From a clever acronym, learn all about Scarpa’s approach to eco manufacturing and the world around them.
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Renowned the world over for some of the best outdoor footwear in the industry, Scarpa has put their mark on everything from your casual outdoor-inspired trainer, to superb hillwalking boots, to high-tech climbing shoes and the most intrepid mountaineering boots. Known for using the finest Italian leathers, cutting-edge designs, and a wealth of knowledge going back to its founding in 1930.
Today however on the TL Blog we’ll be focusing on Scarpa’s big Green Manifesto, a sustainable approach that has always been part of their history but is now officially a manifesto for the company. S.C.A.R.P.A standing for Sustainability, Care, Air, Respect, Performance, and Authentic stand for all of the areas in which Scarpa focuses. Working around these principles, they’ve managed to build a company that cares greatly for the environment and those who produce their goods.
S – Sustainability
No shoe can be 100% sustainable. This is why Scarpa’s perpetual goal is to improve the environmental and social sustainability profile of everything they do along the entire life cycle, from raw materials to product recycling.
THEY FEEL THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE GENERATIONS OF TODAY AND OF THE FUTURE.
Their path to sustainable innovation is concrete, it has measurable targets and uses the world’s most robust assessment standards as a benchmark. This makes the authentic vision of their commitment clear.
Scarpa keeps close tabs on its eco-footprint. Their main factory utilises the Italian sunshine being almost fully solar-powered, this step taken has ensured that 320 tonnes of Co2 per year is saved from entering the atmosphere.
C – Care
This, too, is sustainability: they don’t care for planned obsolescence because they value time and nature together with reducing consumption and waste. Care for the product, Care for people and Care for the Earth.
CARE – A MIX OF EXPERIENCE, CRAFTSMANSHIP, SKILL, AND PASSION – IS WHAT GIVES YOU THAT VERY IMPORTANT SENSE OF “SECURITY” THAT LETS YOU CONNECT WITH THE MOUNTAIN AND FULLY EXPERIENCE THE ENVIRONMENT.
You have the knowledge that your shoes – the extreme point of connection between a human being and planet Earth – will do their job and create a symbiotic relationship with the elements, be they rock, snow, ice, or soil. But for Scarpa care is also about concern and awareness, to ensure working conditions and processes are always respectful of nature and, most importantly, people.
90% of Scarpa’s production is done in Europe. They do this to ensure the maximum well-being of workers, minimise air miles, and ensure maximum quality and skilled craftsmanship is assured in all footwear. They care for their manufacturers and their customers, ensuring a lifespan on every shoe or boot.
A – Air
“Air and freedom are basic human needs. We are animals that have evolved over millions of years, interdependent with nature. Spend a few minutes in nature and you’ll quickly rediscover what moves you deep inside. We build houses, places for work and vehicles to travel faster, but our true nature is to live outside, breathe, move with our own bodies.
WALKING IS THE GREENEST AND MOST SUSTAINABLE WAY TO MOVE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER AND TURN EVERY JOURNEY INTO AN ADVENTURE.
This is because our desire to explore, to reach for the top can also be felt in the small things; it becomes a way of tackling situations, a metaphor for life. We are all connected by a single thread, like in a rope team.” – Scarpa.
Scarpa gain all materials from 100% renewable sources, using none of the earth’s limited sources. They do this with a great passion for the outdoors and outdoor adventure.
R – Respect
“Treat others the way you want to be treated is the Golden Rule that translates respect into practice, and it has been known throughout millennia by every culture on the planet. It is not about being first to the top; it is not about speed. It is about goals and results.
RESPECT MEANS TO LOOK AGAIN, TO LOOK BACK AND TO REGARD, WITH OUR OWN EYES AND THROUGH THE EYES OF OTHERS.
Mountaineers and climbers know it all too well: a mountain demands respect. The attention it deserves is without fear, but with the awareness that there’s no room for superficiality, that the only possible way to tackle an ascent is with a focused mind. Respect also means knowing the rules, adopting the best quality standards, certifying excellence with the humility of a quick learner. We want to do more. We want to make respect our way of life: everything we do stems from this awareness.” – Scarpa.
Respect for people and the planet is one of the principal rules at Scarpa’s heart. For this reason, Scarpa ensure that none who work for them are paid an unfair wage, these are after all some of the world’s very best shoemakers, a very important yet dying skill. Scarpa as a company are also forever working to waste as few materials as they can, commuted to absolute zero waste!
P – Performance
“It is not about being first to the top; it is not about speed. It is about goals and results.
TO PER-FORM MEANS TO GIVE SHAPE TO ONE’S DREAMS, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE, AND TO DO IT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE, WITH MAXIMUM SAFETY AND THE MAXIMUM RESPECT.
Our new eco products maintain the essential reliability that our customers have come to trust, while being sensitive to the environment: they use innovative technologies and processes, biodegradable and plant-based materials, non-polluting water-based adhesives and recycled paper packaging.
Our idea of performance embraces a broader philosophy, not just athletic results: it means being the best version of oneself at each moment and in every setting.” – Scarpa.
Ensuring that their products last as long as possible in one of the best ways any gear maker do to make sure that products are not bought to frequently. Scarpa know that it is not possible to make any product without its production making an impact, so making shoes and boots which last a long time ensures that items are not quickly discarded.
A – Authenticity
“A sustainable growth strategy made to last. It has been a slow journey, traveled with preparation, humility, commitment and determination together with our partners and all the mountaineers and climbers who never stopped believing in us and helped us to better ourselves. And it has been a real journey, always at our customers’ side, the enthusiasts we have accompanied, supported and encouraged in their personal itinerary to their personal best. No aim is too high when the strength that moves us is authentic and deeply rooted.
“NO PLACE TOO FAR.” – Scarpa
A big part of this manifesto is authenticity, Scarpa is not simply making the most out of eco-friendly buzzwords. Scarpa set realistic goals and works hard to achieve them. With new features and innovations which ensure an eco-friendly build using strong materials in all of their products, the future is looking strong for this footwear giant well on its way to pioneering a green future in outdoor footwear.
