Lundhags: why invent Bamboo ? - 22 Jul 2007
While some manufacturers strive to “invent” new materials to develop products with, others “find” them by turning to Mother Nature. After all, she has been producing substances with remarkable qualities a lot longer than any of us have been around.
Lundhags, a 75 year-old Swedish company that originally specialized in outdoor shoes and boots (and which has recently broadened it’s product line to textiles, backpacks and sleeping bags amongst other things) has just introduced me to a wonderful new product – Bamboo shirts.
What I first liked about this product, besides the obvious eco-factor, was that the shirts don’t look and feel like “all the other stuff”. When you try them on, they feel like nothing you’ve ever touched before. Lundhags is also declining Bamboo in other products in their line-up and Sven Sixtensson (Marketing & Communications Director) told me that they’ve even been able to use this plant byproduct to some extent in sleeping bags, backpacks and drybags.
After coming to the Outdoor Sports show 3 years in a row now – I can tell you – it’s not easy to differentiate apparel products between manufacturers. There is an overwhelming supply of options – but very little distinction between any of them.
Beyond the usage of eco-materials, which I personally push for, I think it’s imperative that companies pay more attention to the distinctiveness of their products, especially in the sustainable market. Lundhags, which has a heritage some brands would pay a fortune for, has done a really good job of keeping to its authentic style while pursing their company mission.
The lesson to be learned here?
If a company located in a country covered in snow for a great part of the year is able to find success with an eco material grown in the tropics located half a world away – imagine the possibilities that lie out there!
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