We’ve seen much in the way of taking plastic bottles and other materials to create fleece fitness apparel, the question remains what happens when the fleece starts to wear out? Instead of it ending up in a landfill perhaps it go another step. ReFleece is a new company that is taking old Patagonia fleeces and turning the used fabric into protective tablet cases for the iPad and Kindle.
Jennifer Feller and Sam Palmer, who met while working at Patagonia, founded the company, which is made of discarded jackets. The outer shell comes from 100 percent post-consumer and post-industrial scrap fleece, which is made from recycled plastic bottles. Continue reading ReFleece From Recycled Recycled Materials
Back in Victorian times many soldiers and even civilians donned “pith helmets,” which were often not made of sola pith but rather cork. The material, which grows on trees in Spain and Portugal, is widely known for its use in corkboards and of course wine bottles.
Bicycle cleaning supply maker has White Lightning strikes again with its new line of biodegradable wipes made of bamboo. We’ve seen the fast growing grass used in the construction of bicycle frames, and even for fabric. But the Bamboo Cycle Wipes, which are made from 100 percent bamboo natural fiber fabric, are reusable yet biodegradable and will completely decompose after 28 days in compost.
We continue to watch for innovative companies that solve a common problem – namely what to do with old or broken fitness equipment? Green Mountain Ski Furniture is one company that has found a use for old and broken skis by transforming the old skis into chairs, tables, benches and racks.
We’ve noted the trend in materials being used in the construction of hockey sticks. Composites are being used more and more and the advantage for players is clear, but so is the cost. Likewise, composite materials have a problem in that these are not easily recycled.
Sustainable is a word that is thrown around a lot, and we’ve seen snowboards made out of some “interesting” materials, including bamboo. That fast-growing grass has also been used for bikes and even cycling apparel. But researchers from South Yorkshire have come up with a “nutty” idea that would utilize biocomposite materials in the construction of snowboards.
Last winter was a non-starter and while that meant a savings for communities in terms of snow removable, likely reduced delays in air travel and also made highways safer it wasn’t so good for the ski resorts. While it is still too early to tell if Mother Nature will return with a vengeance ski resorts aren’t taking chances. Manmade snow has been around for decades, but snow-making is reportedly going high tech.
pleased to see the near constant innovation and the accompanying evolution that comes with it in the realm of athletic head protection. Much has been made with sensors that can determine if an injury has occurred or even call for helmet when the wear suffers a head injury.
Show some patriotic spirit this holiday season with a bottle from Liberty Bottleworks of Washington State. The company was founded in 2010 and makes water bottles in its Union Gap factory from recycled aluminum. Currently the only American-made metal bottles, these are BPA free and made from 100 percent recycled materials. The company offers a number of collections, but we’re partial to the Freedom line above!
There are plenty of watches that can track your heart rate, calories, distance, etc. But there are times when you just want a reliable time piece that can endure your active life and tell time. The Sprout collection is such a watch. It won’t track calories or that other stuff but it can get help you get to the gym in time, and it will look stylish while camping and hiking. The lineup is also made from eco-friendly materials including corn resin, bamboo and Tyvek and these are affordable, sustainable, water-resistant and ready for anyone’s active life.
With a name like ReCycle you can pretty much guess what the company makes: bikes made from recycled materials, including aluminum. The concept behind the company is that recycled aluminum takes 95 percent less energy and creates 95 less CO2 emissions than creating it from virgin material. As such 75 of aluminum processed since the 1880s is still in use.