
For the 2021/22 winter season, Salewa is introducing a new icon for its particularly sustainable products. “Salewa Committed” is a product icon used to inform customers and help them better understand sustainability aspects during purchase.
The “Salewa Committed” icon gives customers the opportunity to clearly see which products stand out due to their environmental or social responsibility features. 243 apparel items and 16 products from the equipment collection are rated as “Salewa Committed”. In this way, the South Tirolean mountain sports brand wants its customers to know that they are buying a more sustainable product.
By introducing the “Salewa Committed” icon from winter 2021/22, Salewa offers more transparency and helps its customers to purchase more consciously. At the same time, the family-owned company is committing itself to expanding its sustainable approach.
Alexandra Letts, who is responsible for the Oberalp Group’s four-member sustainability team, said: “We want our customers to be able to quickly and easily recognise the added value of a Salewa product. ‘Salewa Committed’ is not a new promise. It reflects the success of our work over the years to improve the quality and value of our products through more sustainable production and material sourcing. It doesn’t stop here though – there’s still room for improvement and we intend to increase the number of ‘Salewa Committed’ products in future collections. The new icon brings together these criteria and shows to our customers that by choosing a ‘Committed’ product they are endorsing our efforts and contributing themselves”.
COMMITTED = 2 + 1
To become a “Salewa Committed” product, a Salewa product has to fulfill two mandatory criteria and at least one additional criterion. As such, the “Committed” icon guarantees that products meet strictly defined social responsibility and environmental standards. Moreover, it shows how the mountain brand Salewa is working constantly to make further improvements. The “mandatory” criteria are measures and policies that the Oberalp Group introduced as far back as 2012 to assess and reduce the impact of its production on the environment: first with its own internal standards, and later reinforced through partnerships with expert third-party organizations like bluesign® and the Fair Wear Foundation.
All “Salewa Committed” products fulfil the following mandatory criteria:
• Chemicals verified: The material has been tested by third parties for its chemical components in
accordance with the Oberalp Chemicals Guideline or has been certified by external organisations such as bluesign®.
• Factory monitored for social standards: The factory where the product is manufactured must have been externally audited for social standards and working conditions.
In addition to both mandatory criteria, the product must meet at least one further criterion:
• The DWR on all fabrics of the product must be PFC-free.
• The product must contain at least 50 per cent of upcycled or recycled material.
• The down used must be Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified.
• The product is made with at least 50 per cent of a natural, renewable material, such as wool,
hemp, linen, organic cotton, Tencel, viscose and Sorona.
THE HOME OF SALEWA AND ITS FOCUS ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Back in 2012, the company’s commitment to sustainability was officialised with the creation of its sustainability team. The goal for Salewa: To develop high- quality, durable and long-lasting mountain sports products with due regard to working conditions in the factories and minimum impact on the environment.
Salewa was awarded Leader Status by the Fair Wear Foundation for the fifth time in summer 2021.
Salewa products meet the highest standards on chemical compliance. The brand has successfully achieved its goal to phase out PFCs completely from its Powertex membranes. Furthermore, it continues to invest in research and development with its partners to develop the rest of the materials in the collection without PFCs, while still guaranteeing product performance and durability. Salewa is increasing its use of sustainable materials. The “Salewa Committed” icon wants to bring together these efforts and inform customers during their purchase, enabling them to consciously buy a more sustainable product.
For more information, visit: https://www.salewa.com/social-and-environmental-responsibility