Shimano-owned clothing manufacturer, Pearl Izumi, has announced a new pledge and social purpose, committing to reducing their environmental impact. Their multi-faceted approach can be summarized into this pledge: “Because we believe how we live shapes how future generations ride, we pledge to: Ride More and Do More.” Among other things, that means no more printed catalogs…
Pearl Izumi Announces New Social Initiatives
In addition to eliminating brochures, Pearl Izumi has reduced the size of their hang tags to the smallest possible size.
Critical information will be found on one tag the size of a business card, the smallest size that can still be recycled. The new hangtags use 19,400 pounds less paper, saving 165 trees, 68,082 gallons of water and 4,503 gallons of oil annually.
Pearl is also making a gradual switch to sustainable fabrics, introducing the first offerings in the Spring 2019 collection. They target the use of 90% or greater renewable or organic fabrics by 2022 – using merino wool and Repreve recycled polyster. All new products ship in 100% recycled plastic bags, which have been reduced in size as much as possible.
In addition, Pearl Izumi has stepped up to offer repairs to damaged garments, similar to services offered by Patagonia. Or, if you don’t want to keep those used clothes, Pearl has partnered with the Renewal Workshop to repair and resell warranty returns, giving a second life to gently used products.
All of these activities will be kept in check using the Higg Index, a sustainability index developed by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the Sustainability Apparel Coalition. As of today, Pearl Izumi is the only cycling apparel or footwear brand reporting on this index.
