First Tracks Commitment To Reducing Environmental Impact

Here at First Tracks we are conscious of our environmental footprint and strive to do everything we can to protect the future of our winters and our beloved Snowy Mountains. We know our passion for snowboarding can impact the environment, that's why we stock only the most ethical brands in the business.  

Patagonia paved the way in ethical manufacture of sports wear. Their values reflect those of a business started by a band of climbers and surfers, and the minimalist style they promoted. The approach they take toward product design demonstrates a bias for simplicity and utility. Patagonia have been funding and  running endless campaigns to help reduce our climate crisis since their beginning. 

Burton has pledged a public goal to improve sustainability on softgoods, hardgoods, and packaging. Aiming to meet the highest level of safety and environmental responsibility, by design year 2020 all of their softgoods will be bluesign approved, contain only sustainable cotton, use zero biocides, and less water. They will reduce carbon emissions by 20% in the production of their hardgoods, and will package up their products with only recyclable or compostable materials.

Yuki Threads was founded in 2010 in the heart of the Victorian Alps, Mount Buller. This young company had a commitment to sustainability from the beginning, with a desire to create street wear and snow gear made ethically. Garments are produced in a social audited factory to ensure that all workers have been treated fairly. Yuki Threads donate 1% of all sales to 1% For The Planet, as a self imposed environmental tax in order to offset their impact as a business. From this they choose what environmental grassroots level organisations to support.

These are just a few of the sustainable companies we are in partnership with here at First Tracks. 

OUR EVERYDAY SHOP COMMITMENT 

• Before taking any cardboard to the Nuggets Crossing recycling facility we make sure we check if cardboard can be recycled in-store first for either packaging our online sales or storing our excess stock. 

• We separate our shop rubbish so plastics, waste and recyclables are sent to the appropriate bins. 

• Our shopping bags are 100% Biodegradable, so they keep your worms tummies full and our environment safe from litter. However, we will always ask you if your require a bag before handing one over. Why use one if you don't need to? We've all got hands that carry. 

• We use plastic packaging from our suppliers to fill out all our display backpacks and luggage. 

• In 2016 we purchased an infrared wax machine to help reduce waste consumption in our workshop. This process uses a fraction of the wax a regular wax job does. 

• For the most part we try to avoid Fluro Carbon wax in our workshop and support brands such as, Wend and Swix who maintain ethical standards in wax production.

These are just some of the things we are doing to ensure we are active in protecting the future of our mountains and snowboarding here in Australia.