What Can I say about    Páramo? YOU GUYS KICK ASS Where to start. Páramo is always looking for the path of least environmental impact. The Páramo Recycling Scheme is our way of providing a safe route for disposal of unwanted garments. We'll take back any Páramo product (except underwear), and either find it a new home, or recycle it into new fabric. As a reward for your effort in getting old gear back to us, you can expect a generous discount on new Páramo products.  THEY will give you up £50 on your next garment over £125. FAIR TRADE Páramo’s partnership with the Miquelina Foundation in Bogotá, Colombia began in 1992. This partnership gives valuable opportunities for vulnerable people – women at risk of prostitution and drugs are offered training and employment, homes and childcare. Over 80% of Páramo’s annual production occurs at Miquelina, including all our Analogy waterproof garments. All garments manufactured at Miquelina now carry the World Fair Trad...

What to say... I love the outdoors and have since a young age when I started camping with the family. From there it moved on boy scouts, white water kayaking, travelling around Europe for two years teaching sailing and working at Tiso outdoor in Aberdeen Scotland . Since about 13 I have also spent my time representing Canada in sailing competing all over Canada, US, UK and Uruguay. Now for my working life..... lets see I started working at young age in the family business (Mays Studio in Hudson Quebec)The store is now on its 3rd generation. Most of my career has been in retail management in the outdoor and sporting industry, Running and was the Sales rep for Jack Wolfskin in Canada WELL  WHAT A YEAR/4 years This has been the year of big changes. Just over a year ago my family and I decided to make a change and move from Montreal Canada to Carlisle England to be close to the Lake district! why /4 years  because the best thing happened to me I became a father!

Here is a little video about Bluesign

If it's not Scottish, it's craaaapp!! well sometimes the same can be said about China. I have worked many years in retail and time after time people will say to me I can't buy that its made in China! Well they could not be more wrong its not where its made its who made it. Do you like Patagonia? well guess what they manufacture in china.The difference  they do it right take a look at this link to learn more link

Some days its just nice to relax and read a book! Well if you want to learn about some of the problems this is the read for you Let My People Go Surfing By Yvon Chouinard you can buy it here at Patagonia

Each week I will highlight a product of the week that can be called ECO FRIENDLY. This won't be a review but more of a shout out  to a company for the good work they are doing. This week will be the Velez Jacket from  Páramo The Velez Jacket is for very active people who swap between outdoor activities. If you enjoy mountain walking, cycling, climbing and backpacking, you need a versatile jacket suitable for all these activities. You also need to be able to keep cool when you are working hard, which is where clever ventilation comes in.The Velez’s versatile design combines with the Nikwax Analogy® fabric for optimum comfort, providing waterproof protection, warmth, and cooling in one garment. Oh its also PFC FREE   RRP  £285.00

Brands that care and that are PFC free or going PFC free.This list will grow as I add more there are some good companies not on this list thats only because they are not far on the way to PFC free but might be doing other good things like Patagonia    Didriksons  www.didriksons.com/en-gb  Fjällräven  www.fjallraven.co.uk                                                    Jack Wolfskin  www.jack-wolfskin.com/  Páramo  www.paramo-clothing.com  Vaude  www.vaude.com/en-GB      

YES this in not about the environment but its just important to know how its made and that the people that make it are treated right. so look for this logo on the gear you buy!! Fair Wear Foundation works with brands, factories, trade unions, NGOs and sometimes governments to verify and improve workplace conditions in 11 production countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. FWF keeps track of the improvements made by the companies it works with. And through sharing expertise, social dialogue and strengthening industrial relations, FWF increases the effectiveness of the efforts made by companies. FWF’s more than 80 member companies represent over 120 brands, and are based in Europe; member products are sold in over 20,000 retail outlets in more than 80 countries around the world. Change requires a major joint effort.  https://www.fairwear.org/brands/

Yes that's right I said 100% for my first post this might be hard to beat. Jack Wolfskin unveiled its new Texapore Ecosphere jacket, which it claims is the first outer shell made completely from recycled materials! The bad news it is only coming out in the spring but for the good news here are the specs...... -the jacket is completely free of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) WATERPROOF UP TO 20,000 MM Breathability of 20.000 g/m2/24h.  Jack Wolfskin Texapore Ecosphere Collection takes it one step further and uses a membrane that is made entirely of other membrane offcuts. Both the outer fabric and lining fabric are made from 100% post-consumer recycled material that is fully PFC-free. Jack Wolfskin is working hard to completely abstain from PFCs — currently 89% of their apparel collection is already PFC-free, including the new Texapore Ecosphere range. MORE INFO TO COME WHEN I GET TO TRY ONE

Welcome all to the ECO GEAR JUNKIE!! where you will find all the info you need to make your outdoor adventure a environment friendly one!  For way to long  the industry did not do much about the problems it was causing but at last this is changing. PFCs are used to add waterproof and dirt-repellent finishes to outdoor apparel, but are hazardous to the environment and human health and lots of companies are still using them. This is only one of the problems affecting the industry I will be going over the problems and will hope to ho help you decide on the right product for you and the environment! Colin