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Clean sourcing, durability, recyclability and collaboration will shape future winter sports design
Ski industry leader unveils S/MAX eSkin Nordic Ski, which uses recycled plastic bottles in its core
ANNECY, FRANCE — Salomon, the outdoor sports brand that has been creating ski equipment in the French Alps since 1947, today announced the implementation of a new, more sustainable design ambition across its entire winter sports category. This more responsible approach to creating winter sports equipment—including hardgoods such as skis, ski boots, goggles and helmets—is another step toward realizing the overall commitments the company has made to lessen its environmental impact. Most notably, by 2030, Salomon has pledged to reduce its overall carbon emissions by 30 percent and committed to creating 100 percent of its products with circular economy principles.
Recognizing that the future existence of Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and snowboarding are directly impacted by climate change, Salomon today confirms that sustainability will be a major aspect of its performance parameters in future winter sports products. With the motivation to act across its entire supply chain beyond its own operations, Salomon Winter Sports has set forth a plan to operate more sustainably by:
Already, Salomon Winter Sports has instituted a number of sustainability measures across its business by reducing packaging, improving product durability and repairability, removing chemicals and materials of concern, and integrating the use of more sustainable materials. (Details of these actions are outlined below.)
Sustainable Stories Ep 1: Salomon Winter Sports
“As the global leader in the winter sports category, we feel a responsibility to set an example of how our winter sports business can operate in an increasingly sustainable manner,” says Xavier LeGuen, Vice President of Winter Sports for Salomon. “The health of the sports we love is dependent on the planet and this is an opportunity for us to do our part and help show the way forward by sharing our sustainability pillars inside our winter sports business. In the future, we expect that the entire winter sports industry will work together to advance efforts in this area and make a positive impact on the climate threat we are all facing.”
The highly technical nature of winter sports equipment leaves little room for design variability, where space is often made to implement sustainable elements in products. The nature of products like skis—which are comprised of metals, glass/carbon fibers and wood—makes sustainable manufacturing a formidable task for R&D professionals. Despite this challenge, Salomon’s Winter Sports department is pledging to chart a new, more sustainable course in the years ahead, guided by the goals set forth in the company’s overall sustainability commitments unveiled in 2019. As Salomon has recently begun to do in its footwear range, the winter sports product design team is now working to develop sustainability excellence that does not compromise performance.
NEW S/MAX eSKIN NORDIC SKI USES RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES IN CORE CONSTRUCTION
“The S/MAX eSKIN ski is the result of three years of research and development to find the best combination of reducing the footprint of our raw materials, maintaining our high durability standards and delivering the performance skiers expect—all at a competitive price,” says Aloïs Vacelet, Salomon’s Product Line Manager for Salomon Nordic skis. “We are also committed to making the sport more accessible, and with eSKIN technology, you don’t need to kick wax. It’s about waxless grip and silent glide. Additionally, with the SHIFT-IN binding, you can adjust the performance of your ski to the snow conditions, the track profile or your physical shape on the day. And you can do all of these things while staying on your skis.”
SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES ALREADY TAKING PLACE WITHIN SALOMON WINTER SPORTS
In addition to creating flagship products with a sustainable theme, the various categories within Salomon’s Winter Sports business have been working to incorporate sustainability “basics” that make a global impact in the following areas:
Beyond these various steps taken at Salomon’s Annecy, France headquarters, the Amer Sports ski factory in Altenmarkt, Austria (where Salomon and Atomic skis are manufactured),
has done an exemplary job with its waste management scheme and energy sourcing. The Amer Sports Winter Sports Operations team has received the Austrian Phönix 2014 waste management award for its waste re-use scheme at the facility, which operates 100 percent on renewable electricity and features a biomass power plant.
“The impetus for these changes has come from our employees, who are passionate about doing business in a mindful manner, as well as some of our professional athletes and ambassadors, who are very committed to environmental preservation and sustainability,” says LeGuen. “Longtime Salomon ski ambassadors like Mike Douglas, Chris Rubens, Victor Galuchot, Greg Hill, Leah Evans and all our winter sports athletes have been vocal in their desires to see Salomon transform its winter sports for good through a new sustainable approach that does not sacrifice the performance of our products.”