Sustainability/04/03/2019

Icebug is the World's First Climate-Positive Outdoor Shoe Brand

We need your consent to enable the rating function!

This feature is only available when corresponding consent is given. Please read the details and accept the service to enable rating function.

Rate
Bookmark
Share

Swedish shoe manufacturer Icebug writes outdoor history: Since February, the company has been the first outdoor shoe manufacturer to operate climate-friendly.

Author: Martin Jahns
More on the topic
Sustainability
Icebug ist als erste Outdor-Schuhmarke der Welt klimapositiv.
As the first outdoor shoe brand in the world, Icebug is climate-positive.
Image credit: Icebug

Since the end of February, the Swedish outdoor shoe manufacturer Icebug has been the first and only company to operate climate-positively. This means that the brand offsets more emissions than it produces.

The Göteborg-based company thus achieved its goal of becoming a completely climate-positive company by 2020, which was set in autumn 2018, much earlier than expected.

"When we made this important decision, it was a step into the unknown. We didn't know if it would cost us 20 cents or 20 euros per shoe. At the same time, however, it was clear to us that we had to take on responsibility. But we didn't expect it to be that easy", said Icebug CEO David Ekelund.

Icebug achieved this milestone in cooperation with the UN Climate Neutral Now initiative. The first step is to measure a company's total CO2 emissions from production, transport and administration.

The company then tries to reduce emissions as much as possible before financially offsetting unavoidable emissions through UN-certified reduction procedures and global projects.

"Everyone in our society should take the initiative when it comes to climate change. We are delighted that Icebug has taken on the role of a leader and is ambitiously driving its own plan forward. By financially supporting projects worldwide, they are actively reducing emissions. Through such actions we can make a difference." said Niclas Svenningsen, Manager at UN Global Climate Action.

He is convinced that "we will achieve the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement of becoming a climate-neutral society".

The Most Sustainable Sports Brands in Pictures

The Tankr snowshoes from Fimbulvetr are a prime example of sustainability. They are 100% recyclable and the company gives a lifetime warranty and repair facility. In 2017 they received the ISPO Award in the Eco Achievement Hardware segment.
NZERO's 100% sustainable waxes for snow sports are based on natural ingredients: A mix of soybeans and corn. This means they do not need any chemical additives. NZERO was also awarded the ISPO Award for Eco Achievements Accessories in 2017.
The Tierra Products Deterra Hooded Anorak is the first quilted anorak made from 100 percent natural materials. Only renewable raw materials are used. Not for nothing did the 2017 jacket receive the SPO Award in the Eco Achievement Apparel category.
The Grown Outdoor Creativity Lab specialises in the design of regenerative design solutions. An example of this is their ski "MonViso Hemp edition", which combines systemic design, natural, local materials with innovative production methods. In 2018 Grown received the ISPO Award in Eco Achievement Hardgoods.
The small company RÖJK focuses 100 percent on sustainable innovations. These can also be found in the Badland Jacket. Here timeless, versatile design is combined with traditional and natural materials. The focus is on bio-based and biodegradable components. In 2018, the brand won the ISPO Award 2018 in the Eco Achievement Apparel segment.
The Green Shape Core Collection is at the heart of Vaude's sustainable development. Each product consists of 90 percent organic, recycled or pure natural materials. For this, Vaude received the ISPO Award 2018 in the Eco Achievement Brand segment.
Cortazu verbindet in seinen Produkten Stil, Funktionalität und Nachhaltigkeit. Für seine Recycled Nylon 3-Layer Jacket hat Cortazu in Zusammenarbeit mit Green Threads ein leichtes 3L-Stretchgewebe aus 100 % recyceltem Nylon entwickelt. Das Nylon stammt aus postindustriellen Abfällen. Für die innovative und umweltfreundliche Hochleistungsjacke wird die niederländische Outdoor-Marke im Jahr 2019 ISPO Award Gold Winner im Segment Outdoor Apparel.
The Sordo boat from Berg Outdoor became Product of the Year in the Urban segment. This shoe is completely biodegradable.
Founder Markus Wiesböck from Grüezi Bag is delighted to receive the Product of the Year award at the ISPO Award in the Outdoor segment for the Biopod Downwool Nature sleeping bag. It consists of 100 percent pure natural materials - from the packaging to the last button.
The Tankr snowshoes from Fimbulvetr are a prime example of sustainability. They are 100% recyclable and the company gives a lifetime warranty and repair facility. In 2017 they received the ISPO Award in the Eco Achievement Hardware segment.
NZERO's 100% sustainable waxes for snow sports are based on natural ingredients: A mix of soybeans and corn. This means they do not need any chemical additives. NZERO was also awarded the ISPO Award for Eco Achievements Accessories in 2017.
The Tierra Products Deterra Hooded Anorak is the first quilted anorak made from 100 percent natural materials. Only renewable raw materials are used. Not for nothing did the 2017 jacket receive the SPO Award in the Eco Achievement Apparel category.
The Grown Outdoor Creativity Lab specialises in the design of regenerative design solutions. An example of this is their ski "MonViso Hemp edition", which combines systemic design, natural, local materials with innovative production methods. In 2018 Grown received the ISPO Award in Eco Achievement Hardgoods.
The small company RÖJK focuses 100 percent on sustainable innovations. These can also be found in the Badland Jacket. Here timeless, versatile design is combined with traditional and natural materials. The focus is on bio-based and biodegradable components. In 2018, the brand won the ISPO Award 2018 in the Eco Achievement Apparel segment.
The Green Shape Core Collection is at the heart of Vaude's sustainable development. Each product consists of 90 percent organic, recycled or pure natural materials. For this, Vaude received the ISPO Award 2018 in the Eco Achievement Brand segment.
Cortazu verbindet in seinen Produkten Stil, Funktionalität und Nachhaltigkeit. Für seine Recycled Nylon 3-Layer Jacket hat Cortazu in Zusammenarbeit mit Green Threads ein leichtes 3L-Stretchgewebe aus 100 % recyceltem Nylon entwickelt. Das Nylon stammt aus postindustriellen Abfällen. Für die innovative und umweltfreundliche Hochleistungsjacke wird die niederländische Outdoor-Marke im Jahr 2019 ISPO Award Gold Winner im Segment Outdoor Apparel.
The Sordo boat from Berg Outdoor became Product of the Year in the Urban segment. This shoe is completely biodegradable.
Founder Markus Wiesböck from Grüezi Bag is delighted to receive the Product of the Year award at the ISPO Award in the Outdoor segment for the Biopod Downwool Nature sleeping bag. It consists of 100 percent pure natural materials - from the packaging to the last button.

The exact collection of data on annual Icebug emissions has not yet been determined. However, a rough estimate has shown that the company is responsible for around 3,637 tons of greenhouse gases in the financial year March 2018 - February 2019. With the compensation payment of 4,755 tons made to the UN climate projects on the 21st of February 2019, Icebug is about 30% above the required value and is therefore climate positive.

Author: Martin Jahns
Topics in this article
More on the topic Sustainability
Show all
Top Topics
This might also interest you