A “one-stop online shop” for sustainable skiwear has launched with the stated aim of: “…(helping) champion the most environmentally and socially conscious winter kit on the market and kickstart a sustainable skiwear revolution.”
EcoSki.co.uk offers a carefully curated selection of ski and snowboard clothing and accessories for men, women and children, all hand-picked from brands which claim the highest social and environmental credentials.
EcoSki also offers a repair service for all ski garments bought via its own website and a re-selling platform for “preloved” ski and snowboard wear via its Instagram shop EcoSki’d to help “close the loop” and prolong the life of hard-wearing winter kit, offering a more sustainable way to enjoy winter sports.
Founder Rachael Westbrook decided to start EcoSki after getting in to skiing with her family over the past three years, discovering alongside the joy of wintersports the awful truth of shrinking glaciers, shortening seasons and the impact of outdoor kit.
“I came across Protect Our Winters and couldn’t believe what I was reading,” says Rachael. “I needed to upgrade my kit, which was 20 years old, and discovered the ethos behind brands like Picture Organic and Woolpower as well as the likes of Patagonia and Icebreaker — I learned about the ‘ingredients’ in our kit and just how impactful they are — not only environmentally but socially, too.”
While it pledges to resell brands mainly aligned with its sustainability credentials, EcoSki will work with charities and clothing banks to rehome other winter kit to those in need. Next season a rental service is planned in partnership with My Wardrobe HQ.
EcoSki will donate one percent of the net proceeds from every sale to an organisation called 1% For The Planet*, supporting four different charities within its umbrella — Protect Our Winters, Ghost Fishing UK, Root and Branch Out and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
In addition, EcoSki’s ambassadors, photographer and polar explorer Martin Hartley and Olympic skier-turned TV presenter Chemmy Alcott (pictured above and top) are donating items for auction, from which all proceeds go to 1% For The Planet.
“I am truly honoured and excited to be working with the incredible team at EcoSki. I had never really appreciated how impactful our clothing choices were on the environment. I still have a lot to learn but I am looking forward to helping support and promote inspirational brands while also having an avenue to ‘give back’,” said Chemmy.
Martin has witnessed first-hand just how quickly the planet is responding to global warming and the detrimental effects of the clothing industry. He says: “I am so proud to support EcoSki and all they are doing to help keep our hard-wearing kit in circulation. Helping skiers to opt for more natural choices with base and midlayers, and encouraging people to really understand the impact man-made fibres have on the environment is truly fantastic.”
In compiling its stock and scrutinising brands — which include Patagonia, Picture Organic, Planks, Marmot, Yuki Threads, Icebreaker, Mammut, Amundsen and Mons Royale — EcoSki works with advisors including fashion stylist Rachel Fortune, founder of the Sustainable Lifestyle Awards and sustainability consultant Lucie Harrild.
EcoSki founder Rachael Westbrook says: “I am not saying we are 100% sustainable, as everything we produce comes at some cost to the environment, but all the stock meets our baseline requirement of being responsibly sourced and made, PFC free and/or recycled. It is what I often refer to as ‘kit with a conscience’.”
“Ideally we want to find a way of giving it back to be refurbished and recycled again and again – we take accountability for the kit we sell. If it’s fixable, we will do our best to fix it!”