Sports

Going Green? Swany Offers Recyclable Snow Sports Gloves

Johnstown, N.Y.-based Swany, which has been manufacturing snow sports gloves for more than 60 years, is now marketing its Eco Circle line of gloves, which it has dubbed ''the world's first fully recyclable gloves.''

Somebody or some thing seems to be going green every day in the snow sports industry.

There is wind power.

There is a groomer that runs on vegetable oil.

Snowsports Industries America makes its annual trade show ''eco-friendly'' and discourages members of the media from asking for paper press kits.

Now there are green gloves.

OK, they are black gloves but they are green.

Green as in recycled.

Johnstown, N.Y.-based Swany, which has been manufacturing gloves for more than 60 years, is now marketing its Eco Circle line of gloves, which it has dubbed ''the world's first fully recyclable gloves.''

Swany has teamed up with Japan-based Teijin Fibers LTD to create gloves made out of the Eco Storm fabric, a 100 percent recycled and fully recyclable material.

In addition to the manufacturing angle, the gloves can be sent back to Swany, which will recycle the palms in the United States while Teijin recycles the rest of the components in its plants.

Basically, Eco Circle gloves consist of:

  • A recycled polyester shell.
  • Recyclable polyester insulation.
  • Recyclable waterproof/breathable inserts.

Swany provides a very technical explanation on how the gloves are made, but skiers and riders want to know how they perform.

The answer is pretty well. They were tested on four separate days - a sunny moderately cold day at Okemo in Vermont, a day with heavy, wet snow at Okemo, a cold sunny day at Catamount in the Berkshires and on a 42-degree night at Wachusett in Massachusetts.

They kept the hands and fingers warm on the colder days and repelled the wet snow on that Sunday at Okemo. Even when the snow turned to rain, the gloves did their job.

The liners come out for quick drying.

One drawback is the sizing. The XLs are a bit tight for skiers and riders with larger fingers. Swany Sports Division Manager Kim Politi says Swany with either make an XXL model or make all sizes bigger if the product reviews call for it.

Any Eco Circle glove purchase comes with a pre-addressed envelope so customers can return them for recycling once the gloves reach the end of their useful lives.

Politi says a park glove will be included in the Eco Circle line next season.

Gloves in the Eco Circle line retail for between $60 and $120.

Swany is known for its innovations. For example the I-Finger gloves feature a index finger grip that allows one to use an i-Phone screen in the cold without removing the glove. The Packyback is a glove that folds into its own carrying case.

The toaster is made up of a traditional glove liner inside a mitten shell. The shell unzips to allow the wearer to free his or her fingers.

Swany also makes a warm traditional glove for women.

The complete Swany line can be seen at www.swanyamerica.com.


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