0Low impact materials
Our requirement
At Masherbrum, our mission is to develop environmentally friendly clothing for the outdoor sportsman. To this end, our first lever of action is to choose alternative raw materials, with controlled impacts.
All the materials we use in the collection are five types: cellulose fibres (from wood pulp), organic cotton, and three recycled fibres.
All these materials have been carefully selected to meet the requirements of manufacture and use.
We have selected only alternative raw materials for all of our products, providing the same performance as conventional textiles while having a much better environmental record.
Cellulose fibres
TENCEL fibresTM Lyocell and TENCELTM Modal fibres from wood pulp are omnipresent in our collection. Their environmental impact is among the lowest of all technical materials.
%
of environmentally hazardous chemicals
%
of the water used is reclaimed and re-injected into the process
%
of the wood pulp comes from sustainably managed and certified forests
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TENCEL™️ Modal and TENCEL™️ Lyocell fibres are man-made fibres derived from the pulp of beech and eucalyptus wood respectively. They are wrinkle-free, soft, breathable, and durable.
Thanks to the softness and flexibility of TENCEL™️ fibres, your garment is incredibly comfortable in all circumstances. What's more, these fibres are naturally hypoallergenic and antibacterial: no more chafing or bad odours!
This last quality also means that your Masherbrum garments require less carethan conventional synthetic garments, and therefore fewer washing cycles. Another way to limit their environmental impact!
As far as the production process is concerned, these cellulose fibres are among the most environmentally friendly of all technical materials. The wood pulp from which they are made comes from certified and sustainably managed forests. It is transformed into fibre via a viscose-type process, using a natural, non-toxic and non-corrosive solvent (NMMO). This solvent is then recovered at 97% and used again in the closed-loop process, thus achieving significant water and energy savings.
In the end, 1kg of TENCEL™️ fibres rejects 6.14kg of CO2eq. To compare, 1kg of viscose (almost identical process but requiring more energy, water and chemical solvents), rejects 11kg of CO2eq, that is 59% more.
For another comparison, the manufacture of 1kg of virgin polyester (the most common material used in sport) requires 1.5 to 1.9kg of oil, a non-renewable fossil fuel, and emits over 30kgCO2 eq.
This fibre also does not undergo any pre- or post-treatment, which gives it the title of clean and pure fibre.
Sources: data from HiggIndex data and the BaseImpactⓇ, site Lenzing,ADEMEreport
Organic cotton
%
less impact on climate change
%
water and energy saving
%
GOTS certification for our organic cotton
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Praised for its qualities of comfort and durability, the so-called "conventional" cotton fibre is however not known for being economical with water and chemicals (fertilisers, GMOs, pesticides) during its cultivation. In fact, a simple 140g T-shirt made from this material requires no less than 2700 litres of water to produce!
Since 2017 we at Masherbrum have turned to the exclusive use of organic cotton, 100% GOTS certified. This label ensures a culture that not only respects the environment, but also the health and well-being of the farm workers.
The organic cotton fibre we use for our fleece sweaters and Lukla is sourced from farms in India that are sustainably managed without pesticides, GMOs or chemical fertilizers. It takes longer and costs more, but it saves over 60% of water and energy, as well as protecting the groundwater from chemical pollution.
Recycled polyamide (PA)
%
less CO2 emissions compared to virgin AP
%
less water consumed
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Also known as "Nylon", polyamide 6-6 is a synthetic material derived from oil. Its manufacture is extremely polluting: it releases 298 times its weight in CO2eq.
However, polyamide has many advantages for clothing, such as its flexibility, stretchability, strength and quick drying. Very interesting qualities for our PROCLIMB² collection of technical first layers.
The Q-Nova fibre we use is made from a polyamide that is more than 50% recycled from production scraps that were destined to be thrown away or incinerated. The recycling process is entirely mechanical, without chemicals. Thus 1kg of Q-Nova saves 25 litres of oil and 159 litres of water compared to 1kg of virgin polyamide.
Polyamide has the advantage that it can be recycled many times before the material degrades. Your PROCLIMB² first technical layer therefore retains the qualities of a virgin material with a reduced environmental impact !
Other materials
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Recycled polyester, also known as rPET, is derived from post or pre-consumer waste. Sometimes derived from shredded clothing or recyclable PET components, the use of recycled polyester reduces its environmental impact by 32% and requires 59% less energy to manufacture. This fibre allows the reuse of a material that can take up to 500 years to degrade.
ROICAⓇ fibre is a more eco-responsible alternative to elastane. Indeed, this fibre comes from a secretly kept technology making it unique as it is biodegradable and certified GRS (Global Recycled standard), which means that 50% of this fibre comes from pre-consumer recycling. It is also free of all chemicals that are hazardous to human health and the environment.
Clothing original, comfortable and with theenvironmental impact as low as possible.
