Mission: Sustainability – Focus on functionality and environment in new generation shell garments

2016’s spring/summer collection is to be Fjällräven’s most sustainable ever. The outdoor company is committed to increasing the proportion of sustainable materials used in their products, not least in waterproof shell garments. Last autumn’s newcomer Keb Eco-Shell series has been received with great interest – and landed in the spotlight due to its refreshing contrast to the branch’s much-discussed use of fluorocarbons. And now it is time for the next stage in the process: Abisko Eco-Shell with lightweight 2.5-layer rain gear for summer use.

Environmentally aware outdoor consumers have had to make do with shell garments impregnated with fluorocarbons for a long time, despite it being known for many years that perfluorinated substances such as PFOA and PFOS interfere with the hormone system and are most likely to be carcinogenic.Even recent alternative impregnation methods with “short-chain” fluorocarbons have been questioned from an environmental perspective.

Years of hard work behind eradicating perfluorinated substances

Fjällräven is one of the few companies internationally who started phasing out fluorocarbons from production methods early on, a project that has taken a number of years. A milestone was reached in the summer of 2015 – for the first time, all of Fjällräven’s products had fluorocarbon free impregnation. And this is the case for the entire range, not only waterproof clothing which was “detoxified” back in 2012, but also for equipment such as backpacks, sleeping bags and tents. The latter are production areas that the outdoor industry traditionally sees as "difficult to detoxify", and here Fjällräven is at the forefront.

High performance – without compromising the environment

And the company continues on its journey, now with its environmental compass pointing towards lightweight shell garments. After great success with the Keb Eco-Shell series – that has been praised by the outdoor media all over the world and whose Keb Eco-Shell Anorak was awarded with a prestigious ISPO Award – a new series is being introduced: Abisko Eco-Shell with lightweight rain garments for summer trekking and trips to warmer climates.

Abisko Eco-Shell Jacket and Abisko Eco-Shell Trousers are pliant and packable garments with only a few carefully selected details, all to keep weight down. The garments are made from newly developed 2.5-layer Eco-Shell with the outer fabric in recycled polyester with fluorocarbon-free impregnation. The technical values for waterproofness and breathability are excellent, and the fabric is quiet, flexible and comfortable to move in. The jacket’s hood has a protective brim and excess heat is ventilated out through pocket openings. The trousers have zippers along the lower legs to simplify putting on/taking off and simple drawcords at the waist and leg endings. Abisko Eco-Shell is available in women’s and men’s models and can be found in stores from March 2016.

Material facts

Eco-Shell is Fjällräven’s own highly functional shell fabric that stops wind, rain and sleet from getting in while at the same time letting body moisture ventilate out from the inside. Eco-Shell has been developed for sustainability, and both the 3-layer and 2.5-layer fabrics have an outer layer in recycled polyester that has been impregnated without using fluorocarbons. The other layers are also made from polyester, which makes the garments easy to recycle, and they are also climate compensated. The first generation of Eco-Shell garments was released by Fjällräven in 2011.

Fluorocarbons (PFCs) is a collective name for a group of perfluorinated substances that are used to make rain garments water and dirt resistant. Unfortunately, they also have less pleasant side effects on the environment: They interfere with the hormone system and can affect reproduction in mammals, and it is widely thought that they are also carcinogenic. They are released into the environment when the garments are used and washed, and they can travel long distances with the help of wind or water. Since 2015, Fjällräven has only used fluorocarbon-free impregnation in all its products.

*ISPO Awards are presented to the foremost products in the sporting and outdoor industry at the international winter sports show ISPO in Munich.

Abisko Eco-Shell Jacket, Abisko Eco-Shell Jacket W Sizes: Men XS-XXL, Women XXS-XL Material: Eco-Shell® 2.5-layer Stretch: 100% Polyester. Weight: 380 g in men’s M, 340 g in women’s S. Colours: Tarmac, Black, Red (women), UN Blue (men).

Abisko Eco-Shell Trousers, Abisko Eco-Shell Trousers W Sizes: Men XS-XXL, Women XXS-XL Material: Eco-Shell® 2.5-layer Stretch: 100% Polyester. Weight:320 g in men’s M, 280 g in women’s S. Colours: Tarmac, Black.