Mountain Equipment is working in partnership with French company re:down Currently this involves taking material from European post-consumer waste destined for landfill. The down and feather is removed from the products and then washed, sterilised, and sorted. Most of this recycled material is destined for new bedding products but a very small percentage of the highest quality material is suitable for our needs and it is this that can be found in our Earthrise products. The actual recycling is carried out at a facility in Hungary. Powered by solar energy and with extensive waste water recycling to further reduce the process’s environmental impact. The process saves a valuable material from landfill and by eliminating the farming process in obtaining virgin down, vastly reduces the carbon footprint of making down products

However, this is just the beginning. We are also working to develop a fully closed-loop recycling system: taking back used down products, recycling them, and reusing this down in new products. ME have already begun this process, with successful trials completed here in the UK using recycled down from unrepairable warranty products and we will trial this in Germany on a commercial scale in 2019. This will involve collecting and processing many more unwanted items of outdoor clothing and equipment.This is Down Cycle™. There is a significant number of used and unwanted down jackets and sleeping bags languishing in people’s houses, many of which are beyond repair: we want these products back. Turning waste into warmth.

Starting in Autumn 2018 we will be introducing the Earthrise Jacket. Available for men and women this will be the first of our down insulated jackets to utilise 100% recycled down as well as 100% recycled shell and lining fabrics. Recycling down reduces landfill and the raw material inputs associated with virgin down, and complements our Down Codex® project.