EOG seeks 'End of Life' sustainable solution for industry

17 Sep '09

3 min read

The first ever industry wide End of Life solution is currently being sought by the Sustainability Working Group, part of the European Outdoor Group.

Started in 2008 as an industry led initiative the Sustainability Working Group (SWG) now has committees actively working on key areas of concern for the outdoor sector. One of these is the End Of Life Options Committee (EoL Committee) which is Chaired by Adrian Huber from the Mammut Sports Group and has members from Vaude, Salomon, W L Gore, the University of Applied Sciences HTW, Azimut, Advansa, Eco Guides (NGO), Klättermusen, Polartec, adidas, Bergans, Helly Hansen and Invista. The aim of the Committee is to provide and promote cooperative End of Life solutions to the outdoor industry, including:
• A sustainable business model
• Quantified key impacts (economic, ecological, and social)
• Concrete solutions which optimise economic value versus ecological footprint
• Approaching and engaging consumers and key stakeholders

In talking about the End of Life business model, Adrian Huber commented that “the industry currently has programmes running at company level but we aim to provide a business model that can help the industry as a complete entity, therefore providing a cohesive high impact solution. Whatever the final model looks like it is important that it works for all sizes of company and all parts of the value chain.”

The EoL Committee has already planned its strategic objectives; the plan will be to have at least 10 major brands committed to the End of Life business model by 2012; it will involve stakeholders at all levels in utilising existing End of Life infrastructures; it will take into consideration existing best practice examples and these will be worked with and improved; the business model / End of Life solutions are based on real business, all stakeholders involved must receive a benefit; whatever route is chosen must also be adaptable, useable by the textile and fashion industries.

The work of the Sustainability Working Group is NOT exclusive to members of the European Outdoor Group; it is operating on an open source basis and welcomes involvement from all areas of the value chain.Mark Held, Secretary General of the European Outdoor Group stated “The European Outdoor Group works on behalf of the whole outdoor sector; we would encourage everyone wishing to get involved with the Sustainability Working Group to go to the website and sign up.The more diverse and industry representative the membership of the SWG is, the closer the results will be to a true industry solution.”

Founded in 2003 the European Outdoor Group is an association set up to represent the common interests of the European outdoor industry.

The Sustainability Working Group was established at an open meeting at the OutDoor fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany in 2008. The Steering Group of the SWG is currently made up of representatives from adidas, Vaude, Mammut, W L Gore, Odlo, Salomon, Haglöfs, The North Face, Deuter, Globetrotter, Petzl, Bever Zwerfsport and the European Outdoor Group.

European Outdoor Group

More Textiles News - Switzerland...