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OUR SUSTAINABILITY MISSION

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We at Stoney Creek take our role of stewards of the outdoors seriously. One of our core missions is to protect our outdoor environment for generations to come.

Our passions are driven by outdoor pursuits, mother nature and its wildlife. We kit out hunters, farmers, fishermen, tradesmen and outdoor enthusiasts, the people who rely most on the preservation of nature for both their livelihoods and leisure. We all have a passionate stake in the environment and our role to play in ensuring that we protect it, not only for us, but for future generations.

For years we have been making more environmentally conscious decisions about the way we design, produce and package our products.

In a performance clothing industry, we understand there is still a long road to go, and not only are we making positive changes throughout our journey and at each stage we can, but through initiatives like OBT we are hoping to inspire and influence our staff, our customers, our partners and other businesses to get involved and protect all those things we are passionate about.

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Accredited for home composting

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Biodegradeable garment bags

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Over the past year, we have been working with our partners to develop an alternative to our plastic packaging. We have committed to eradicating single-use, non-biodegradable plastics from our supply chain and we are proud to say that our new garment bags do just that!

The new bags are made of PVA - this stands for polyvinyl alcohol which is a synthetic organic polymer. They offer all the traditional benefits of single-use plastics, however, due to their unique chemical composition they are 100% biodegradable, compostable and even water-soluble!

Our new PVA polybags have an advantage over most compostable bags - they are water-soluble, which speeds up the composting process. Immerse them in boiling hot water and our PVA polybags dissolve and reduce down to almost nothing. The reduced solution can then be thrown into your home compost bin.

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How long does it take? The length of time it takes for the bag to fully biodegrade is dependent on two factors: temperature and micro-organism activity. The dissolved bags must be placed in a home compost bin that reaches a minimum of 20ºC, with sufficient micro-organism activity and UV light present. The micro-organisms found in the soil will degrade the dissolved bag, turning it into water and carbon within 18 to 24 months.

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SO, WHAT IMPACT does this have?

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Since we started this initiative in 2021, Stoney Creek’s reduction in plastic, in the form of product garment bags, is on track to reach 22 tonnes of plastic waste prevented from entering our landfills this year!

To help put that into context and visualise just how much that is, if we cut the bags up into the width of your standard office Sellotape, the amount of plastic we have reduced would reach over 200 times the length of New Zealand, over 320 times from the top to the bottom of the UK, over 80 times the width of Australia, 8 times around the Earth, and 80% of THE WAY TO THE MOON!!

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Accredited for home composting

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Home Compostable courier bags

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Our compostable courier bags are made from PLA + cornstarch composite. PLA is internationally recognised as biodegradable and compostable - leaving behind no toxic residues when composted.

Remember to remove all courier ticket labels and the adhesive glue strip prior to composting.

The time the bag will break down depends on many factors such as moisture and constant temperature - this is more variable in a home composting situation versus a commercial facility.

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Be creative and reuse your bag. Here are some ideas:

  • Turn them inside out and they can be used as a courier bag once more
  • Weed matting
  • Seedling bags
  • Food waste bag

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EMPEL® TECHNOLOGY

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ECO-Friendly Water Repellant Treatment

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We use Empel™ Technology for our performance waterproofing treatments which is built on the principles of clean chemistry and water-free production.

This waterproofing treatment stands out for its ability to eliminate water pollution, reduce production costs, and preserve the planet’s fresh water supply by eliminating the use of water in its application methods.

Empel™ is independently tested and certified by OeKo-Tex to meet or exceed global safety standards. The revolutionary water-free process eliminates water pollution caused from fabric finishing.

Find out EMPELTM Technology here:
https://greenthemetech.com/environment/

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Responsibly sourced down

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All the down in our jackets and sleeping bags is responsibly sourced through suppliers that promote the humane treatment of animals and uphold environmental sustainability.

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Sustainable Fabrics

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We are using more sustainable fabrics, like our Micro-Prime range, our Q-wick Dry Polos and our Summer Active Tights which are crafted from recycled polyester, saving on natural resources and reducing the burden on the environment.

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Biodegradeable packing tape

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As of June 2022, we changed over our sellotape on the majority of our new production garment bags to 100% biodegradeable paper tape.

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RECYCLED SWING TAG FASTENERS

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We use recycled polyamide (rPA) and recycled polypropylene (rPP) fasteners to attach swing tags to our garments. These fasteners are crafted from post-consumer waste (PCW), such as recycled nylon carpets and single-use plastic containers. By repurposing plastic waste, we promote a closed-loop economy, reducing the need for virgin plastic production and minimising carbon emissions.

Find out more about our fasteners here: https://fastener.averydennison.com/en/home.html

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Sustainable Desiccant Solution

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As part of our sustainability mission, we have chosen Micro-Pak Dri Clay® as the desiccant for our new 100% NZ Wool Range. Micro-Pak Dri Clay® is produced using naturally-occurring, 100% natural bentonite clay. This manufacturing process is highly sustainable, requiring no water or chemicals and minimal energy. In contrast, synthetic silica gel production is energy-intensive, demands chemical feedstocks and significant fresh water, and results in pollutants, effluents, and discharges. Our selection of Micro-Pak Dri Clay® reflects our dedication to sustainability and responsible sourcing. This eco-friendly desiccant helps preserve the quality of our 100% NZ Wool products while ensuring that our environmental footprint remains as small as possible.

Learn more here: https://www.micropakltd.com/en/products/micro-pak-dri-clay

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High quality Products that last

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As a brand we have always been committed to providing quality garments that are built with a specific purpose-built application and have been designed to last.

Our product design strategy has been to build and produce garments that are purposeful and somewhat timeless, so that they continue to perform throughout the years. Our individual product warranties back these products to perform and we provide a comprehensive repairs and revival service to ensure that any products that can be repaired and reused are done so.

This is one of the key pillars in our ongoing commitment to our Stoney Creek Sustainability Journey, and it will continue to promote quality garments that are built to last, and steer away from any fast fashion.

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We’ve been quietly going about our journey to sustainability, consciously crafting products and improving our business practices to be more sustainable wherever possible. We know we are not perfect and that we still have a very long way to go but our sustainable journey has firmly hit the ground and we are dedicated to its continuous improvement and evolution.

We have some pretty lofty goals in place, and are looking to not only do our bit for the environment today, but more importantly we know it is our responsibility to look to lead, innovate and inspire the industry to be thinking bigger, better and wider and how we can all be doing more.

We are passionate about our pursuits, our people, our wild lands, our wild life, and ultimately our world. That is the why, and that is the fuel that will keep our sustainable journey growing.

To follow more great conservation, community well being and Rural & outdoors mental health projects, please visit OurBackYardTrust.com