In Fjordalp's early days we spent a lot of time trying to find the right fabric for our new range of products. Once we learned of ECOPAK's performace and eco friendly credentials, the choice became an easy one.
Our list of aims and requirements were not easy to attain, especially for a small startup company without access to the multitude of fabric mills and manufacturers that more established companies enjoy.
First of all, the fabric had to be durable and puncture proof. Pick up your average crampon bag and try and pierce the fabric with a crampon point; it's incredible how many we found that offered almost no resistance to puncture.
Next up, we were determined to find a part or fully recycled fabric with the appropriate performance and weight characteristics. More recycled fabric options are coming online all the time but the choice is still limited. Furthermore, we needed a fabric with strong weatherproof characteristics that we knew could cope with regular use in the mountains.
We use Ecopak EPX 200 throughout our range, including in the Splitboard Crampon Bag
ECOPAK EPX 200 from Challenge Sailcloth seemed like it was made for us. The ECOPAK line is the world's first range of fully composite fabrics made using 100% recycled yarns.
The 200d face fabric of EPX 200 is coated with a C0 DWR (no flourocarbons). The 45 degree crossply is then backed up by the 70d recycled ripstop backing.
The result is a fabric that's very durable for its weight, is very weather resistant and is pretty sustainable. When we took EPX 200 and started to apply our design principles, we realised that it was the fabric we were looking for.
We use EPX 200 throughout our entire line of crampon and accessory bags. It's proven to be a great choice for us. Keep an eye out for new Fjordalp products in the near future that utilize other advanced recycled fabrics from Challenge Sailcloth.
