The SCARPA Green Manifesto
Just when you think that the best-selling Maestrale/Gea can't get any better, now they're made with renewable plastics such as Grilamid Bio and Pebax Rnew® - plus one dollar from each pair sold goes to POW! All in an effort to become a certified B-Corp within the year. See below to learn more about the Green Manifesto, and well done SCARPA!
The full press release:
SCARPA’s newest ski boot innovation aligns with brand promise to help protect the planet.
SCARPA’s Green Manifesto helps the company move toward B Corp certification, driven in part by sustainably made ski boots.
BOULDER, Colo. (Nov. 12, 2021) – SCARPA, the leading producer of footwear for mountain sports, heads into winter 2021/2022 with a steadfast commitment to sustainability and renewable sources, aligned with the brand’s Green Manifesto. Every boot in the best-selling Maestrale or Gea RS or Maestrale and Gea ski-boot family is redesigned to incorporate Grilamid Bio and Pebax® Rnew, plastics made with renewable resources, while a dollar from each sale of a boot that includes these materials will be donated to Protect our Winters (POW).
“We enacted our Green Manifesto at the start of 20201 to outline SCARPA’s commitment to sustainability to the public in an easy-to-understand manner,” said Kim Miller, CEO of SCARPA North America. “Along with the Mojito Bio, the industry’s first fully biodegradable shoe that has a performance rubber sole, the plant-based plastics used in the Maestrale and Gea are one of our most significant initiatives in the product realm this year. We’re excited to showcase that in a way that also gives back to POW, an organization that has done a lot of excellent work in raising awareness and lobbying around the effect of climate change on winter sports.”
The values at the core of SCARPA’s Green Manifesto are Sustainability, Care, Air, Respect, Performance and Authenticity — all created to help reach SCARPA’s goal of becoming B Corp Certified within the year. SCARPA’s redesigned Maestrale and Gea boots fall under the Performance pillar, which underlines the brand’s passion for creating innovative and advanced products, including Pebax® Rnew and Grilamid Bio.
“Scarpa has always had a really clear vision around sustainability,” said Chris Davenport, SCARPA athlete and professional skier. “Their team has consistently strived to use the most sustainable materials they can source while never compromising on performance. It’s been awesome to grow alongside them as they’ve stepped up their game in the ski boot category year after year. Knowing that they’re pushing the envelope in the world of sustainable materials is just icing on the cake.”
Davenport recently visited SCARPA’s global headquarters in Italy and met with ski category manager Massimo Pelllizzer to talk about the new boot updates, as well as the sustainable updates SCARPA has made to its manufacturing process. To learn more about the castor bean, SCARPA’s 100% solar power powered HQ building and how it’s stayed a 0 Km ski-boot company — meaning the entire manufacturing process takes place at the company’s headquarters in Asolo, Italy — watch this video.
Pebax® Rnew is a totally organic, recyclable material first used by SCARPA in its ski mountaineering boots. The polymer is derived from castor oil, a vegetable oil extracted from a non-GMO and non-edible crop, therefore not competing with food production. Overall, the renewable material saves 32% of C02 compared to conventional materials. The Maestrale and Women’s Gea have been utilizing Pebax Rnew in their construction since 2019, while the Maestrale RS and women’s Gea RS began using it alongside planet-friendly Grilamid Bio in 2021. Grilamid Bio is also derived from the castor bean plant, and makes up the bi-injection carbon-infused shell of the Maestrale RS and Gea RS.
SCARPA’s fall 2021 ski boot collection is now available for purchase. For more information on SCARPA’s Green Manifesto and broader company goals, click here.
About SCARPA and SCARPA North America
Founded in 1938, SCARPA builds performance footwear for climbing, hiking, skiing, mountaineering, trail running and other outdoor pursuits from its headquarters in Asolo, Italy. SCARPA has been owned and operated by the Parisotto family since 1956. In 2005, SCARPA opened its North American headquarters in Boulder, Colo., staffed and directed by veterans of the North American outdoor industry, to oversee sales, marketing and distribution in the U.S., Canada and South America. For more information about SCARPA footwear, visit www.scarpa.com.