The winners are now selected! After dedicated outdoor testing and lively discussions, online of course, the international jury of outdoor journalists and outdoor gear specialists have decided the winners. The winners of Scandinavian Outdoor Award for next year’s fall/winter season. It’s quite clear that sustainability innovations are prioritized for most of the Scandinavian brands. The Overall Winner of Scandinavian Outdoor Award is a fully circular anorak with a fully circular business model from Bergans of Norway. The second most prestigious award is the Sustainability Award. The award goes to Icebug for Follow the Footprints, not only a product, but a complete system for transparency and traceability.
The bergans.future.labs 05.B Anorak
Six products in total just received a Scandinavian Outdoor Award for the fall/winter 2021/22 season. Next to Bergans of Norway, the Overall Winner, and Swedish Icebug, the Sustainability Award winner, four other products just got awarded:
- Apparel Award: Peski W Jacket from Sasta (Finland)
- Footwear Award: Rottefella Xplore + Alfa Free A/P/S GTX from Alfa Sko (and Rottefella) (Norway)
- Hardware Award: Vikingøks from Øyo (Norway)
- Kids Award: Muutun Jacket from Reima (Finland)
OVERALL WINNER: Bergans of Norway (+ Spinnova/Halley Stevensons) / bergans.future.labs 05.B Anorak
The bergans.future.labs 05.B Anorak is a fully circular anorak with a fully circular business model – it’s part of “The Collection of Tomorrow” project, an experiment into circular business models. Owners of existing “Collection of Tomorrow” products can return their product for recycling and only pay for the manufacturing of the anorak.
The bergans.future.labs 05.B Anorak
Statement from the jury:
Last winter the jury gave the Sustainability Award to the future.labs 05.A backpack, an urban style backpack made from fully sustainable and circular Spinnova material. With the 05.B Anorak the proof is in the pudding. The material – a mix of Spinnova fibres, Tencel and Organic Cotton – is lovely to touch and the jacket itself looks great. To make the fabric water resistant, it is treated with a traditional Halley Stevensons wax that does not compromise the circularity of the anorak. Re-waxing can be done by the consumer as needed. Bergans has taken the concept of circularity to the next level.
Bergans CEO, Jan Tore Jensen:
First, I want to emphasize that this product is not available for purchase as of now. In fact, it has not had its official launch yet due to the Covid pandemic. Secondly, I would like to thank our partners in this project. Without Spinnova and Halley Stevensons, The Collection of Tomorrow and these revolutionary products would not have seen the light of day. We would also thank the jury and give them all our credit for valuing more sustainable products and concepts. This is what the future needs.
SUSTAINABILITY AWARD: Icebug / Follow the Footprints
It’s not just a product. It’s more about complete transparency and traceability when it comes to sustainability claims. Follow the Footprints is a developed through a partnership between Icebug and TrusTrace and its a brand new way to check the key sustainability indicators for a consumer. Icebug aim to stay as true as possible to measuring real impact on all their shoes.
Statement from the jury:
How wonderful would it be if a consumer could check the sustainability claims that any manufacturer makes? The Swedish shoe manufacturer Icebug has the answer in the “Follow the Footprint” concept. For this, Icebug teamed up with the Swedish traceability system TrusTrace. “The concept is very user friendly”, one jury member stated. Take your smartphone, scan the QR-code on the Icebug shoe box and the consumer gets all the information on: the CO2 footprint, the percentage of recycled material and the percentage of the biobased materials that are used in the product. It also shows the product journey. With Follow the Footprints a new step has been made in the traceability of sustainability claims. Hopefully this platform will be replicated by many more!
David Ekelund, CEO of Icebug:
Follow the Footprints is a huge step for Icebug, but we believe also a small step for moving the sustainability agenda forward for the entire footwear industry. Putting key sustainability indicators at the fingertips of customers in store, and sharing our CO2 emission reduction wins to make them scalable and replicable for others.
APPAREL AWARD: Sasta / Peski W Jacket
The awarded Peski Womens Jacket is made of Ventile organic cotton. It’s woven from sustainably grown, premium extra-long-staple cotton that represents only 0.04% of the overall cotton produced worldwide. Ventile is not coated or laminated, instead, the cotton fibers swell when wet, making the fabric tight and water repellent.
Peski Womens Jacket
Statement from the jury:
The Apparel Award is for a women’s only product and is awarded to the Sasta Peski W Jacket. The jacket is made from Ventile Organic, a sustainably grown certified organic cotton that is free from the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers and is produced in Switzerland. The material has a nice soft touch, resists rain, and the women’s specific fit is excellent. “The diagonal zipper is comfy because I don’t have the zipper garage in my chin anymore”, one jury member states. Thanks to taped seams and the large hood with flap it has proven to be an excellent shelter in rain, sleet and snow.
HARDWARE AWARD: Øyo /Vikingøks
This is our most ancient winner of the Scandinavian Outdoor Award. Ever. This axe from Norwegian Øyo is actually a replica of a Viking axe that was found near by the Øyo production facilities in Geilo, Norway. It is assumed that the original axe was used in everyday household activities around year 1000!
Øyo /Vikingøks
Statement from the jury:
Produced by the Norwegian Øyo this small axe has the design of a 1000-year-old Norwegian Viking Axe hence the name Øyo Vikingøks. It measures a dainty 33 cm in length and it weighs a meager 545 grams, but the jury was surprised by the punch the Øyo Vikingøks delivers. “It chopped through large pieces of dried oak with great ease”, one jury member states. The axe head is made from hardwearing and durable forged steel and the shaft is crafted from ash. The curved shape of the shaft prevents the axe from slipping whether splitting small logs or cutting up kindling. Perfect for bushcraft, wild camps and bonfires at the seaside. The jury loves the price, too!
FOOTWEAR AWARD: Alfa Sko + Rottefella / Rottefella Xplore + Alfa Free A/P/S GTX
Is this combined boot and binding a redefinition of back country skiing? This Rottefella Xplore + ALFA Free A/P/S GTX system from Norwegian friends Alfa Sko and Rottefella is for sure a very innovative solution.
Rottefella Xplore + ALFA Free A/P/S GTX system
Statement from the jury:
In a collaboration with Rottefella, Alfa Sko is launching a completely new backcountry touring/adventure binding and ski boot system. The system offers easy step in and out, light weight, unrestricted range of motion and lateral stiffness, which is unparalleled in the touring ski category. This will help users take full advantage of touring ski capabilities in any condition. Alfa Sko has made a boot which truly matches the binding capabilities with enough stiffness for stylish telemark turns while offering great walking comfort. “The double Boa lacing system enables fine-tuning of fit and pressure to most situations”, one jury-member states. The outsole offers very good traction and with the Gore- Tex membrane the boot can be used in any weather, from icy cold to slushy wet. And it looks good too!
KIDS AWARD: Reima / Muutun Jacket
The sustainability focus is really obvious among Scandinavian brands, and among the winners of Scandinavian Outdoor Award. Reima is absolutely no exception. “Muutun” is Finnish and it means “I change” or “I transform”. Just like this jacket will change into something else, once it reaches the end of its useful life and can be easily recycled.
Muutun Jacket
Statement from the jury:
With the Muutun Jacket, Reima designed a waterproof and breathable kids jacket that is made from 100% polyester and because of this mono-material it is 100% recyclable. The metal snaps and zip lock are recyclable as metal. The Reima coat is stylish, has plentiful and comfortable pockets, with a zipped one for precious things. “I left it hanging out for 6 hours steady rainfall and the towel inside it never got damp”, one jury member states. Children are the future, we better keep them dry and comfortable.
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