BE WOKE ON THE SLOPES

With its synthetic fibres, plastic bindings and polycarbonate shells, snow gear doesn’t score highly with environmentalists. But a few pro-planet brands are doing things differently. Here’s our round-up of essential kit to help preserve the powder

From wooden skis to renewable, bio-based goggles, our ski kit edit has solid eco cred

01 PANTS ON FIRE Picture Organic calculates that it has saved 285,000km of car engine emissions by making its snow pants out of 58% recycled polyester, helping to keep the Earth’s temperature down, while ensuring you stand out in a sea of lurid neon. Picture Organic Clothing Naikoon Aravis Trousers £199.90 glisshop.co.uk 02 MILK PACK Vaude has rejected synthetics, making its Green Core S backpack from castor oil, cotton and a felt derived from milk protein. This bag has impressive eco credentials and doesn’t skimp on practical design: straps and fasteners make carrying your skis as easy as bombing down a nursery slope. Vaude Green Core S Backpack £280 vaude.com 03 WAXING LYRICAL Most ski wax contains PFCS – perfluorochemicals – which build up in the snow and are toxic to flora and fauna. A 2011 study found that PFCS can cause liver damage, cardiovascular disease and, er, poorer-quality semen. Beaver Wax, however, is free of these nasties. Beaver Wax All Temperature Wax £13 for 155g atbshop.co.uk 04 WOOD CARVING If the concept of snowboarding tarnishes your purist ideal of downhill racing, perhaps consider a pair of wooden Rønning Treski skis. These aren’t the rickety planks of old with crippling bear-trap bindings – they’re built by hand in Norway from ash and birch trees grown in sustainable forests. Rønning Treski Track Skis £389 ronningski.com 05 MATERIAL REBOOT There’s no way you can totally sidestep plastic on the slopes, but what you can do is ensure your polymers are made from greener raw materials. That’s what Scarpa has done with its Freedom SL boots, crafted from 100% organic renewable material Pebax Rnew. Scarpa Freedom SL Boots £500 scarpa.co.uk

06 SEA CHANGE O’neill is cleaning up man-made seaborne junk with skiwear made from recycled ocean flotsam. This Rider jacket sports taped seams to keep moisture out and, with its high-octane print, the search party will find you in time for après if you happen to take a wrong turn. O’neill x Jeremy Jones Rider Ski Jacket £ 175 oneill.com 07 WHITE HEAT So-called “technical” fabrics might be touted as essential for modern activewear, but wool is kinder to the planet than synthetics. Extra-fine merino wool keeps your body temperature even, and its antibacterial properties keep odours in check, no matter how hard you gun it down the mountain. Edmund Hillary Merino Base Layer £145 edmundhillary.com 08 SPECS APPEAL On blinding snow, proper eyewear is a must. Smith’s Colson glasses have Chromapop lenses, which filter out light that causes colour confusion, so you’ll see clearly as you career down double black diamonds. They’re crafted from 53% bio-based material, too. Smith Optics Colson Sunglasses £140 smithoptics.com 09 GREEN FINGERS Even the smallest of items can have their own eco virtues. These Jack Wolfskin gloves have an insulating knitted exterior, fleece lining and are free of polluting PFCS, so you’ll prevent frostbite and breathe deep that cool, fresh air, knowing you’ve done your bit for the environment. Jack Wolfskin Aquila Gloves £35 jack-wolfskin.co.uk 10 STICK SHIFT Given that builders in Hong Kong use it as scaffolding on modern skyscrapers, bamboo is certainly sturdy stuff. Poleplant makes its poles using this material, sourced from cultivation sites. But don’t fret – they’re built to give your usual sticks a run for their money. Poleplant Poles £100 poleplant.com