Sustainability and skiing…can it work?
Everyone who has a close relationship with the mountains is experiencing first hand the impact of global warming and climate change. From shorter seasons, less snow surety, and more erratic avalanches, to the devastation of habitats and natural environments.
So all of us who have a passion for the mountains, and for throwing ourselves down them, have a duty to try to do what we love doing in the best way. But what does that mean?
We spoke to the amazing Andy and Lucy who we’re lucky enough to call old friends (and apres ski partners!). They own and run luxury ski company Kaluma Ski:
‘We’re lucky enough to live and work in the Alps, so we are completely invested in looking after our home.
The places in which we have our chalets are very dependent on tourism so they are doing what they can, Courchevel is part of the national charter for sustainable development in mountain resorts and St Anton has just joined Climate Change Adaptation Model Regions for Austria.
Then in the chalets themselves we have to strike the balance between creating the luxury experience our customers deserve and doing what we can to cut down on everything from plastic to paper and food waste.’
As an avid skier, passionate about the outdoors, our founder Charlotte was incredibly keen to help reduce the impact of the outdoor industry so jumped at the chance to add ski wear to thelittleloop's offering.
‘I’ve worn the same Patagonia Ski Jacket for 15 years….both for skiing and hiking and generally anything outdoors and gnarly. It’s an incredibly technical piece of kit, which I layer with other clothes for versatility, and I’ve just never felt the need to buy another. But the same can’t be said for kids.
For ski clothing to be effective it has to fit properly. Which means you can’t buy big and hope it will fit for a few years or your little ones will freeze. But it’s so expensive (and wasteful) to buy new for them every year. So many people tell us they end up buying cheaper brands for their kids as a result then immediately regretting it when they’re cold and unhappy on the mountain. thelittleloop kids skiwear rental aims to change all that!’
I’m incredibly proud that thelittleloop is a member of Re-Action Collective, a network of businesses who are working for a more sustainable outdoor sports industry for everyone. Along with the fabulous One Tree At A Time, Re-Run Clothing and many others.
Here are Kaluma x thelittleloop’s top tips for sustainability whilst skiing:
Rent your gear - save money and stop waste. With thelittleloop, the gear approx 4 times more usage vs buying new and using for one season.
Take your water bottle on the mountain - Alpine tap water is some of the best in the world!
Look for ski companies that have sustainability values, checkout Kaluma here
If you have someone cooking for you (lucky you) ask them to only use local produce where possible
Long may there be snow!
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Currently on thelittleloop we have ski and snow bundles available from £35 for 8 days. There are also options for 12 and 16 days and we cater for ages 2-10 years old.
How it works:
Choose your items/ bundle and pre-book
Your gear will be sent to arrive the day before the booking date given
When you’re back, just pop it all back into the reusable bag and stick on the pre-paid returns label
(No need to launder, we’ll do all that on our end)