The POW Australia team is happy to announce that merch is finally here!
Over the last year, we’ve been asked by passionate people in the winter sports community for stickers, hats and climate change t-shirts countless times. The support for POW’s brand and mission is undeniable, and we are now inviting you to join us on the journey.
The decision to proceed with merchandising was not one we took lightly. Producing and selling goods – no matter how small the scale, consumes our planet’s resources. These are resources we cannot just give back.
For context, the average cotton t-shirt produces around 7 kg of CO2 during production and sale. That’s about 46x the product’s weight in carbon going into the atmosphere just for you to buy it.1 And this is completely ignoring other important issues like water and land use, ethical labour and chemical pollutants.
But as a team we firmly believe in getting active instead of getting depressed, so we have committed to a merchandise line with an environmental conscience. And we hope that you, as POW supporters, will do the same.
When you buy something from Protect Our Winters – you have become a climate activist.
You are voting with your wallet – because your money is going directly towards the growth of our organisation, so that we can fight on your behalf to preserve Australia’s unique alpine environment that we all love.
Please do not buy anything from our store if you don’t think that your actions can positively offset the environmental impact of producing and shipping a product to you.
POW merch is not a fashion statement. It is an opportunity to spark conversation, encourage progress and inspire collective action.
We hope to see many of you on the mountain repping your POW gear, and we are excited to work with you all to ensure a future where our alpine playground still exists.
— TEAM POW
All funds raised through merchandise sales go towards supporting Protect Our Winters Australia’s ongoing operations and key campaigns focused on reducing the carbon footprint of Australia’s winter sports industry and environmental restoration.
Please keep these points in mind when shopping:
- Buy less, and buy well.
- Care for your products as instructed to maximise longevity.
- Reuse, Recycle or Compost all packaging.
- Consider how you will consciously dispose of the product at its end of life.
- What changes in your life can you make to support POW’s mission?
- If someone asks you about POW – what will you have to say to them?
Footnotes:
On stickers
Low environmental impact stickers have proven to be a challenge, given that most POW supporters will expect their stickers to last in an extreme environment. For now we have chosen vinyl based stickers, with a premium finish to ensure longevity against UV and moisture. Keep this in mind when buying stickers, and we hope to have a better solution in the near future.
On clothing and accessories
We have chosen likeminded suppliers that offer textiles following at minimum the Global Organic Textile Standard, follow ethical trade practises, have reduced their own plastic use and offer carbon neutral delivery. We consciously prioritise products that include recycled materials with the goal of eventually only selling products that can exist in a closed loop system.
On shipping and packaging
We have chosen carbon neutral shipping partners, and are trying to eliminate any plastic packaging – with virtually everything you receive being home compostable – yes, even the shipping labels. 2 3
