Rab And Lowe Alpine Announce Fluorocarbon-Free Roadmap

British outdoor brands Rab and Lowe Alpine (owned by Equip Outdoor Technologies Ltd.) have announced that they will eradicate all unnecessary fluorocarbons from their products by Autumn/Winter 2024. Their recently launched AW22 collection is leading the way with some of the hero products being either fully fluorocarbon free or featuring fluorocarbon-free DWRs, including the new Mythic down jacket range and the waterproof Namche GTX Jackets. This was the company’s biggest ever product launch at their latest International Sales Meeting, a long overdue get-together for the company after almost two years apart.

Equip’s milestones so far:

• SS15: Equip stopped using C8 fluorocarbons in all products.
• AW19: All new fabrics purchased for Lowe Alpine are fluorocarbon-free.
• SS21 and AW21: Introduction of the 2,5-layer Downpour Eco Jacket and the 3-layer Arc Eco Jacket, both featuring a fluorocarbon-free DWR.
• AW22: Some of Rab’s most technical products are fluorocarbon free or feature fluorocarbon-free DWRs, including:
  •  The pinnacle Mythic down jacket collection, built for cutting-edge alpinism.
  • The versatile, 3-layer Pertex® Shield Firewall Jacket and Pants.
  • The Arctus Parka, specifically designed for operating in extreme cold conditions.
  • The Namche GTX Jacket built with 100% recycled fabrics and featuring a PFC-ec free DWR.
• AW24: Equip aim to have 100% fluorocarbon-free products.

The overarching goal of Equip’s roadmap is to considerably reduce the environmental impact of their gear, while maintaining the highest possible performance delivering outstanding protection and comfort in extreme conditions.

Tim Fish, Product Director at Equip, says: “At Rab, we believe that a long lifecycle is the best way we can reduce the footprint of our gear. Therefore, we constantly assess and test technologies and fabrics so we can guarantee that they deliver the best results for the activity they have been designed for. With our fluorocarbon-free roadmap, we are taking an important step and paving the way for high performance outdoor gear development with a lower environmental impact.”

As Equip sets their bearing towards fluorocarbon-free by AW24, they acknowledge that fabrics already purchased and fluorocarbon containing products already in existence will need to be exhausted first to avoid unnecessary waste. Additionally, Equip will work closely with their key material partners to develop fluorocarbon-free alternatives to existing technologies, trims, and selected fabrics.