IMPACT REPORT

Materials

Material selection poses one of the greatest challenges and opportunities with regard to our environmental impact as a business.

The use of chemicals and water, carbon emissions, worker wellbeing, ethical treatment of animals, and the life cycle and disposal of the product must all be considered. These factors are complex to weigh and prioritize, and require continuous assessment of benefits and drawbacks.

Tradeoffs are often inevitable but we aim to make products of the highest quality while maintaining the highest levels of environmental responsibility possible. We prioritize and are transitioning as expeditiously as possible to materials that are:

Bluesign™
Certified
PFAS-
FREE
FSC
Certified
100%
Recycled
Solution-Dyed

Forever Chemicals (PFAS)

Along with others in the industry, we’ve worked diligently to remove all PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from our products. While we have succeeded in fully transitioning to non-PFAS coatings in our manufacturing, we are finalizing testing and vendor practices to ensure our products are fully free from these ‘forever chemicals’. We’ve been supported by The Outdoor Industry Association’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition.

Forever Chemicals (PFAS)

Along with others in the industry, we’ve worked diligently to remove all PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from our products. While we have succeeded in fully transitioning to non-PFAS coatings in our manufacturing, we are finalizing testing and vendor practices to ensure our products are fully free from these ‘forever chemicals’. We’ve been supported by The Outdoor Industry Association’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition.

Forever Chemicals (PFAS)

Along with others in the industry, we’ve worked diligently to remove all PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from our products. While we have succeeded in fully transitioning to non-PFAS coatings in our manufacturing, we are finalizing testing and vendor practices to ensure our products are fully free from these ‘forever chemicals’. We’ve been supported by The Outdoor Industry Association’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition.

Peak Design's Bluesign Partnership

Head of Environmental and Social Impact, Annie Nyborg, and Product Developer, Colin Maginnis, explain Bluesign's verification of materials and facilities standards.

Peak Design's Bluesign Partnership

Head of Environmental and Social Impact, Annie Nyborg, and Product Developer, Colin Maginnis, explain Bluesign's verification of materials and facilities standards.

Peak Design's Bluesign Partnership

Head of Environmental and Social Impact, Annie Nyborg, and Product Developer, Colin Maginnis, explain Bluesign's verification of materials and facilities standards.

Peak Design's Bluesign Partnership

Head of Environmental and Social Impact, Annie Nyborg, and Product Developer, Colin Maginnis, explain Bluesign's verification of materials and facilities standards.

We have fully transitioned to PFAS-free coatings in our manufacturing.

Packaging

While improving packaging may seem like a relatively low lift, the devil, as always, is in the details. Ensuring our products are damage- and mold-free throughout the storing and shipping process, consumer disposal behavior, inadequate waste system infrastructure, cost, environmental impact tradeoffs, and shelf-life all play an important role in our packaging decisions. 

At a high level, we aim to: 

  • Minimize packaging to the greatest extent possible

  • Use recycled and/or FSC-certified materials 

  • Use easily recyclable packaging (i.e. primarily paper-based)

Over the past year we’ve rolled out new packaging for our straps and clips, improving their environmental performance. We increased our use of FSC certified paper, removed magnets and steel plates, shifted from plastic based laminate to water based laminate, and changed our traditional twist ties to paper ties making the packaging 100% recyclable. Looking ahead we aim to transition to 100% FSC certified paper for all of our packaging.

Packaging

While improving packaging may seem like a relatively low lift, the devil, as always, is in the details. Ensuring our products are damage- and mold-free throughout the storing and shipping process, consumer disposal behavior, inadequate waste system infrastructure, cost, environmental impact tradeoffs, and shelf-life all play an important role in our packaging decisions. 

At a high level, we aim to: 

  • Minimize packaging to the greatest extent possible

  • Use recycled and/or FSC-certified materials 

  • Use easily recyclable packaging (i.e. primarily paper-based)

Over the past year we’ve rolled out new packaging for our straps and clips, improving their environmental performance. We increased our use of FSC certified paper, removed magnets and steel plates, shifted from plastic based laminate to water based laminate, and changed our traditional twist ties to paper ties making the packaging 100% recyclable. Looking ahead we aim to transition to 100% FSC certified paper for all of our packaging.

Packaging

While improving packaging may seem like a relatively low lift, the devil, as always, is in the details. Ensuring our products are damage- and mold-free throughout the storing and shipping process, consumer disposal behavior, inadequate waste system infrastructure, cost, environmental impact tradeoffs, and shelf-life all play an important role in our packaging decisions. 

At a high level, we aim to: 

  • Minimize packaging to the greatest extent possible

  • Use recycled and/or FSC-certified materials 

  • Use easily recyclable packaging (i.e. primarily paper-based)

Over the past year we’ve rolled out new packaging for our straps and clips, improving their environmental performance. We increased our use of FSC certified paper, removed magnets and steel plates, shifted from plastic based laminate to water based laminate, and changed our traditional twist ties to paper ties making the packaging 100% recyclable. Looking ahead we aim to transition to 100% FSC certified paper for all of our packaging.

2023 Packaging Updates

Increased use of FSC Certified paper

Removed magnets and steel plates

Shifted from plastic-based laminate to water-based

Changed our traditional twist ties to paper ties

Recycled Aluminum

In our last report, we shared our efforts to move away from virgin aluminum in products like tripod parts and bag hardware. Although we’ve made progress, we continue to run into hurdles symptomatic of the aluminum industry at large, which accounts for an estimated 1/20th of global CO2 emissions.

We’ve found that sourcing recycled and/or other low-impact aluminum is a very competitive market, making it hard for small companies to participate. Much of what brands our size can secure is pre-consumer scrap, which is important to fully utilize but does little to reduce our carbon footprint or change the macro carbon issues of the aluminum industry. The road ahead is long, but we’ll continue seeking low-impact aluminum solutions and working with industry, brand, and NGO partners in our pursuit.

Recycled Aluminum

In our last report, we shared our efforts to move away from virgin aluminum in products like tripod parts and bag hardware. Although we’ve made progress, we continue to run into hurdles symptomatic of the aluminum industry at large, which accounts for an estimated 1/20th of global CO2 emissions.

We’ve found that sourcing recycled and/or other low-impact aluminum is a very competitive market, making it hard for small companies to participate. Much of what brands our size can secure is pre-consumer scrap, which is important to fully utilize but does little to reduce our carbon footprint or change the macro carbon issues of the aluminum industry. The road ahead is long, but we’ll continue seeking low-impact aluminum solutions and working with industry, brand, and NGO partners in our pursuit.

Recycled Aluminum

In our last report, we shared our efforts to move away from virgin aluminum in products like tripod parts and bag hardware. Although we’ve made progress, we continue to run into hurdles symptomatic of the aluminum industry at large, which accounts for an estimated 1/20th of global CO2 emissions.

We’ve found that sourcing recycled and/or other low-impact aluminum is a very competitive market, making it hard for small companies to participate. Much of what brands our size can secure is pre-consumer scrap, which is important to fully utilize but does little to reduce our carbon footprint or change the macro carbon issues of the aluminum industry. The road ahead is long, but we’ll continue seeking low-impact aluminum solutions and working with industry, brand, and NGO partners in our pursuit.

©2024 Peak Design
©2024 Peak Design