The Quest for a Sustainable Future – Icebug continues changing by doing

The new book we’re writing about Icebug is called The Quest for a Sustainable Future. Here are five highlights from the first chapters:

Icebug is the first Outdoor footwear brand to join 1% For the planet

In early 2020, Icebug joined 1% for the Planet. This means that we commit to use at least 1% of our annual sales to support environmental non-profits.

“This is a way of applying behavioral design on ourselves to make sure to do the right thing. By joining 1% for the Planet, at year end we don’t have to choose between using that money to take our responsibility to support the transformation needed and paying dividends to the shareholders – which will of course always be tempting,” says David Ekelund, CEO, co-owner and co-founder of Icebug.

Offsetting 200%

Last year, Icebug became the first climate positive outdoor footwear brand. Icebug offset all historical emissions from 2001 up to now, and from here and onwards, Icebug will offset 200% of the annual carbon emissions.

“When we pledged to get climate positive by 2020 after the Summer of 2018, we thought it was a very aggressive target, and we frankly had no idea what we were getting into. We just knew it had to be done. We learned that it was much easier and that the cost was a fraction of what we had expected – less than 10 cents/pair of shoes,” says David Ekelund.

“Since then we have been trying to mobilize others to climate action, if we could do it, everybody can – and indeed should. After having picked the climate footprint gains in material selection our next target is now to be a part of switching to renewable energy at those of our suppliers that don’t have it already – with a target of at least 50% at Tier1 by 2020.”

Training Three Times a Week at Work

Train for your brain! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the Icebug HQ in Jonsered shuts down between 11 and 12. This hour is dedicated to training and part of the workday at Icebug. The point is not an athletic achievement, but to get your pulse up. It’s well researched nowadays that physical activity is not only good for your body but has very positive effects on the brain as well. The sweet spot for effect is medium-high to high pulse 45 minutes three times a week. Many of us know this, but many of us also have difficulties getting it regularly. To make it part of the workday means it will be easier to train than not – radically increasing chances.

“Since our first mission is to empower people to be outdoors and workout, it’s only fair that we take our own medicine. We also like to follow best available knowledge, so increasing our training from one to three times a week is one of those things that when you start doing them, you can’t understand why you ever did things differently,” says David Ekelund.

“It’s an extra bonus that the forest outside our office provides a great playground for hard testing our products. And of course, that research also shows the positive health effects of being in the forest… And that in Sweden in the Winter, getting an hour of that precious daylight is great too. Our people will get healthier, and their brains will be sharper so we think this is a classic win-win”

Introducing a New Category of Sustainable Insulation

For FW20, Icebug launches a new series of shoes made with Primaloft® Bio, a 100% recycled and biodegradable insulation material, in a design that builds on a classic Scandinavian outdoor look. Top styles: Adak and Boda.

“People need warm shoes, but insulation materials often need a sustainable overhaul – just because they’re hidden inside doesn’t mean they don’t count. This is a great addition to our successful co-operation with Woolpower, where we produce warm wool shafts and innersoles with scraps from Woolpower’s baselayer production,” says David Ekelund.

Recycled Fishnets

Every year 640,000 tonnes of abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing nets are left in the ocean, making them a huge environmental threat. For our FW20 news, 69% of the inner heel and toe reinforcements are made of nylon recycled fishing nets.

“It’s always great to transform something bad into something good. Contributing to cleaning the oceans and beaches from unwanted trash, and at the same time lowering our use of oil,” says David Ekelund.