Rossignol Essential: The World’s First Recyclable Ski
Clay Malott |
In celebration of Earth Day today, 4/22, Rossignol unveiled the world’s first-ever recyclable ski: the Essential. The Essential lineup will be available in limited quantities for the 2022-2023 season.
According to Rossignol, more than 75% of the ski is 100% recyclable. So how do they do it? The ski is primarily constructed with aluminum, wood, and steel; 77% of the ski, to be exact. These materials allow Rossignol to balance downhill performance with sustainability. When compared to a conventional ski with a current average recyclability rate of 10%, Rossignol’s incredible recyclability achievement blows existing skis out of the water.
“Improving end-of-life management for a product means better design right from the start. This has inspired us to design a ski made from as few materials as possible, all of which can be recycled and reused… By 2028, our aim is to have one-third of our ski collection developed through this same approach and ethos.”
– David Bouvier, Rossignol Mountain Sports Equipment Senior Marketing Director
By prioritizing component recyclability, Rossignol is significantly reducing the carbon footprint of ski construction. In fact, by using 75% recyclable materials in the Essential lineup, Rossignol is nearly halving the carbon footprint of ski manufacturing. With carbon emissions increasingly threatening the ski industry, it’s important to have big brands like Rossignol leading the industry by example in their commitment to the environment.
The Essential lineup was developed in partnership with MTB, a recycling company based in Trept, France. While Rossignol designed the ski, MTB has developed a new water-free process for improved recycling of conventional modern ski constructions. This development was synchronized with that of the Rossignol Essential ski to ensure maximum compatibility and the goal of contributing to a circular economy and product life cycle. Recycled materials can then be repurposed across automotive, garden, or construction industries, and in the future, within new Rossignol products.
The Essential lineup will be available Fall-Winter 2022-2023. The ski will be available in 156, 161, and 166cm lengths at a width of 68mm underfoot. Learn more about the Essential lineup here.
