EcoSki teams up with circular hero brand Houdini

FOUNDED IN 1993 by climber and mountaineer Lotta Giornofelice whose mission was to “make clothes that didn’t exist”, Houdini has sustainability at its heart.

Since its inception, the brand has pioneered new techniques, fabrics and processes in its manufacturing that minimise any impact on the environment, saying: “As a company we believe we can move beyond zero and become a positive and regenerative force in society and for the planet.”

Houdini produces every item of highly functional kit you might need for the outdoors from underwear and base-layers to shorts, shirts, mid-layers, shell jackets, pants, gloves and headwear — the vast majority are recyclable and all of them are manufactured with minimal impact on the environment.

Houdini designs its clothes to be circular [see our Eco Glossary] right from the start, meaning they only use fibres that are recycled and recyclable or natural fibres that are inherently biodegradeable (for example, merino). While not every single item is currently fully circular, that is their goal.

“We never blend natural and synthetic materials, which causes issues for recycling,” says Houdini’s head of business development, Sven Hana. “We see the world’s resources as borrowed from nature and it’s our responsibility to make sure they can be given back. The basic idea of circular design is that nothing should go to waste — so we offer a take-back system for all Houdini products and treat worn-out garments as a resource to recycle, rather than waste.”

Beyond that, pioneering achievements from this inspiring outdoor brand include the creation of the world’s first merino shell outer layer, the creation of the world’s first clothing composting garden — and cooking a menu entirely from food grown in composted clothes — to actively asking other brands to copy their techniques (“with a collaborative mindset, we can change the world”).

Sven adds: “We want to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers, to show them that a product can work with nature and also perform at the highest level in the outdoors.”

EcoSki founder Rachael Westbook has been striving to create change within the UK ski industry, to encourage recreational skiers to consider renting, re-wearing and borrowing kit rather than buying new. And if they have to buy new, Rachael wants skiers to consider only kit with the highest eco and social manufacturing credentials.

She says: “When I first spoke to Sven it was like talking in the mirror. Houdini’s beliefs are so aligned with EcoSki’s, it was the perfect fit. All of the brands we work with and stock are making amazing progress and have clear, transparent targets, but Houdini seem to be miles ahead — and happy to share their progress and collaborate. Which is key — we can’t do this on our own.”

Houdini is only available in a small handful of stockists in Europe but Sven said “We are delighted to be working with EcoSki. We share the same values and circular business models as us — renting, repairing, recycling and second-hand. We both acknowledge that we need to minimise our environmental impact and provide services that work against that.”

Visit ecoski.co.uk/brands/houdini