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2020 Sustainability Goals

– Our Product –

Improving the sustainability of our products has three points of entry: softgoods, hardgoods, and packaging. Aiming to meet the highest level of safety and environmental responsibility, by design year 2020 (the Winter 2022 product season) we are aiming for all of our softgoods to be bluesign® products, contain only organic cotton, use more recycled polyester, and apply only PFC-free durable water repellent. We’re working to reduce carbon emissions by 20% in the production of our hardgoods, and to package up our products with only recyclable or compostable materials.

Making the best product is still our number one priority. For as long as we exist, we’ll keep making it better. Sustainable design is at the core of every decision and detail that defines our products from materials to manufacturing, and all the way through what happens at the end of their life.

bluesign®

Burton has a goal of 100% bluesign® softgoods by 2020. We see bluesign® as the gold standard for ensuring that our products are responsibly crafted in manufacturing processes that manage natural resources efficiently, produce cleaner air and water emissions, and use only those chemicals that are deemed safe for people and the planet. In Winter 20/21, 98% of Burton outerwear, 94% of first layers, and 79% of backpacks are bluesign® products. We’re proud that 78% of our materials are bluesign® approved – one of the highest percentages in the world.

Lifetime Warranty & Durable Goods

We know that the most sustainable product is the one that lasts. All Burton softgoods are backed by a Lifetime Warranty. We also have warranties on boards, boots, bindings, and more. We'll check in and evaluate your claim, then contact you with next steps within 48 business hours of receiving your claim. That's the best warranty program in the industry and it's all part of Burton's commitment to get you back on the mountain as quickly as possible.

End of Life

We’re designing our products with end of life solutions in mind. If a product comes back to us, we first aim to repair it. If we must replace it, we work to keep components out of the landfill. At our global headquarters repair center we divert 60-85% of every board from the landfill by down-cycling them into items like beer sample holders for our local breweries, shelving units, and employee name tags. Globally, in 2019 we repaired 28% of warranty claims. We’re aiming to repair 40% by 2020, while implementing new end of life solutions each year.

Life Cycle Assessment

We aim to reduce the carbon footprint of each hardgoods product category by 20% by winter 2021/22. Using life cycle assessment (LCA) to measure from “cradle to gate” – from extraction of natural resources through to the manufacturing of the finished product – we identify high impact areas and then work to reduce those impacts by improving product design, material choices, manufacturing practices, and energy sources. Burton leads the snow sports industry in leveraging the LCA approach across such a wide range of products.

Environmentally Preferred Materials

Our largest environmental impacts and opportunities are rooted in our products. We are reducing resource consumption and improving emissions from manufacturing by using preferred materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and bluesign® approved materials. All of our snowboards are constructed using Super Sap, a plant-based epoxy. We have also eliminated the use of lacquer on snowboards in order to reduce worker and rider exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Responsibly Sourced Down

In an effort to improve animal welfare in the apparel and outerwear industry, we use 100% responsibly sourced down in our jackets and insulators. We require that our suppliers source materials that are certified all the way back to the parent farms where the birds are raised and first produce eggs. This validation process is moderated by a third party, ensuring that every feather originates from ethically treated ducks and geese. They keep us warm; let's keep them safe.

Sustainably Harvested Wood

Burton became certified to the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™ C124994) standards in 2015. FSC certified products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits. Burton was recognized with a 2018 FSC leadership award.

Packaging

We have set goals for 2020 to ensure that 100% of our packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable; contains a minimum of 80% recycled materials; and is “right-sized” in order to minimize waste and optimize for shipping – reducing the carbon footprint from transportation and distribution. We are also working to design for disposal in the varying markets throughout the world, and are improving labeling to ensure that customers understand how to responsibly dispose of packaging.

Snowboard Manufacturing

Our Austrian snowboard factory has been working with us for more than 30 years and strives for sustainability in its operations. The factory sources most materials within a 250-mile radius, makes their own snowboard cores, and then uses scrap wood to heat the factory and presses. They recycle sidewall and base scrap materials and also recycle the water used in production which reduces water consumption by 50%. In partnership toward Burton’s carbon reduction goals, two factories in Asia have installed rooftop solar to help power production.
Better Recognize —

We're Now a Certified
B Corporation®

B Corp™ Certification is an acknowledgement that we're committed to being a force for good on all fronts: environmental, social, and beyond.
What This Means
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