DNA: The future of the future
Environmental problems are on the increase and are now a major concern. As we all know, the manufacture and use of skis requires a lot of energy and is a source of pollution. After several years of research and development, French start-up ADN has come up with a solution to this problem: 100% recyclable skis!
In this article, Speck-Sports presents the ADN brand and its skis, available in shops and online.
The manufacture and use of skis: a critical assessment
The facts are alarming: 1,500 tonnes of waste are generated by skis every year in France. Whether alpine, cross-country or touring, skis can often not be recycled, as they are made of composite materials (an assembly of different materials bonded together by a resin and which cannot be dissociated). This accounts for some 263,000 pairs thrown away every year.
What's more, the raw materials required for their construction are very often synthetic. These materials require large quantities of energy, chemicals and pollutants.
Transporting materials and finished products is also a source of pollution. Indeed, the production of certain materials used in ski design can take place in places far from the manufacturing plant. These skis can then be transported from the factory to the various points of sale. To get to the slopes, skiers generally use their cars, which again generates pollution.
In conclusion, if we take stock of the manufacturing and use of skis, we realize that the ecological impact is very bad. So it was with this in mind that ADN decided to take to the slopes!
Creation of the ADN company: founders, approach, values
Born in a small village in the Haute Savoie region of France, Camille Lambert has been passionate about skiing from an early age. As she grew up, she became aware of the ecological impact of the equipment she used. Always passionate about board sports, Camille took a particular interest in environmental issues. As a business school student, she embarked on an ambitious project: the creation of a 100% recyclable ski!
A successful gamble! The project was launched in 2018 by Camille Lambert, and the team quickly expanded to include Aurèle (materials physics engineer), Héloïse and Pauline (designers). After several years of research and development, ADN introduces its eco-responsible products: skis that are 100% recyclable thanks to the use of a recyclable resin.
Passionate about board sports and nature, Camille, Aurèle, Héloïse and Pauline share the same values and a common ambition: to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
ADN 's primary mission is to decarbonize the ski industry by bringing to market a technology that combines eco-design with an innovative process for dismantling end-of-life equipment and recycling its components.
As you can see, sustainable development is a very important value for the ADN team. The company is therefore committed to a virtuous approach that respects the environment, from ski design to end-of-life.
- The materials chosen are sustainable and come from countries close to where ADN operates (France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Slovenia)
- Production takes place at the Salomon factory in Altenmarkt, Austria (100%hydroelectricity and biomass heating)
- Whenever possible, material is transported by Bio Gaz trains and trucks
- Skis are collected from ADN partners in various locations. ADN then analyzes the condition of the skis. There are two possibilities: the skis are reusable or non-reusable.
If they are reusable, they can be reused or upcycled*.
If the skis are non-reusable, they are dismantled. The materials are then analyzed one by one. Depending on their condition, they can be reused, upcycled or recycled.
- ADN supports environmental organizations such as 1% For the Planet (1% of sales donated each year to an association approved by the 1% organization), POW and Mountain Riders.
ADN is also committed to the values ofinnovation and transparency.
It is for this reason that ADN's ambition is not to retain exclusive rights to 100% recyclable ski technology, but to offer it to other brands in order to make it more virtuous.
*Upcycling consists in recovering materials that are no longer used, and transforming them into materials or products of superior quality and utility.
A partnership between the start-up ADN and Salomon
Highly attracted by this approach, the famous Salomon brand has joined forces withADN. The two brands want to pool their knowledge to develop the process and offer recycled and eco-designed skis which, at the end of their first life, will be sent to recycling centres or reused.
The aim of this collaboration is to help both parties grow by giving the start-up ADN access to the production tools of the Salomon prototyping workshop at the Salomon Annecy Design Center. On the other hand, the young start-up enables Salomon to start thinking about responsible, environmentally-friendly product design.
ADN skis, available from Speck-Sports
We're very proud to announce that Speck-Sports is one of the first shops to offer ADN skis for sale.
Innovation and sustainable development are very important values to us. As a mountain sports specialist since 1969, we are constantly thinking about how to make our activity as responsible as possible in order to preserve the environment and not compromise our future generations.
Here in the Vosges we are feeling the negative effects of global warming and we know that in the years to come, skiing in our massif will become increasingly difficult. But it is by being as responsible as possible that we can postpone this deadline.
Today, some manufacturers are taking initiatives like Rossignol and its Essential ski model, which is 77% recyclable. The ADN brand is going even further by offering 100% recyclable skis.
Now it's up to you to play your part! By choosing ADN eco-responsible skis, you're taking a step forward. ADN is the future of the future!
The Speck-Sports team has tested the ADN skis and can assure you that the gliding sensations are good and very close to the Salomon S/Max 10 ski model on which they are based.
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