British outdoor brands RAB and LOWE ALPINE have supported the WOMEN’S TRAD FESTIVAL for the sixth year running. Sharing the festival’s ambitions of increasing accessibility and diversity in the climbing community, the brands are ideal partners for the event, which they have been a part of since its inception.
This year, or the first time, Rab and Lowe Alpine offered additional support to help the festival further reduce the carbon footprint of the event as part of their ongoing relationship. The brands worked with the festival to calculate the events carbon emissions and create a benchmark for future years.
They then offset what had not already been reduced or removed by the organisers this year and have pledged to continue to work with the team in the coming years to further minimise the event’s overall footprint.
The event also provided a unique opportunity for the brands to interact with climbers of all abilities. They hosted two Haybale Sessions over the course of the weekend, which gave attendees the opportunity to learn, give feedback and ask questions directly to those working at the brands.
Focusing on outdoor kit for women, the Rab Design and Development team discussed what goes into the creation of a product, exploring fit and function. The second session introduced Rab and Lowe Alpine’s CSR Manager. She spoke about the importance of understanding what goes into making outdoor clothes – from recycled fabrics to the working conditions for staff at manufacturing sites.
With ticket capacity exceeded in just minutes for this year’s ballot, the event demonstrates the appetite for diversity within the climbing community, something that Rab and Lowe Alpine also champion, both within their teams and in the wider industry.
Click HERE for more information on Equip’s sustainability strategy and the steps the company is undertaking.
© all images: JESSIE LEONG
