BOND with your Outerwear

Kate Eppinger

You know that wonderful feeling: Slipping on your much-loved winter jacket, trusting it for warmth, style and function, and knowing it’s going to be an integral part of your winter adventures. Your outerwear helps to define you however you choose to make your way down the mountain. Therefore, it’s important to choose pieces that fit both your personality and your body. With all the latest bells, whistles, patterns and performance ratings, it can be somewhat daunting to find new pants or jackets. How do you pick with so many styles out there? Don’t panic, I’m going to make this a little easier for you. Check out BOND, the latest outerwear company, which is proving to be quite progressive and at the same time classic.

Bond was established in 2008 out of Laguna Beach, CA, but has branched out throughout Europe, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Korea and Scandinavia. What we like about Bond and what makes them stand out among all the other outerwear companies is their commitment to making themselves the snowboarding industry’s first completely carbon neutral company! Their zero carbon footprint is cooler than your Burton footprint.

While the majority of winter sports companies use only a small percentage of sustainable elements in their clothing, Bond’s obligation to green materials is all-encompassing. They are striving to be 100% carbon free. All of Bond’s outer shells and inner liners are made from blends of PET Fabric (recycled plastic bottles) and virgin polyester, which is completely recyclable also. Even the snaps, buttons and zipper pulls are made from reclaimed, industrial grade plastic pellets. One expecially neat feature: Bond’s moisture wicking liner system is made from a blend of discarded coconut shells and polyester! Bond is not just adding a bamboo button here and there, but creating a way of using recycled goods that is like none other in the industry. 

Bond has come out with classic pieces that can be seen on girls at all points on the mountain, from the park to the backcountry.  The clothing’s versatility and clean style is refreshingly beautiful and simple. Bond’s introductory 09-10 collection features two jackets and one pant for women, offered in a range of colors and patterns that mix classic with striking. The Villefranche Jacket comes with fully taped seams, 15k waterproofing, tactical insulation (core insulation), lycra thumberwear, collar snow dam, 14” no B.O. armpit zips, and Mod Plaid, Fuchsia, and Grey look great on every type of female bomber. The jacket has distinctive buttons, crisp lines, and pocket covers that all scream functionally stylish. Every element on this jacket is useful.

The Social Jacket has similar tech features as the Villefranche, but is instead 10k waterproofing and has a different style. Instead of big buttons as the standout, it has large diagonal stripes across the chest. Classic, but trendy!  Both jackets are feminine, bold and practical.

For your stems, the Eva Pant provides the perfect balance between super tight jib pants and baggy pants- the in between great fit that will allow you to jump and jive. They are comprised of 10k waterproofing, fully taped seams, a zipped accordion gusset at the bottom legs, a no scuff system, a damp-bottom eliminator, and tactical insulation. They come in gray, black, celery and radiance colors. Check out Bond’s outerwear at http://www.bondsnowboarding.com.

I had the opportunity to ask Bond’s Chief Creative Officer (CCO), Rob Myers, a few questions about his latest wintery designs. 

Have you designed outerwear using recycled materials before?

Prior to Bond, I had used recycled materials before as well as sustainable materials but just as elements of the collection. The great thing about Bond is everything we use has an element of sustainability to it.

Is there a difference between using recycled vs. non-recycled fabrics and materials? Cost, look, warmth, functionality?

As far as looks, warmth, and functionality, there is no real difference in recycled products. There can be a functional difference in the sustainable materials like coconut and bamboo that have inherent anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties. There is definitely a cost difference; any recycled material costs more because there are more steps to producing the materials.

How did you become involved with Bond and what would say is the most unique thing about the company and your garments?

I got involved with Bond because I have been friends/colleagues with the owners for years. They are great guys with good hearts and like minds. The most unique thing about the company is that it strives to be carbon free. By no means are we a bunch of tree hugging hippies, but we feel that sustainability and recycling should not be fringe movements, but mainstream. The products are made of high percentage recycled materials, but designed to look like progressive outerwear. Basically taking the crunch out of granola.

How would you describe Bond’s 09-10 Women’s Collection? What were the inspirations for this collection?

The Bond 2010 Women’s Collection is short and sweet. We kept it really focused with a mix of classic design and striking colors and details.

Do you find the Bond customer to be environmentally conscious, style driven, or both?

At the moment, I would think most of our customers are style driven, as we do not over promote the sustainability side of the brand. I expect a person buying Bond is attracted to it from the way it looks and it is great if the sustainable side is what closes the deal for them to buy our product. A lot of “environmental” brands or categories of brands tend to pigeon hole themselves with color and “earthy” design. We wanted our product to look forward and cool and not just appeal to the person looking to save the earth. By taking this approach, hopefully we are multi-dimensional in product design and brand direction and we can get people to make environmentally responsible choices without even knowing it.

By being the 1st carbon neutral snowboarding company, do you think this will create a trend for others to follow?

I think the idea that many companies in the future will have some sort of environmental responsibility is a forgone conclusion. Environmental awareness is everywhere. The one big hurdle now is cost, and for large companies to totally change their methods of doing business is impossible. That is where we were fortunate as we could build Bond from the ground up as striving for carbon neutrality. We do not even see ourselves as trendsetters in the environmental game, as we feel it is just the responsible way to conduct business and life. 

From Rob Myers and myself, go out and shop responsibly and in the meantime, check out Bond.

Posted by Kate Eppinger on 11/16