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PRODUCT NEWS: Rab launches Down Collect and Recycle Scheme

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 UKC/UKH Gear 06 May 2021

British outdoor brand Rab (owned by Equip Outdoor Technologies Ltd.) has recently started its own down collect and recycle scheme. The scheme is part of Equip's long-term sustainability strategy, with Equip being certified as climate neutral company in 2020 and having committed themselves to reach Net Zero by 2030.

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 simes303 06 May 2021
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

She's throwing away a perfectly good jacket!

 johnlc 06 May 2021
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

Maybe I'm missing something here but it sounds like Rab is offering recycle our down gear, only to process it and sell it back to us.  It reads like this is a service that they are offering but could also be regarded as them getting a nice supply of free down (albeit that needs to be processed / washed / graded etc).  Is there no value in the down?

In reply to johnlc:

I hear what you're saying, but I don't really see the problem with that. Recycling is expensive. They'll need to break the down the product, separate out what is recoverable and what isn't, grade it, determine what down can be used for what products and then probably pay to dispose of what remains.

I'd be happy if they can recycle what I've used to prevent as much of it going into landfill as possible - particularly with something like down.

The alternative being binning it? You can sell it but eventually someone will determine to item to be done with.

If they can make their margins better by recycling down, that seems fair to me. Lots of other companys do the same. Seems like a win / win to some extent.

Removed User 06 May 2021
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

The duct tape to fabric ratio on that jacket is concerningly low.

 ScraggyGoat 06 May 2021
In reply to Martin McKenna - Rockfax:

It’s Rab, the garment will fall apart at the seams into its constituent parts of its own accord!

8
 ogreville 06 May 2021
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

It way my understanding that, like a puppy, a down jacket is for life. Keep and reuse is better than recycle any time. My old down jackets gets more use than the new as it’s kicked and I dont have to worry about ripping/damaging it.

 Howard J 07 May 2021
In reply to johnlc:

If you can find someone to buy used down then you can try to sell it.  Alternatively there are companies which will refurbish down gear so you can continue to use it, and some will allow you to donate old sleeping bags etc so they can be refurbished and passed on to youth groups.

This seems like a good way to recyle down which might otherwise end up in landfill.  This is how recycling works - materials have to be recovered, processed and turned back into raw materials for new stuff, and it is the end-use value which pays for that. It's no different from old drinks cans being recycled for aluminium, or plastic bottles being turned into fleece, or old cardboard boxes being turned into new cardboard boxes. The only difference here is that Rab are arranging the collection and delivery to the processor themselves, rather than it being done by someone like Veolia.

The only drawback seems to be that you have to deliver it to Rab's HQ, the location of which is not easily found from their website.  Maybe they could install collection points at some climbing walls or gear retailers?

In reply to Howard J:

> The only drawback seems to be that you have to deliver it to Rab's HQ, the location of which is not easily found from their website.  Maybe they could install collection points at some climbing walls or gear retailers?

I will be in contact with Rab on Monday to offer the Climbing Works as a drop off point, lots of their staff live in Sheffield and climb at the Works so it probably wouldn't involve any extra journeys

 OwenM 09 May 2021
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

Isn't down an organic product? Surely it will biodegrade. I'm more concerned about the nylon it's rapped in, that will last for ever.


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