News
ATOMIC Renu ski boot scoops Eco Award
13th February 2009
dcarbon8 client, ATOMIC, a world leader in developing and manufacturing ski and snowboard equipment, scooped the Eco Responsibility Award at ISPO, the world’s largest international ski exposition in Munich. ATOMIC won the prestigious award for the Renu ski boot which, according to the jury, was considered ‘a truly revolutionary, cutting edge product’ proving that ‘eco-responsibility does not have to stop when it comes to performance ski footwear’.
dcarbon8 worked with the ATOMIC to make the Renu the world’s first Planet Positive ski boot. It has a 12.5% lower carbon footprint than a benchmark ski boot, the ATOMIC Nuke 100. dcarbon8 measured the environmental impact of the Nuke, manufactured in 2007, according to the Planet Positive Product Methodology, using a life-cycle, cradle to grave, assessment developed in line with ISO 14044 and PAS2050.
dcarbon8 calculated the embodied carbon footprint figure as well as the environmental impacts from eutrophication to land use, resource depletion to toxicity. As a result of this analysis, dcarbon8 proposed recommendations to reduce the environmental impact of the Atomic Nuke boot. Whereas conventional ski boots are made entirely of man-made, oil-based fibres, the Renu is easy on fossil fuel resources.
The resulting Renu is a ski boot made from bioplastic, bamboo and hemp, in natural pigmentations so it can be recycled. Material changes have also resulted in 80% less heat required to mould the boots which has been achieved by using biomass, rather than gas/oil, boiler, to generate heat used to mould the boots. ATOMIC has also initiated a take back scheme for used boots, which diverts waste from landfill or incineration. The entire boot comprises 80% renewable raw materials which can be recycled.
As an alpine sports company, ATOMIC is aware of the impacts of climate change and is committed to reducing its contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. ATOMIC has been one of the first in the industry to acknowledge that climate change is a major concern and have formulated a ‘Keep Winters White’ environmental campaign.
Jason Roe, Product Manager of ATOMIC boots, said: “The Renu is a special product. The ATOMIC brand is built on performance. The Renu meets both performance and ecological standards. dcarbon8 played an essential part of the product development and delivery of Planet Positive accreditation.”
Other metrics of environmental performance indicate a significant reduction of the Renu’s environmental impact. In comparison to the benchmark boot, the Renu was shown to have a 50.6% reduction in fossil fuel use, a 58.5% reduction in ecotoxicity and a 5.8% reduction in ozone depletion. These reductions are a result of decreased transport emissions, lower masses of all components, material changes and using less heat to mould the boots.
The Renu will be on sale later this season. ATOMIC is part of the AMER Sports Corporation, together with brands such as Wilson, Suunto, Precor, Mavic and Salomon.