The world of cross country skiing is insular. No more is it evident as in place where it has a rare chance to come into contact with “other universes” under one roof.
What’s ISPO?
Cross country skiing firms exhibit on the fringes of Alpine grandeur: smaller stands, less items, less if any of professionally trained presentation personnel…
There is a new, growing “bubble” at ISPO though. It’s called Sustainability Hub and it features ever increasing amount of participating companies willing, above all, to push their environmental credentials.
Some eco-manufacturers carefully add that “We produce in Europe” spiel with underlying message being “buying from everyone else you can’t be certain of how it was produced, you know?!”
But above all – “sorry that we have to charge you more but, apart from being happy with your life choices, you’re paying for an eco-fashion statement, you understand? ”
All right, then.
But where is cross-country skiing on all of that?
Mixed bag, really
Sustainable textiles are still expensive, more of a Zermat crowd than a Vasaloppet crowd – and the “fashion statement surcharge” still hardly works in xckiing .
Switching to eco-friendly technologies in gear production is costly and manufacturers could ill afford the expense in what starting to shape into a very, very lean year after no-show winter in most of Europe.
In short – the xcskiing will do its best, but Greta Thunberg might not be entirely pleased with a progress.
