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- Choice of materials
Choice of materials
The considerations we make when we source materials are decisive for our products’ environmental footprint. Our products contain raw materials, both natural and synthetic, all of which have an environmental impact in manufacturing and conversion from raw material to finished product.
It is in the design stage of our products that we can really make a difference. One of the most important factors is that we develop high quality products that have a long service life. There are many choices of different materials, and we endeavor to always keep up to date on the options that ensure better environmental performance and any new, innovative materials we can test. We are committed to avoiding the use of harmful chemicals by opting for bluesign®-approved materials and suppliers. And we are continuously sourcing for new, innovative and more sustainable materials.
Chemicals
Our garments are high-tech and subject to strict performance requirements. Chemicals are an essential part of the production of these fabrics, while we must have control over these chemicals used in the production and subsequent treatment of our products.
PFAS
Bergans is working every day to identify sustainable solutions. We live from and for the great outdoors and have, through our Code of Conduct, committed ourselves to an extended responsibility for the social and environmental effects that we and our industry expose the world to.
Animal Welfare
Whenever we use materials of animal origin, animal welfare is a central point to consider. This is also regulated through our Code of Conduct (CoC), which all our suppliers must comply with.
SpinDye®
By combining the clean and more sustainable Spindye®-colouring method and our wide experience in outerwear, we believe we have found the optimal blend of performance and long-term awesomeness.
Description of materials
There are many choices of different materials, and we endeavor to always keep up to date on the options that ensure better environmental performance and any new, innovative materials available. We impose strict requirements to ensure that the materials we use are produced in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Organic Cotton
We take the problems posed by the cotton industry seriously, and use organic cotton in more and more of our products. Organic cotton is cultivated without the use of hazardous chemicals, chemical pesticides and artificial fertilizers. To guarantee that the cotton we source is organic, we require our suppliers to provide proof of their approved certification from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
Wool
Animal welfare is an important aspect of our corporate responsibility. One of our strict requirements is that all the wool in our products must be non-mulesed. We verify compliance by requiring certificates follwing every single consignment of wool we purchase. We are for the time being working with implementing the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) as an even stronger guarantue for animal welfare throughout the whole supply chain.
We also use recycled wool in parts of our collection. Recycled Wool has its origin in used textiles (post-consumer recycling) or in production waste (pre-consumer recycling). Resources like water, energy or chemicals are needed for the production of virgin wool - starting from the process of shearing at the farm and the whole way until we get the final fabric. By recycling wool we reduce the ecological footprint of the material.
Down
All of our down is either recycled or 100 % certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS). The RDS guarantuees animal welfare through the whole supply chain and excludes suppliers who practice live-plucking or force feeding. All certified partners, including Bergans, are being controlled and re-certfied each year. This guarantees both you and us high quality and ethically produced down.
Recycled Materials
We use different recycled materials in a number of our products. By doing so, we can save vaulauble ressources by using the same raw materials once again. One such material, Repreve®, is used in several of our t-shirts and also pants and shorts. Repreve® is recycled polyester made from recycled plastic bottles. In a number of our padded garments, we use PrimaLoft® Silver Insulation Eco, which is an insulating material made from recycled, post-consumption materials. We also use recycled wool as well as recycled down from Re:Down in a number of our products. We are continuously searching for more recycled materials not only for the main fabric, but also for buttons and other ingredients of a garment.
Bio-based materials
In 2016 we introduced together with our partner TORAY products made of ecodear®; a partially plant-based polyester. Polyester is conventionally made from 100 % crude oil. In ecodear®, the ethylene glycol needed in the polymerization is instead made from molasses, a bi-product of sugar production. Chemically ecodear® is just like conventional polyester and is therefore fully recyclable. This is a more sustainable material contributing to reducing the emission of carbon dioxid and saving fossil fuels.