As well as down apparel, such as coats and jackets, Rab will also accept sleeping bags, pillows and duvets made using the natural fibre, although the company says it will only accept end-of-life items in this way. Some of the recycled fibres will be used in Rab’s own recycled products. Credit: Shutterstock

Products recycled through the scheme will be used by Rab’s recycling partner Minardi, which cleans and processes the down in Italy. Other components, including trims and fabric fibres will be saved from landfill in the process and repurposed.

Rab customers will also be able to use a collection point at sports trade fair ISPO Munich to drop off their down-based items for recycling.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

As well as down apparel, such as coats and jackets, Rab will accept sleeping bags, pillows and duvets made using the natural fibre, although the company says it will only accept end-of-life items in this way. Some of the recycled fibres will be used in Rab’s own recycled products.

Rab’s recycling scheme has been running in the UK since May 2021. Consumers can recycle by either posting the items or dropping them off at the company’s Derbyshire, UK HQ or at outdoor festivals, film events and trade shows.

By the end of 2022, Rab claims the scheme had collected a total of 54kg of down for repurposing. Rab expects this total to increase by 200kg by the end of 2023.

Rabs’ owner Equip Outdoor Technologies launched its Material Facts programme last year (2022), aiming to providing consumers with a clear and simple industry-wide standard for communicating sustainability credentials to help them make informed choices.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Consumers can simply scan a QR code, now supplied on all Rab apparel, to get detailed sustainability information on each product.

By the end of 2024, Equip plans to extend the scheme to all Rab and Lowe Alpine packs, equipment and accessories. Equip says that more Material Facts tables, and other criteria will also be added in the future.

In its 2023 sustainability report, Equip reported that it continued to increase the percentage of recycled fabrics it purchased to 66% in 2022 from 63% in 2021 and 46% in 2020.