“It is not the little beast that will eat the big one, but the big one can feed the little one and make it grow.” This is the idea behind the partnership between Salomon and young Annecy-based startup company, ADN SKIS.
The two companies have decided to pool their knowledge in order to mutually evolve the ski production process for the respect of the environment.
Salomon, the world leader in global winter sports equipment, and ADN SKIS, a startup company from Annecy, have decided to join forces to create skis that are entirely recyclable, with the ambition of reusing materials in the production chain in a closed loop process.
In France, every year more than 260,000 pairs of skis are thrown away, crushed and incinerated. As traditional skis are made from composite materials, it has always been impossible to recycle them…until now.
After several years of research and development, ADN SKIS has succeeded in designing skis that are entirely recyclable by working on the entire value chain of its product. The major innovations behind the ADN ski design are the use of a thermoplastic resin and the creation of an eco-designed product that allows it to be dismantled at the end of life. Nearly as important as the design is the development of the recycling process associated with this invention. The eco-design and the recycling process were protected by a patent application by ADN SKIS in 2022.
Aware of the challenges of sustainable ski development and the ecological emergency at hand, Salomon approached ADN to better understand its innovative character. After several months of discussion, the two entities have agreed to exchange best practices. To help ADN complete their product launch, Salomon will provide ADN with access to production tools in its ski prototype workshop at the Salomon Annecy Design Center, while the young startup will allow Salomon to evolve its work around the design of more environmentally friendly equipment.
The partnership represents the collective effectiveness of two companies combining their strength and intelligence to address issues that are currently at the center of debate in the winter sports community.
“Salomon is proud to support a start-up like ADN,” said Xavier LeGuen, Vice President of Winter Sports for Salomon. “We are committed to sustainable development, and innovation in both our products and our business model is essential to reduce our impact. Such a collaboration allows us to question our points of view and enrich our thinking. Helping young entrepreneurs in their quest to transform the winter sports industry is also a societal commitment that is close to our hearts. We’re looking forward to seeing what come out of this collaboration.”
About Salomon
Born in Annecy, French Alps in 1947, Salomon creates premium footwear, apparel, gear and winter sports equipment that is superior in function, radical in design and obsessive in style. At the Annecy Design Center, engineers, designers, and athletes collaborate to write the future of sports by creating products that transform outside sports experiences and enable a deeper connection with nature, allowing people to unleash the best version of themselves so that they might positively impact the world.