FRIEDRICHSHAFEN - High-performance, durable outdoor clothing produced with a low environmental impact were just some of the key highlights at last week’s Outdoor Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany–but there is still much work to do. John Mowbray reports.

The 18th edition of the trade show for the European outdoor sector set records across the board, with 21,520 visitors (+5%) from around the world coming together with 890 exhibitors, to produce a vibrant, exciting and innovative trade fair where the issues of textiles sustainability and the environment were high on the agenda.

“The clouds cleared, the sun came out and everyone was in a positive mood as the outdoor industry made the most of the gathering on Lake Constance. It was encouraging to see that so many people and companies were represented at the early morning events, eager to learn, share and celebrate our incredible industry,”said Mark Held, secretary general of European Outdoor Group,“Sustainability continues to be a strong theme of the industry and we would encourage all companies to become involved in the work being undertaken worldwide by the Sustainability Working Group in Europe and the Eco Working Group in the USA.”

Brands offering sustainable eco-textiles were once again highlighted by the Outdoor Show with the 2011 Gold Awards category where prizes were grabbed by brands such as Sweden’s Klattermussen which was applauded for its unique, highly durable robust softshell jacket made of 100%‘fluorocarbon-free’Kevlar and is certified to the stringent bluesign standard. The use of Kevlar in a soft-shell jacket is a first for the industry, and it was considered as a sustainable product by the judging panel due to its longevity potential, but the judging panel said it still expected more from brands in terms of new environmental developments.

“I am looking forward to more innovations in the field of sustainability. It is important for the outdoor industry to understand that everything is part of the circle of life and that our environment won’t continue to exist unless products such as these protect it,”said Giovanni Quirici, the Swiss mountaineer and biologist.

“There is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of ecology and sustainability,”claimed Frank Wacker from the Outdoor editorial office,“This is where the outdoor industry has to set further standards on how the ecological value of a product can be properly evaluated.”

On the other hand, although many European brands have started to talk about durability as an important aspect of the textiles sustainability debate, there was a definite trend at the show towards much lighter weight shell fabrics, which in reality will likely lower product durability by as much as it improves performance and comfort. An interesting conundrum!

Nevertheless, other outstanding GOLD award winners at the show included Swiss-based Vingetorix for a functional outdoor jacket produced from 100% organic cotton with no synthetic chemicals finishes.“The tightly woven fabric has good breathability, is water-repellent and also wind-proof,”Alicia Etienne, Vingetorix product manager told Ecotextile News.

Other recipients included Vaude for its alpine backpack made of sustainable certified materials and Mountain equipment from the UK who produced a the first down sleeping bag to be produced according to the clear-cut guidelines of the‘Down Codex Project’, which places a strong focus on environmental protection, animal protection and ethical responsibility.