Sustainability and environmental impact are becoming increasingly important factors when it comes to choosing outdoor kit, and great strides have been made with more eco-friendly hiking gear in recent years. But the fact remains that the most sustainable products are still the ones you can repair.
Rab and Lowe Alpine are two of the outdoor brands currently leading the charge when it comes to sustainability. Both are owned by Equip Outdoor Technologies, and between them they've reduced their CO2e emissions by 17.4% since 2019, removed polybags from direct-to-consumer shipping in the UK and US, and are currently using 63% recycled fabrics in their products. Amongst many other innovations.
And on top of all that is the excellent care and repair service they offer at the Rab Service Centre in Derbyshire. The repair centre exists to help you get more out of your gear, and we can confirm from personal experience that the highly trained staff who work there do an incredibly good job of bringing damaged outdoor kit back to life.
Extend the life of your kit
Whether you've lost a buckle on Lowe Alpine pack, burned a hole in a Rab jacket, shredded a sleeve, or just need to give your down sleeping bag a proper wash, the expert in-house team have the skills, training and passion to return your kit to peak condition.
We visited last year as part of a wider Rab and Lowe Alpine factory tour, and dropped off a sleeping bag with a broken zip into the Service Centre at the start of the day. A couple of hours later it was returned to us as good as new.
So if any of your kit needs restoring, send it to the Service Centre and it'll be repaired, then returned swiftly in time for your next outdoor adventure. Repairing kit rather than replacing it is the best thing for the planet, and won't leave too much of a dent in your wallet.
Repairs start at £10 for waterproofs and a little bit more at £15 for sleeping bags, a small price to pay compared to the cost of a new product.
Repair, don't replace
It may sound like a bad business model for a brand that makes its money from selling outdoor kit, but the team at Rab and Lowe Alpine are passionate about making products that will last for many years so you don't need to replace them regularly. Of course, all products come to the end of their natural life at some point, and there will be occasions when repairs aren't possible and a piece of kit needs to be retired.
When that happens, the team looks at ways to upcycle that product for a second use by repairing it and donating to one of their charity partners. Or by stripping it for spare parts to use in other repairs, and by taking bits of fabric waste to donate to Air Ambulance.
This whole approach is aimed at lowering company's carbon footprint, keeping valuable resources out of landfill, and protecting the mountain environment that we all love. So before you think about throwing that old bit of kit away, instead consider sending it to the Service Centre instead.
Second Stitch
As well as the regular repair service, with almost invisible fixes that leave your product looking as good as new, Rab also offers Second Stitch. This alternative approach uses end-of-life fabric roll ends, re-used and offcut materials to make contrasting repairs that are completely unique. Each one is finished with the exclusive 'Second Stitch' badge, allowing you the chance to promote sustainable choices when it comes to outdoor kit.
By selecting Second Stitch, you’ll be reducing the use of raw materials and the impact of freight, while limiting waste fabric. Your renewed kit will also be a one-of-a-kind piece, rather than something someone else could walk into a shop and buy.
Fixing kit for 40 years
Rab's gear aftercare services started with their founder, Rab Carrington in the 1980s. His passion was for producing hardwearing kit that could reliably perform in the world's most extreme terrain and weather conditions, so the company's focus has always been on creating gear that lasts.
The Rab Service Centre has had to evolve over the years to keep pace with the company's ever-expanding range of modern mountain kit, but many of the core staff in the Rab Service Centre have been working for the company since day one.
And in 2020 and 2021, the Service Centre completed an astonishing 17,520 washes and repairs. As a Climate Neutral Company committed to reaching Net Zero Emissions by 2030, the Service Centre’s contribution is vital to helping Rab accomplish that goal.
Breathe life back into your old gear today by sending it to the Rab Service Centre. CLICK HERE for full details of how to make that happen.
