Endura’s green pledge sees 619,962 trees planted

Endura is well on target to reach 1 million trees planted as part of a green pledge it made at the start of 2020.

As of the end of June, Endura reported 619,962 trees had been planted as a direct result of sponsorship of a site in Mozambique by the clothing label. These trees not only help to reduce the quantity of carbon in the atmosphere, they also bring significant social benefits for the local community.

“If we don’t stop climate change, we won’t have a world to clean up,” warned the Pentland-owned brand earlier this year, pledging to further green up its already progressive approach to sustainability.

Among the brands claims to operating as cleanly as a clothing manufacturer feasibly can, Endura has been PFC free since 2018 , offers a repair service on used gear, donates 1% of net profit to sustainability programmes and has made 98% of its packaging recyclable.

Company’s founder and Managing Director Jim McFarlane points out, with significant climate red lines being crossed, we do not have the luxury of time. “The one thing we must focus on now is the climate emergency,” he says. “Once the ice caps have melted you’re not going to refreeze them any time soon – that’s the reason for our Million Trees initiative.”

The issue of sustainability and waste reduction has become a perhaps surprising demand of both consumer and those inside the bike industry alike. In Cycling Industry News’ own Retail Channel Study, bike shops ranked sustainable practices, including reduced packaging, as a key demand from their suppliers, ranking only behind a desire for improved margins.

Eden Reforestation Projects, who plant the majority of Endura’s trees, reduces extreme poverty and restores healthy forests by employing local villagers to plant millions of trees every year. Jobs and thereby an income are provided, and at the same time the locals learn about the importance of the trees for the ecosystems. The mangrove channels of Mozambique, where Endura’s trees are planted, and those of other coastal areas are the nursery for so many species of the world’s commercial fish, explains Eden Reforestations Projects, and they are very efficient at absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen back for all of us. They also provide important habitats for threatened species of birds and mammals.

Endura are also working on a project closer to home to plant native species of trees in their Scottish homeland. “It’s one world, so we’ll plant trees wherever we can do it quickly, cheaply, and wherever they’ll be protected.” says Endura’s co-founder and Brand Director Pamela Barclay.

While the One Million Trees Initiative is a big step in the right direction, there’s no sense of complacency at Endura. “We continue to work hard to drive authentic sustainability across the whole product offering and the business,” Barclay explains, “but our brand has a long way to go.”

To find out more about Endura’s One Million Tree Initiative and the other initiatives that Endura are currently working on, catch their updates here.