Materials
Tierra is built on functionality, durability and sustainability
Ever since Tierra was founded in 1983, the aim has been to make clothing that protects you from the elements, not only in mountain environments but in all aspects of outdoor life. Therefore, the choice of material has always been extremely important to us, our brand is based on functionality and durability. Another important aspect that we added early on to our material philosophy is sustainability and the environmental impact of our clothes. Today, it is a big part of our mission to find new sustainable alternatives, without compromising on functionality or durability.
In order to be able to produce new clothing items that are functional, durable and sustainable at the same time, a lot of curiosity and desire to test new materials is required and that is not in short supply at Tierra! This has led us to what you have seen from us in recent years; bio-based synthetics, innovative knits, hemp and fluffy wool lining from rescued Swedish wool to name a few materials.
Quality and responsibility
Great demands are placed on clothing and equipment in the extreme environments our clothing is intended to be used in. Mountains entail and the consequences of a jacket that does not keep one dry or a sweater that cannot warm one can lead to life-threatening situations. Therefore, all the details found in Tierra's garments are carefully worked out and have a specific function. The functionality of the garments is reflected in the users who have chosen to use Tierra's garments, such as Alpina Fjällrädningen and many mountain guides.
In Tierra's eyes, the development of a good garment is not only about quality, function and durability. It is equally important that neither manufacturing, use nor final handling cause unnecessary environmental or health risks. Therefore, we are very careful when choosing materials and think twice before choosing to add chemicals to any of our products.
Tierra constantly strives to choose the most environmentally sustainable option in all situations, even when it entails a higher cost. This leads to us often using materials with some kind of environmental label, for example Oeko-tex and Bluesign, without specifically labeling our products with information about it, because we see it as self-evident.
As part of the Fenix Outdoor group, we are also members of the FLA - Fair Labor Association. FLA is an interest organization that includes both companies, non-profit organizations, universities and authorities and that works to improve working conditions at subcontractors worldwide. FLA not only conducts independent audits and evaluations of companies and production conditions, but also offers support and training to improve conditions and make concrete, positive contributions to social development.
You can read more about our and the Fenix Outdoor group's sustainability work in The Fenix Way.
Natural fibers
As friends of our planet, we like the idea of using materials found naturally in nature. Natural fibers can be defined as fibers produced from plants, animals and geological processes, and can be so much more than just cotton. We have discovered some of them and are amazed by their unique characteristics. This has made us constantly curious to find more.
A few years ago, we set the ambitious goal of using only certified organic cotton in our cotton products. Today we are proud that 100% of our cotton is organic. Since 2014, we also set the goal of reducing the total amount of cotton we use in our natural fiber products. The reason is the large amount of water required to grow even organic cotton.
In line with this goal, we today use blends of wool and TENCEL™ Lyocell in our natural fibers collection. Not only to reduce the amount of cotton but also to increase the properties of the garments. TENCEL™ Lyocell is produced from wood raw material and is used to create soft fabrics with a fantastic luster. We use wool for its natural anti-odour and warming properties.
Cooperation for the environment
Since 2013, Tierra has been part of SAC - Sustainable Apparel Coalition. SAC is a cross-industry group that strives to reduce the environmental impact of clothing and footwear manufacturing worldwide. By sharing experiences with other forward-looking companies, we strive for continuous improvement.
SAC's focus is the Higg Index – an assessment tool that standardises measures of the environmental and social impact of clothing and footwear throughout the product's life cycle and through the value chain.
Tierra are also members of SFA - Sustainable Fashion Academy, which works for a long-term sustainable textile industry. SFA organizes courses and seminars with the aim of increasing and sharing knowledge so that textile companies' operations can become more sustainable.
