Sustainability Spotlight

Sustainability in the outdoors doesn’t end with recycled products or Leave No Trace principles; equality is just as big a part. And no one knows that better than Pamela Slaughter, Founder of People of Color Outdoors and a nominee for the first-ever Facebook Community Awards. So we sat down to chat with her to learn a bit about what she’s doing to encourage people of color to get outside and play and why that matters. For all of us. Read our Q&A with her now.

You know we’re all about supporting sustainable brands here at Terradrift. We’re also all about making gear last and keeping it out of the landfill, which is a major win for sustainability. Well then, there couldn’t be a more perfect brand to highlight in this here Sustainability Spotlight series than Nikwax. We’ve used their stuff to clean and maintain our gear for years, so we thought it was high time we sat down with Heidi Dale Allen, the brand’s VP of marketing, so we could hear more about how Nikwax is keeping it clean and advocating for keeping the gear you already have in use for longer. Read on, son!

Do you know what’s in your tent? What coatings and chemicals? Whether it’s treated with unsustainable PFC DWR treatments or chemically-dyed fabric? While most tent manufacturers these days put that sort of info front and center, there’s one thing not as many manufacturers are talking to consumers about: fire retardant tents.

It’s plastic-free July! Which means it’s time to talk about single-use plastic waste and how we can do our part to reduce it. Why? Because as the oft-quoted stat declares, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050, 90% of plastic doesn’t actually get recycled (including the stuff you put in the recycle bin), and all of that adds up to devastated eco systems, overflowing landfills, and a whole lot of wasted resources. So check out these brands who want nothing more than to help you make the switch from single-use.

We get stoked about sustainable outdoor clothing and gear from sustainable outdoor brands. After all, if the brands that outfit us for adventure don’t care about the environment they’re encouraging us to recreate in, then are they even worth our spending money?! But that’s why we love highlighting eco-conscious brands in these here Sustainability Spotlights: to introduce you to the cool, eco-friendly names and products we’ve come to know and love. Like Helly Hansen. Wanna know more? Sure ya do. Read on for our Q&A with Rebecca Johansson, Sustainability and R&D Manager at sustainable outdoor brand Helly Hansen.

We’re all about sustainable materials when it comes to clothing and gear, both on and off the trail. And there are few materials more sustainable than hemp. But finding quality, sustainable hemp clothing is easier said than done. So we sat down with Jungmaven to find out what makes the company tick, why they use hemp in all their sustainable fashions, and why choosing eco-friendly clothing is so dang important.

If there’s one thing that savvy climbers never buy used, it’s climbing rope. After all, a rope’s job is literally to save your life; you don’t want some weathered length of cord that might not be able to handle the shock of a fall or two. But most climbing rope, like harnesses, isn’t sustainable, so eco-conscious climbers may feel just a pang of guilt every time they have to buy another 60 meters of brand new rope (and what to do with the old one?!). Not anymore. Because these sustainable climbing ropes prove form, function and sustainability (uh, also safety) can go hand-in hand.

We love shining the spotlight on cool, sustainable brands here on Terradrift. And there aren’t too many brands more responsible than prAna. They’ve been leading the way in eco-friendly clothing manufacturing for decades now, and we were thrilled to get to learn a bit more about the brand and some of their dope clothing recently. Ready to learn more? Sure you are. Check out all the cool stuff the brand is up to and all about prAna clothing and how it contributes to positive change.

We’ve noticed a trend taking root recently. Maybe you have, too: Stark white gear. White sleeping bags and tents and backpacks and more. But if our mothers taught us anything, it’s that white gets filthy, and fast, right? And outdoor activities certainly aren’t free from filth. So why are gear manufacturers ignoring this fact and starting to offer stark white, undyed outdoor gear that will definitely get smudged and sullied their first time out? Because they respect the planet, that’s why.

When it comes to outdoor clothing and gear, there are lots of sustainability terms and definitions that can cause confusion. Two important acronyms that we’re going to tackle here and now: PFCs and DWR. Are DWR treatments sustainable? And what are PFCs, for crying out loud? We’re going to break down what they are, why they’re bad for the environment, and how to avoid them.