Mountain Equipment, the British pioneer of high alpine gear and apparel, has released its 2024 sustainability report. The report documents the company’s sustainability efforts across a myriad of categories, including material choices, packaging, emissions, team members, and its supply chain, among others.
“As alpinists, we intimately know the importance of respecting the mountain when making decisions in the field, and we use this same level of rationale when we consider the choices for the building and delivery of our products,” said Hamish Dunn, Mountain Equipment Brand Director. “As proud as we are of our sustainability achievements, we know that there is always more work to be done and improvements that can be made.”
Highlights from the report include:
· Reduced greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 by 26% to 5,522 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) over 2023.
· Wash and Repair Service made available online for UK and German customers.
· 73% of FW24 clothing styles included recycled materials
· 46% reduction of plastic polybag usage across key styles
· Added two new members to the Sustainability team
The report also noted several key targets going forward:
· Recycle 98% of waste by 2030
· Be PFAS free across all new production by FW25
· 80% of FW25 clothing styles to include recycled materials
· Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6% per year from the 2020 baseline.
Mountain Equipment began tracking its emissions in 2020 in partnership with Small World Consulting. It uses a hybrid approach that blends top-down modelling with product-level data, providing a clearer picture of where emissions come from and how to reduce them.
Mountain Equipment has been a forerunner in its commitment to animal welfare and transparency in the supply chain. In 2009, it developed the DOWN CODEX®, a traceability, animal welfare, and quality insurance program. The DOWN CODEX ensures that the down used in Mountain Equipment products can be traced throughout its entire down supply chain, thereby ensuring adherence to ethical standards and the elimination of live-plucking, force-feeding, and bill-trimming from the down-production process.
In 2022, the DOWN CODEX incorporated the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) to further ensure that only the highest quality virgin down is used. Additionally, each Mountain Equipment down product has an individual ‘Trace My Down’ code that users can enter online to access detailed information about the specific down used in that garment including fill power and down-to-feather ratio.
The full sustainability report, including additional initiatives, results, and targets, is available on Mountain Equipment’s website at https://us.mountain-equipment.com/pages/responsibility.
About Mountain Equipment
Mountain Equipment has been a leader in Alpinism since 1961, with a philosophy centered around pursuing a raw, no-fuss, simple, and lightweight approach to both mountaineering and life. For Mountain Equipment, Alpinism isn’t just about how we climb, but about our approach to life and how we choose to live it. Visit http://www.mountain-equipment.com/
