Gore-tex: Time for alternatives. Part 1 | Part 2 | PART 3   

On the market

Boots

Most brands producing leather boots with PTFE, also produce them without it. Often, those boots are bought by customers that plan trips in slightly warmer climates, and therefore prefer boots that are more breathable. Applying a good waterproofing wax would be necessary if you want to use these boot in more wet conditions. Unfortunately, even boots without membranes will often have lining, something I don’t like at all because of the long time it takes to get them dry. Lundhags, a Swedish brand, is to my knowledge one of the few brands that make PTFE-free boots that already are very waterproof in the shop and at the same time don't have a lining. The legend goes that they need a couple of years of walking in before they stop giving you blisters. My experience absolutely disagrees with this, but it probably also depends on the shape of your foot. As a plus, on their website Lundhags assures their customers to be concerned about the environment, and to be looking for environmentally friendlier options for their products that still contain fluorocarbons. Undoubtedly there must be more small-scale boot manufacturers who make high-quality waterproof boots without PTFE. If you happen to have experience with any of those, it would be very appreciated if you can write this in the guest book of this site, or let me know.

Jackets and other stuff

At least two outdoor clothing brands deserve a word of praise here. One brand is Patagonia from the USA. According to their website, they have stopped using PTFE in their products since fall 2008. Patagonia has launched a garment recycling program to recycle polyester fiber garments, also those from competitors. Patagonia estimates that making a garment from recycled polyester just takes about one fourth of the energy compared to making it from oil. They have begun working on the recycling of nylon garments and they plan also to recycle cotton and wool clothing [12]. Unfortunately they are still using PFOA for the Durable Water Repellent treatment of their products, declaring that they could not find any alternatives meeting their strict criteria (personal communication). I have no experience or reviews for the PTFE-free waterproof, breathable garments from Patagonia. If you have any, feel free to post them in the guest book!

The second brand is a bit younger and smaller, and makes products of highest quality; it is Klättermusen from northern Sweden. Also they have banned PTFE from their products. Although at the moment they still can't exclude that impregnations of some of their outer layers contain PFOA, they are fighting for getting their suppliers to make all material PFOA-free. Klättermusen also has a program to recycle nylon. Recently, they have marked their products with an Eco-index, informing the consumer on the ecological impact of any of their products. As for Patagonia, 1% of their total sales goes to environmental projects. If you have any first-hand experience with their products, be welcome in the guest book once again.

In conclusion

Although many products on the outdoor clothing market are far from environmentally friendly, consumers are not left without options if they prefer buying products with a smaller environmental impact. 'Don't buy a jacket. Unless you really need one' could be read on the Klättermusen website some time in the past, and heeding this advise would probably do more good than anything else. Don't underestimate your power as an individual customer! Especially owners of smaller shops don't need a huge number of people telling them the same thing before they will consider taking action. If your shop doesn't have the 'green' product that you were looking for, don't be scared to talk with the shop owner. They are the ones that should feel bad about not having more green stuff, not you for preferring it.

It's no more than fair to minimise your impact on nature while enjoying it. But ultimately, the choice is yours.

References

1. Kudo N., Kawashima Y. 2003. Toxicity and toxicokinetics of perfluorooctanoic acid in humans and animals. The Journal of Toxicological Sciences 28 (2), 49-57.

2. Prevedouros K., Cousins I. T., Buck R. C., Korzeniowski S. H. 2006. Sources, fate and transport of perfluorocarboxylates. Environmental Science & Technology 40 (1), 32-44.

3. Betts K. S. 2007. Perfluoroalkyl acids: What is the evidence telling us? Environmental Health Perspectives 115 (5), A250 - A256.

4. Lau C., Anitole K., Hodes C., Lai D., Pfahles-Hutchens A., Seed J. 2007. Perfluoroalkyl acids: A review of monitoring and toxicological findings. Toxicological Sciences 99 (2), 366-394.

5. Monroy R., Morrison K., Teo K., Atkinson, S., Kubwabo, C., Stewart, B. 2008. Serum levels of perfluoroalkyl compounds in human maternal and umbilical cord blood samples. Environmental Research 108 (1), 56–62.

6. Apelberg B. J., Witter F. R., Herbstman J. B., Calafat A. M., Halden R. U., Needham L. L., Goldman L. R. 2007. Cord serum concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in relation to weight and size at birth. Environmental Health Perspectives 115 (11), 1670 - 1676.

7. Fei C., McLaughlin J. K., Tarone R. E., Olsen J. 2007. Perfluorinated chemicals and fetal growth: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives 115 (11), 1677–82.

8. Fei C., McLaughlin J. K., Lipworth L., Olsen J. 2009. Maternal levels of perfluorinated chemicals and subfecundity. Human Reproduction 1 (1), 1– 6.

9. Michaels, D. 2008. Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health. Oxford University Press.

10. http://gogreentravelgreen.com/green-environmentally-friendly-products-travel-gear/the-green-travelers-dilemma-gore-tex-choosing-convenience-over-the-earth/

11. Campbell, G. S., Norman, J. M. 1998. An Introduction to Environmental Biophysics. 2nd ed. Chapter 6. Springer Verlag.

12. Brown, L. R. 2008. Plan B 3.0. Mobilizing to save civilization. Earth Policy Institute.

Part 1 | Part 2 | PART 3