Salomon Winter Sports Opens its Books on Skis, Snowboards, Boots and Bindings Life-Cycle Assessment
Open-sourcing our knowledge on innovation and impact measurement
Salomon has conducted life-cycle assessments (LCAs) across the company’s product range in order to know the environmental impact of each step in the product creation process, from the sourcing of materials all the way to the product end-of-life management. The study, which began in 2019, was undertaken with the goal of understanding the environmental impact of Salomon’s product offering to create a reference that will push the industry toward more sustainable product design.
“Our goal is to develop a methodology for calculating the environmental impact of all winter sports equipment. This could be the foundation of a future product environmental performance labeling system. We want to contribute to the transformation of our industry!”
Xavier Le Guen
Vice-President of Salomon Winter Sports Equipment
SKIS & SNOWBOARDS LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT
The assessment of the life-cycle of Salomon's MTN touring ski shows that the resin used in the ski accounts for 26% of the total impact of the ski on climate change, while the top sheet accounts for 23%. The ski is made with 40 percent sustainable materials as part of Salomon’s efforts aimed at minimizing the product’s impact on the environment.
Same conclusion with the Highpath snowboard, where the resin accounts for 36% of the total impact on climate change. It already uses 28% of bio-based materials in the sidewalls, resin, and core, with 50% recycled materials in the base and at least 20% in the edges.
On the S/MAX Eskin Nordic ski, the most impactful component is the laminate used in the ski, which accounts for 34% of the overall impact on climate change. The ski uses the S-CORE 45, which pairs the durability of Densolite with the lightness of recycled PET foam and uses nine recycled plastic bottles that make up 45 percent of the core’s weight.
More details about the life-cycle assessments of each product can be found at the links below.
BOOTS & BINDINGS LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT
The assessment of the life-cycle of Salomon's S/PRO 100 ski boot shows that the hardshell part of the boot accounts for 44% of the overall impact on climate change.
The MTN Summit touring binding is made with several small separate parts, which creates a lot of scraps. The recycling of material scraps could greatly decrease the global impact of the binding on climate change.
On the Rhythm snowboard binding, the most impactful component is the PA6 baseplate, which accounts for 46% of the overall impact of the binding on climate change
More details about the life-cycle assessments of each product can be found at the links below.
GOGGLES & HELMETS LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT
The life-cycle assessment of the Radium ski goggles shows that two components account for over half of the overall impact on climate change: the strap accounts for 30%, and the pouch used for storage accounts for 24%.
Regarding the Brigade helmet, the life-cycle assessment teaches us that the external plastic shell part of the helmet is the most impactful part, responsible for 23% of the overall impact on climate change. The dyeing process of the cap inside the helmet accounts for 14% of the overall impact on climate change.
More details about the life-cycle assessments of each product can be found at the links below.
As part of the "Change our Tomorrow 2030" strategy, Salomon has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 30% in absolute by 2030 from a 2019 baseline. Salomon's carbon reduction target is scientifically aligned with the Paris Agreement and the global objective of not exceeding 1.5°C global warming.
Three years ago, Salomon became the first winter sports company to establish a Science Based Target (SBT) that is approved by the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi), which defines and promotes best practices in emissions and net-zero targets, in line with climate science. In this way, the LCA work is directly informing the global climate strategy of Salomon with science-based data toward the goals of the company’s Science Based Target. As part of the Change our Tomorrow 2030 strategy, Salomon also has a transparency goal to display the environmental impact of all products by 2025 and this LCA work is one big step towards it.
“By measuring the impact of our products and sharing our findings, we want to contribute to the transformation of our industry,” says Xavier Le Guen, VP of Salomon Winter Sports Equipment. “One year after our Science Based Target was approved, we are validating our efforts with this life-cycle assessment study and developing a tool that will allow our product teams to measure and communicate on the CO2 impact of our products. The goal is to develop a methodology for calculating the environmental impact of all winter sports equipment. This could be the foundation of a future product environmental performance labeling system.”
To better amplify its findings, Salomon winter sports is liaising with its network of industry partners, including fellow snow sports equipment manufacturers, resorts, and various ski industry associations such as Snowsports Industry of America (SIA), Protect Our Winters (POW), Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI), European Outdoor Group (EOG), Outdoor Sports Valley (OSV) and the International Biathlon Union (IBU).
SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES IN WINTER SPORTS
The LCA work has already made a very tangible impact within Salomon. With in-house sustainability experts, the company’s winter sports product development teams have been able to alter product design to integrate recycled materials and find new ways to create products by using less materials.
Salomon’s “Trash is Gold” project saw teams implement production waste materials into ski sidewalls, specifically in the Addikt Pro.
The MTN ski touring range of skis and boots uses recycled materials in the construction, as do various snowboards and snowboard boots.
Nordic ski R&D experts implemented recycled plastic bottle material to make the S-Core—which is used in several ski models—and created the Stringer Core, found in other models, in such a way that it utilizes less materials without sacrificing performance or durability.
MORE SUSTAINABLE COMMITMENTS FROM SALOMON
The INDEX.02 is a “Champion”—the brand’s "north stars" when it comes to responsible product innovation and performance: it is 100% recyclable and features vast improvements performance-wise over its predecessor. Its unique construction allows it to be disassembled at the end of its life so that the shoe materials can be recycled and used to make a new product. There is even a subtle line along the shoe showing where it will be split when it is recycled. A QR code on the tongue of one shoe allows you to easily scan it and register it after purchase, making it easy to return it for recycling at the end of its life. Like INDEX.01, when INDEX.02 shoes are sent back for recycling, the materials will be used in the construction of Salomon alpine ski boots.
As part ot the Salomon Sports Pledge launched in 2021, Salomon has also offset the travel of its international athlete team, including its winter sports athletes competing on various World Cup circuits across Nordic and Alpine disciplines.