadro Pro hardcase four-wheel bags that are partially made with recycled polyester and come complete with a removable ActiveShield compartment designed to keep dirty or wet gear separated. It’s made from recycled auto class.
Many don’t realize you can buy or trade in (for a credit) gently used gear from companies including REI and Patagonia. Currently, 68 per cent of Patagonia’s fabrics are made with recycled materials; REI enables you to select “recycled materials” when you shop. Recycled materials require less energy and water than their virgin counterparts, REI notes, allowing the company to make use of materials that might otherwise end up in a landfill.
You can also explore pre-loved gear from Fjallraven, the Swedish outdoor clothing and equipment company committed to making nature more accessible to all. The company is now introducing Hoja cycling equipment. In Swedish, Hoja means riding a bike just for the fun of it. The gear is designed to last, which means it ultimately creates less waste—everything from a rain poncho to shorts and pants with hems that can be folded back for reflective details at night to a one-piece field suit that has plenty of stretch and pockets.
Enjoy shopping!