We’ve talked before about how the humble outdoor fleece jacket deserves a place in every hiker’s wardrobe, but the CO2 Renu Half Zip Fleece from Craghoppers is a bit special.
Reducing carbon emissions is essential if we want to avoid catastrophic climate change, and one way to do that is simply to make less stuff that results in carbon being released into the atmosphere – or produce said stuff in a way that releases less carbon or, better still, none.
Perhaps somewhat unexpectedly, a new and exciting weapon in the battle against emissions came to our attention in the form of this fleece from Craghoppers.
In addition to providing all the warming versatility that all fleeces offer on the hill, and coming in at a price that places it among the cheaper mid layer options, the CO2 Renu Half Zip Fleece is actively helping to reduce emissions. And that makes it a worthy winner of our 2024 Gear of the Year award.
Gear of the Year 2024 winner
www.craghoppers.com
Pros
- Well-priced
- Sustainable innovation
- Full zip option available
Cons
- Not a 'technical' fleece for more arduous adventures
| Weight | 305g |
| Fabric | 100% polyester (70% recycled, 30% Bio3 carbon smart polyester) |
| Men's sizes | S - 2XL |
| Women's sizes | 8 - 20 |
Why the Craghoppers CO2 Renu Half Zip Fleece won Gear of the Year 2024
Made using pollution
The CO2 Renu Half Zip Fleece is made from polyester, 30% of which is Bio3 carbon smart polyester made from captured CO₂ emissions. The carbon is captured and converted into ethanol; this ethanol is then converted into the chemicals needed to make polyester fibres, which are then spun into fabric. It’s modern-day magic.
The remaining 70% of the fabric is made from recycled polyester, while the labels and zip-tape are all 100% recycled materials. Impressive stuff.
Minimal waste
Craghoppers designed the CO2 Renu Half Zip Fleece using a 3D design programme, which reduced the need for prototypes. By changing the construction of the fleece to laid over or lapped seams, it has also been able to minimise material waste in the production process, while still maintaining a refined finish.
Award-winning innovation
This combined approach to sustainability earned Craghoppers and the CO2 Fleece an ISPO Award, recognising innovation in the sports industry, at the highly respected outdoor gear trade show in Munich.
LanzaTech, the company which developed the process to convert waste carbon into new products and with whom Craghoppers collaborated on the CO2 Renu technology, was also a finalist in the ‘Fix Our Climate’ category of the 2022 Earthshot Prize.
After that kind of industry recognition, it’s hardly surprising that our own Gear of the Year Award should follow on.
How we tested
Our Gear of the Year award winners are, what we consider, the best products in their category that we've tested in the previous 12 months.
The products have all been used in tough real world conditions by members of our rigorous and experienced team.