Many of you will be beginning to think about your next ski trip at about this time. If you haven’t already booked, you’ll be sure to be browsing Instagram or travel agent’s websites for inspiration – or maybe a wee blog dedicated to helping you find said inspiration?
It’s also about time to get your ski gear down from the attic or out from under the bed. If you are need of a replacement jacket, either because it belongs to the same era as your parents when they were your age or because the mice had a feast, there is now more choice then ever on the market to look fresh and up-to-date when you get back to the slopes.
With growing awareness of the environmental impact of skiing, including your choice of ski gear, many people are beginning to think about how sustainable their new ski jackets are. This is Skiing Unlocked’s guide to the best sustainable ski jackets for 2024/25.
It is just worth mentioning briefly that, to be “truly” sustainable, there are several steps that should be taken before you fork out for a new jacket; repair your old jacket or buy second hand before buying new is always the preferred path to creating a truly “circular” economy.
Ortovox Guardian 3L Shell Jacket – The Best for Off-Piste Powder Hounds
The Ortovox Guardian 3L Shell Jacket holds the crown not just as one of the best sustainable jackets on the market, but as one of the best jackets on the market, period.
Long known for their quality avalanche safety products, including transceivers and avalanche airbags, Ortovox have long made a quality line of ski and mountaineering wear build around a foundation of Merino wool. Merino wool is one of the best materials for skiing; soft, antibacterial, and with sweat wicking properties, it is most often found in base layers. Ortovox are one of the few brands to run with it as an all-round material, and it makes a huge influence in all their designs.
The Guardian 3L is, on the surface a bog standard albeit high quality backcountry shell. A three layer material – sadly not Gore-Tex, but we live and we learn – offers a 20,000m3 hydrostatic head and 20,000g/m3/24hrs of moisture vapour breathability, and plenty of features to make it really useful when hitting the big lines.
Where does the sustainability come in? For starters, the Toray Dermizax membrane is backed not by a plastic liner, but by a thin layer of merino wool. This almost immediately cuts the plastic consumption of the jacket by a considerable amount, as well as the amount of water needed for construction of materials such as nylon which are traditionally used for membrane liners.
On the face fabric, Ortvox are also using a PFC-free DWR coating. Traditionally, DWR chemicals have containted a high number of so-called “Forever Chemicals”, those that don’t degrade when released into the natural environment potentially causing great harm. This is a trend the rest of the industry is slowly catching up to, with Gore-Tex rolling out more and more ePE fabrics that join Ortovox in saving the environment.
Currently retailing at £735, the Ortovox Guardian 3L Shell Jacket is not easy on the pocket. But it is an investment for the long term in a high quality, environmentally friendly piece of gear.
Planks Women’s All-time Insulated Jacket – Best for Everyday Riders
Planks have been pioneers in the sustainable ski wear market for quite some time, and as such may well be a familiar face to many of you. Their really attractive price point and steezy, park-vibes styling have also set them apart, creating a loyal following especially amongst younger skiers and riders.
The All-time is probably one of their best pieces, a warm, waterproof pullover jacket that brings a serious edge to this easy-going vibe. 15,000m3 hydrostatic head is good enough to see you through all but the worst days, and with 100g synthetic insulation it will keep the coldest bodies warm on Baltic days.
Planks have long used recycled plastic bottles in their manufacturing process. Each All-time jacket features 55% recycled polyester in its face fabric, cutting virgin plastic consumption by as much as half. This is the equivalent, by the way, of 17 plastic bottles being re-processed into a shiny news ski jacket.
In addition, Planks have followed Ortovox in no using “Forever Chemicals” in their DWR coating. Whilst it does mean you have to re-proof your jacket more often than with previous iterations of DWR coatings, it is a huge step forward for the environment that these harmful chemicals are being removed from production.
The best bit about the All-time? It comes in at £290, and is easily the best value ski or board jacket available on the market.
Planks have recently gone into administration awaiting a buyer; much of its stock remains for sale, often with a good discount, so grab yours now before it's too late!
MGG Denali Insulated Pro Jacket 2.0 – Best for Serious Piste Skiers
Different from the other brands in this piece, MGG – previously Mont Gele Gear – have flown almost completely under the radar of the UK ski market. Named for one of the highest mountains close to the Swiss resort of Verbier, it has embraced the resort’s place in the popular conscience as a serious resort for serious skiers and followed suit, creating a line of ski wear to match.
The Denali Insulated 2.0 is a lightweight but warm jacket perfect for piste skiing with enough oomph and space to allow it to excel off piste too. Cut a little closer to the figure than some other jackets, it creates a sleeker, more svelte look than its counterparts in the same space. Full of useful pockets and features, the removable hood is a nice touch along the way.
MGG are serious about sustainability. Every element of their jacket is traceable back to the origin factory and MGG include carbon offsetting in every sale made, planting a handful of trees to consumer carbon dioxide generated during the production and shipment of the jacket and its materials.
As with the other jackets on this list, MGG also use recycled material in their manufacturing process. Both the insulation and the membrane liner are made from 100% recycled material, making a big difference to the plastic consumption of the jacket.
Between these two elements, the MGG Denali Insulated should definitely get a look in as one of the top ski jackets on the market this year. At £700, it is another piece that impacts the wallet more than the environment, but again, similar to Ortovox, is an investment for the future.
Final Thoughts
All of the pieces on this list benefit from recycled materials, helping to close the loop and create a more cyclical economy. This also helps to reduce water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing process, marking a bit step to cutting the carbon footprint of your ski holiday. Several pieces here are also pioneers in the reducing reliance on PFCs, “Forever Chemicals” that do not degrade in the environment causing long term harm.
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