Page 6 - The Tent Handbook 2017

Working responsibly
“SuStaInaBIlIty” HaS Become an important topic these days. Clearly de ning the term, however, can be elusive. At Hilleberg, we think more in terms of “responsibility,” and, more speci cally, we follow our own Responsibility Code: 1) We are responsible for making the highest quality tents that do what they’re supposed to do, with no compromise. 2) We are equally responsible for using materials and practices that make as little negative impact on the world around us as possible in the process. 3) We are responsible for constantly reviewing the balance between 1 and 2, and for always working towards both greater function and less negative impact.
At its heart, our Code comes from what we have always believed about integrating nature and the outdoor life with everyday life. Years ago, Bo Hilleberg wrote, “I do know that an outdoor life’s simplicity is what is most compelling: while it is – and always has been – a revelation to me to arrive at a beautiful place and camp, it has always been at least as important to leave that spot the next day looking as though I’d never been there.” These concepts of simplicity, engagement, and leaving as little an impact as possible on one’s sur- roundings transfers directly to how we run our company, and they have been guiding us since Hilleberg’s inception over 45 years ago.
To this end, we strive to make the most functional yet simplest to use products we can; to build them so they last a long time; to make sure that they work well for what they are designed to do; and to have the capability to repair our tents when necessary. We choose materials that will ful ll our standards without compromise, but whose production has as little harmful e ect as possible. We endeavor to foster long-term relationships, built on integrity, with our suppliers, our retailers, and our customers. We ensure that all those who work for us have clean, safe working conditions, and are treated fairly and with respect. And we talk honestly about our products and how to use them.
Staying true to ourselves
Underlying our responsibility ethos is our purposeful choice to keep our company comparatively small and family-led. We are certainly not averse to growth, but we choose to manage it so that we can maintain the high quality of our products, of the work environment for our workers, and of our relationships with everyone we work with. These have always come rst, and by keeping our company small, we can stay true to what we believe, work cleanly with our Responsibility Code, and be, in the truest sense of the word, sustainable.
We build our tents both to handle tough conditions, and to have a long lifespan. Here a 30 year old Nammatj stands strong against some truly ugly conditions. Photo: Anders Gustafsson.
Building to last
Twenty years ago, we moved our production out of Sweden, but we deliberately chose to stay in Europe. We wanted a long-term solu- tion, so we created our own facility in Rapla, Estonia, and we built relationships with carefully vetted contract factories nearby. This has allowed us both to get the exact quality we want, and to quickly make any changes needed to get it. Estonia is only a short plane ride away from our Swedish headquarters, and less travel equals less impact. In addition, the proximity a ords better communication, and allows us to work with remarkable e ciency. Also important is that Estonia’s laws and ethics are very similar to Sweden’s, so we can ensure that both our facility and those of our contractors have the same standards for working conditions that we have always embraced. As a result, many of our Estonian workers have been with us for since we opened the factory. In fact, over his 19 years with us, one of our tent inspectors has set up at least 65,000 tents!
Choosing materials wisely
For all materials, we comply with the European Union’s European Chemicals Agency regulation for “Registration, Evaluation, Autho- rization and Restriction of Chemicals,” or REACH. In all of our con- tracts with our suppliers, we require that they not use any chemicals restricted by the ECHA, and we strive to ensure that we do not use harmful materials anywhere in our supply chain.
We partner with organizations making a difference in line with our philosophy of integrating nature and the outdoor life into everyday life. Again, we look to create long-term relationships built on trust and a commitment to similar goals
Before Bo Hilleberg started making tents, he was a forester, involved with managing forest lands in Sweden.
When he started Hilleberg the company, it was a forestry consulting and equipment company before it became
a full-time tent making concern. So forests have always been integral to our company. This is why we feel so
strongly about our partnership with Vi-Skogen, which we support by donating one tree for every tent we sell.
For more than 25 years, Vi-Sko gen has been contributing to improving the living conditions of over a million
impoverished people living in the Lake Victoria Basin in western Africa. By planting trees and encouraging
agroforestry – the planting of trees and crops together – as well as through education, Vi-Skogen helps small farmers combat poverty, environmental destruction and climate change. Each tree planted helps control erosion, pulls CO2 from the air, reduces evaporation and water use, and gives shade, shelter and protection for other crops. Both the education and the tree planting help improve living standards, foster greater equality, and improve the environment, both locally and globally. Vi Agroforestry
is a part of the UN’s Billion Tree Campaign. Read more about Vi-Skogen at viskogen.se, or in English at viagroforestry.org
Vi Skogen
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