Mountain Sports Apparel
Sustainability
The VAUDE Green Shape label stands for environmentally-friendly, functional products made from sustainable and bluesign® certified materials.
Find the Green Shape certified collection for women, men and children in the VAUDE Shop.
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
Going the eco-friendly and fair route… this is what drives us and at the same time is the matter closest to heart.
We pay attention to environmental compatibility and sustainability throughout the entire life cycle of a product, from design and materials, through production, use and care, to recycling and disposal. Additional information can be found in our Sustainability Report.
The following Green Shape features make your ecological footprint even smaller with VAUDE apparel:
Sustainable Design:
- timeless, long lasting products with high material efficiency and high quality
- repair and recyclability are taken into consideration
Environmentally friendly materials:
- use of certified, resource conserving materials
- over 50 % biobased or recycled materials in every product
Responsible Production:
- all sewing factories have verified social standards
Longer use, servicing and repair:
- can be washed at low temperatures
- no dry cleaning required
- VAUDE repair services, repair instructions and replacement parts
Recycling and disposal:
- high product quality enables second hand use
- cooperation in industry-wide take-back and recycling
systems
These Green Shape criteria will be valid for all newly developed products starting with our Summer Season 2022 and for all products by summer 2024.
Recycled Materials
Innovative, climate-friendly and extremely stable – that’s the new, sustainable material made from recycled household packaging that we’re using for the first time for the back panels of our VAUDE bike bags. An innovative recycling process is used to generate this new raw material out of plastic packaging collected from German households. About 3 kilos of packaging waste is recycled for each back panel, which lowers CO2 emissions for material production and conserves fossil resources.
Recycled Coffee Grounds
Functional S.Café® fabric with recycled coffee grounds. When the yarn is produced, used coffee grounds are added to the spin mass of recycled, melted polyester granulate. The resulting fabric is quick-drying, odor-inhibiting and offers natural UV protection.
• recycled coffee grounds for functional products
• odor-inhibiting, quick-drying with natural UV protection
• climate-friendly and environment-friendly, resource-efficient and sustainable production
Recycled Polyamide
Recycled polyamide obtained from used items such as fishing nets or carpets. Rather than disposing of surplus materials or residuals from textile production, we collect, process and reuse them in our production facilities. Valuable resources are put to maximal use so we need as little new raw materials as possible, protecting our climate and saving CO2.
• resource-efficient production from residual materials
• maximum utilization of valuable raw resources
• contributes to CO2 reduction and climate protection
Mass Balance Recycling
Recycled polyamide that makes use of a certified mass balance process in which pyrolysis oil is extracted from used tires and fed into a conventional polyamide production process. This chemical recycling methods conserves fossil raw resources. Another advantage: compared to conventional polyamide production, 60% less CO2 emissions are produced. The polyamide obtained in this eco-friendly process has just the same properties as conventional polyamide made from crude oil.
• robust, durable polyamide with best freedom of movement
• innovative tire recycling using a mass balance process
• climate-friendly and CO2-conserving crude oil alternative
HeatSphere Eco Insulation
As warm as down: Heatsphere Eco Insulation consists of heat-trapping spheres made from 100% recycled PET bottles and has the same properties as down fill. It is lightweight, very elastic, warmer than any padded fill and retains its insulation properties even when wet without clumping so you can save resources and do the environment a favor at the same time.
• easy-care fill made from recycled PET bottles
• insulates even when damp without clumping
• climate-friendly thanks to resource-conserving manufacturing
Renewable / Biobased Materials
At VAUDE, we have set ourselves the goal of increasing our use of plant-based, renewable raw materials in the production of our outdoor gear. Biobased materials contribute to reducing CO2 levels and the conservation of fossil resources helps to protect against climate change. We are now using biobased plastics derived from plants such as corn, sugar cane and castor oil in many products such as our shoe soles, apparel and backpacks. The advantage: Plants absorb CO2 until they are harvested, and when they are used they only release as much climate-damaging emissions as they absorbed during the growth phase. This is quite different from crude oil, from which conventional plastics are extracted. In addition to biobased plastics, natural plant fibers such as organic cotton or hemp can also be an alternative to synthetic materials. By using materials made from renewable raw materials, we are reducing the need for fossil fuels and contributing to protecting the planet from climate change.
Certified Organic Cotton
Partially made from certified organic cotton grown under strict ecological conditions. Cultivation requires less water consumption than conventional cotton and needs no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or genetic engineering. By buying organic cotton, VAUDE is contributing to the sustainable development of small farmers and to the preservation of biodiversity in areas of cultivation.
- renewable raw resource made from natural materials
- cultivated without chemical fertilizers, genetic engineering or pesticides
- protects the environment and reduces water consumption
Wood Fibers
Cellulose fiber made from 100% verified sustainable wood. The raw material for the fiber is cellulose from eucalyptus or beech wood, which requires neither fertilization nor artificial irrigation and conserves natural resources. Fiber made of wood cellulose is soft against your skin, has moisture-regulating properties and feels pleasantly cool. It is also 100% biodegradable and does not harm the environment or marine life. Thanks to a resource-saving closed-loop production cycle, it is very climate and environmentally friendly because emissions are reduced to a minimum. We use TENCEL®, a Lyocell fiber from Lenzing, in many of our jerseys. It is of botanic origin, made from cellulose, and extracted from the raw material wood. The fiber is produced with a closed-loop process that is extremely eco-friendly. Textiles made from TENCEL® are more absorbent than cotton, softer than silk and cooler than linen.
• pleasantly cool to wear, soft and silky against your skin
• environmentally friendly, 100% biodegradable
• climate-friendly, resource-efficient and sustainable production
Natural Hemp
We extract fibers from the stalk of the plant for the robust fabrics of your high-quality and durable VAUDE product. Hemp is a commercial plant that is robust, hardy and grows quickly. It requires little water and no fertilizers or pesticides, making it a climate-friendly, environmentally-friendly renewable raw material.
• resilient hemp fiber for robust fabrics
• climate-friendly and environmentally-friendly cultivation without fertilizers or pesticides
• sustainable and a natural, fast growing renewable raw material
Natural Wool
Finest merino wool that is naturally warm and water repellent. This natural fiber is wonderfully soft against your skin and breathable. In addition, it’s a sustainable and renewable raw resource that regulates your body temperature naturally. VAUDE is committed to the Responsible Wool Standard and uses mulesing-free wool exclusively.
• sustainable natural product made from renewable raw resources
• soft against your skin, naturally water repellent and breathable
• manufactured in accordance with the Responsible Wool Standard
Biobased Plastic
Some products include biobased plastic containing castor oil. Normally, plastics are made from petroleum. In order to conserve this fossil resource, we went out in search of renewable alternatives. Castor oil grows without supplemental irrigation on poor soil and does not compete with the food chain. From the oil of the castor beans we produce fibers for clothing and plastic components such as zippers, buckles and hooks. They have the same properties of conventional materials — only “greener”.
Certified Down
The down of geese and duck is a miracle created by nature! It is lightweight, breathable, and provides perfect protection from cold temperatures. You can rest assured that VAUDE only uses down from sources that are certified by the independent Responsible Down Standard (RDS).
• down from responsibly sourced, certified farms
• breathable natural material with high thermal insulation
• perfect protection from cold temperatures at a minimal weight
Sustainable Techologies
Ceplex Green
The high-quality Ceplex Green membrane developed by VAUDE is waterproof, highly breathable and windproof. It can withstand a water column of at least 10,000 mm. For our green membrane, we use at least 25 percent recycled or biobased materials instead of petroleum-based raw materials. This significantly reduces the consumption of energy and resources. Ceplex Green is 100 percent free of environmentally harmful fluorocarbons and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).
• waterproof, highly breathable and windproof
• 100 percent free of fluorocarbons and PTFE
• climate-friendly manufacturing with reduced resource consumption
Eco Finish
This water and stain resistant finish is applied to the outer fabric of your product so that water pearls up and runs right off – without the use of environmentally harmful fluorocarbons (PFCs). This protects you from the rain and keeps the planet clean. Regular reapplication is necessary for permanent waterproofing and stain resistance.
• environmentally friendly water repellency and stain resistance
• optimal protection from rain and moisture
• no use of environmentally harmful fluorocarbons (PFC)
Natural Dyes
GOTS-certified natural dyes are obtained from food industry and agriculture waste such as beetroot, herbs or turnips helping us to conserve resources, save water and energy and eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals. Over time, your product will take on a unique, natural patina.
• GOTS-certified natural dyes made from food industry waste
• unique, natural patina
• climate-friendly, eco-friendly production without chemicals
Ecolour Dyeing Process
An innovative, climate and environmentally friendly, direct dye process that results in fewer CO2 emissions along with water and energy savings.
• environmentally friendly and innovative dyeing process
• reduces emissions, water and energy consumption
• high degree of color fastness that holds up in the wash
Econyl
This product includes a robust, lightweight and quick-drying polyamide yarn which is produced in an upcycling process from used nylon materials such as fishing nets and certified in accordance with the Global Recycling Standard. The ECONYL® regeneration system — cleaning the oceans and conserving valuable resources.
