Turtle Fur Celebrates 40 Years of Toasty Ears With B Corp Certification
Dig around in someone’s ski bag (with permission, of course) and you’ll likely find a 30-year-old Turtle Fur product inside. (Unless they are wearing it while you snoop.)
If that isn’t enough proof that Turtle Fur’s comfortable headwear and accessories stand the test of time, adventure and the elements, they recently became B Corp Certified.
Turtle Fur
This is significant—according to the B Corp website, it means “a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.”
Now that’s something to celebrate. The Turtle Fur team did just that when they crossed the certification finish line. “There couldn’t be a more exciting way to mark 40 years of creating beloved products for skiers, snowboarders and adventurers everywhere than joining the exalted ranks of the B Corp certification,” says Meghan Ksiazek, VP of Product.
Turtle Fur
For Turtle Fur, becoming a B Corp is an official stamp affirming the values that have been part of the Turtle Fur ethos since the beginning in 1982: adventure, community, comfort and quality.
It wasn’t an easy stamp to come by. “In the beginning it was just a dream. We were using the B Lab Impact Assessment Tool to see where we stood next to these future leaders. After a while we collected enough data to see it was not just a dream but a strong possibility that we could join the ranks of other B Corps.”
The Turtle Fur team dove into the assessment process, which included over 250 questions. They scored well over the minimum requirement, rocketing the company into the arduous verification round. Once that was done, a detailed review completed the process.
“It’s not easy and I don’t think it should be. After this experience I have even more respect for the B Corps I already admired. It feels good to know that [we] are in good company and that [we] are all working towards positive change,” says Ksiazek.
Turtle Fur
All the hard work put into becoming certified was about trust. It’s a “symbol that allows new customers and new employees to trust the brand, trust the company, and trust the people who work here,” says Ksiazek.
“Our day-to-day operations [are] driven by always asking ourselves how we can ensure each action serves the business, the community, and the planet.”
Now that Turtle Fur has joined the B Certified ranks, they have actual proof that their products use more sustainable materials when possible and available.
That is, after all, what being a certified B Corp is all about, and since companies must recertify every three years, they must continue to live by it.
“We have created an internal team to hold the company accountable, to communicate with our partners about our initiatives, and to help us conduct the data gathering required to report on how we conduct business.”
“Currently our product line is 61 per cent sustainable components, 13 per cent natural fibers and 26 per cent virgin synthetics. Every year, these percentages are shifted further towards sustainable materials,” says Ksiazek.
Turtle Fur
The Clara Beanie is one of the recycled products Turtle Fur carries and happens to be Ksiazek’s favourite piece. “It’s the perfect balance of warm, comfortable, and easy to care for. I wear it around town and on all my adventures. It’s the perfect camping companion.”
For Turtle Fur, comfort is a big deal, and you can expect a load of it as soon as you put one of their products on. “Comfort in the fit, stretch where you need it, the right shapes, the rights styles. Comfort in the fabrics and materials, soft, smooth…” The description paints a cozy, toasty-eared picture, doesn’t it?
“Our focus on comfort comes from decades of focus on softness and warmth, [and] the natural evolution to creating things that keep people comfortable in all conditions: cold, rain, heat, sun and snow.”
After all, Turtle Fur’s belief is that life is best lived when trying new things, being outside, doing so with others, and being comfortable while doing so.
I’ll second that.
This article was sponsored by Turtle Fur
Our Mission:
Inspiring an outdoor lifestyle by promoting socially and environmentally conscious living and creating comfortable products for every adventure(r).
