A trio of the latest eco-friendly offerings
Alpkit Morphosis Vest £67.99
Weight 177g
Having won awards for its work on sustainability, along with being the first UK outdoor brand to publish in-depth and measurable annual sustainability reports, Alpkit is committed to making consumerism as transparent as possible.
Head over to the Alpkit website and you’ll see that its claims are substantiated along with evidenced raw material claims, processes and manufacturing. Its work on committed recycling through donation of kit through its Continuum Project, repairing (not just its own brands) and giving back to the community are key to its sustainability principles.
Along with the fact that 10% of Alpkit is owned by staff and customers means it can make long-term decisions that aren’t driven purely by shareholder profit.
Alpkit says a brand that delivers welldesigned kit that stands the test of time will be the most sustainable and will probably have the highest ethics and standards – and Alpkit’s Morphosis Vest does all those things.
The cut of the Morphosis is best suited to the more upright position of endurance and gravel riding.
Fleece lined and highly wind resistant, the Morphosis brings a warming boost far greater than its packable size would suggest. With its more relaxed fit, it is equally at home off the bike – whether that’s at a post-ride pub stop, cooking breakfast after a night’s bivvy or simply out walking in the hills.
It’s treated with a PFC-free water repellent, which is more environmentally friendly than those based on fluorochemicals. It’s not waterproof – even if it was, your arms would still get wet – but it’s there to give that added bit of protection from showers and splashes.
The lack of rear pockets – or any way to access your jersey – is a frustration and in not having a stowaway pocket it’s more difficult to tuck away. But if those issues
don’t concern you, then it’s a reasonably priced and effective gilet. Stefan Abram www.alpkit.com
Green Oil Wet Chain Lube £6.99
Green Oil has a made a name for itself with its sustainable range of lubricants and cleaning products. It’s come a long way since the first sample batch – in 2007 – was sold in bottles bought from eBay and filled from an old beer tap.
Some rival chain lubes use PTFE to help shed dirt from the chain. The trouble is, PTFE doesn’t biodegrade, and can’t be absorbed and broken down by plants. Green Oil has always been firmly against the use of PTFE in lubricants, and there are no petrochemicals either. Green Oil Wet Lube is plant-based and, what’s more, it’s made in the UK.
Green Oil goes further in its sustainable approach with recycled packaging and the option of refilling bottles of lube from its stockists rather than buying a new one.
Of course, this
