An overview of what we currently do for each product group: SNOWBOARDS
TOPSHEET FINISHES We are using water-based inks for over 70% of our board top-sheets and over 30% of our bases. 15% of our bases use no ink. 70% of our boards have topsheets that are either uncoated or finished using a solvent-free lacquer with a Volatile Organic Compound rating of VOC:0.
RECYCLED MATERIALS Over 85% of our running bases are made using recycled raw material.
WOOD CORES FSC Certification: We are using FSC certified woods already in production. All of our wood cores are FSC certified, which was a sustainability goal we reached last season.
RESOURCES We are heating our presses with water, not with oil or electricity. Our grinding system uses a closed water circuit with integrated filtering systems. This saves energy and resources. We have started using thinner topsheets than most other Brands, saving raw materials and weight. We have installed a 700 KW solar power station on our board factory's roof, enough energy to power the factory, offices, and apartments of our factory staff. This solar power project was a goal we set 2 years ago and we are proud to say we have now reached it.
SOCIAL At our board factory, we are erecting a completely new dormitory for our workers with more privacy, a new kitchen, and other amenities. We are organizing multi-day company trips with all workers, all expenses paid.
ENVIRONMENTAL 100% of the materials used for our boards comply with REACH-requirements.
BINDINGS – MINIMAL WASTE
We use 20% recycled material in our plastic parts. All plastic parts are injection molded, a zero-waste process. We banned any plastic packaging and use only recycled cardboard to protect our products. The amount of ink used to print our binding boxes has been reduced by 95% compared to past years.
BOOTS – MINOR PHTHALATE
Our boots are mostly made of PVC free materials and the glue is benzene free.
SOFTGOODS
We believe in fair work environments for all and we try to use as many environmentally friendly procedures and alternatives as possible. We work with factories that provide safe and fair labor standards to their employees to produce our finished products. We know that producing outerwear and clothing is not the most environmentally friendly process, so we focus on making premium products that will last longer and produce responsible amounts to reduce overstock. We use our leftover fabrics by creating a “left-over collection” at the end of each production cycle to maximize the use of raw materials. We have recently relocated so that all of our raw materials are closer to the finish product factory to minimize unnecessary shipping distances and the negative impacts associated. Our mission is to continue to work with the entire supply, production, retail chain to continue to raise the bar on environmental sustainability standards.
OUTERWEAR – BEST STANDARDS
We relocated our outerwear production to Vietnam in 2019. We were looking for outstanding quality in manufacturing while respecting all environmental and social aspects for production. The factory where we produce L1 Premium Goods has passed the audit from the SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit Report), one of the biggest and most respected social audits for garment production. We are committed to paying a higher production price when production goes along with our values for corporate social responsibility and environmental awareness. We do not only want to rely on and market labels that fulfill or claim certain standards, because often those labels are also used for marketing purposes to give the consumer a better feeling while purchasing. We believe in treating our partners as a family and working together with long term goals. We as a brand believe that we can also make an impact, even if it is a little one. Therefore we have started our giveback initiative the L1FE FOUNDATION. The L1FE FOUNDATION has completed two projects so far. First, we helped a local farmer family buy land to create a source of income, and secondly, we supported a local school to buy books for their kids.
BAGS – ZERO TOXINS
All the fabrics used on our latest collection of Day- and Lifestyle packs are PFC-free and BlueSign approved.