Commerce With a Conscience: Kush Climbing

July 7, 2016

by Aaron Bible
Commerce With a Conscience: Kush Climbing

There’s a new product out there for climbers, one bound to be the envy of your bouldering friends. It’s not only hand-crafted in Colorado by legit climbers living out of an RV, but buying it means they’ll give back to community groups in need. And there’s an environmental story behind these products, too.

Kush Climbing was born on a road trip from Colorado to California. And, as the story goes, the first draft of the Kush Climbing business plan was scribed in the back of founders Kim and Kyle Vines’ Joshua Tree bouldering guidebook. 

The brand is, quite simply, for climbers, by climbers.  More precisely, those who value “sustainable and creative adventures,” the co-founders told Active Junky down in Denver, Colorado. The husband and wife team (they’ve known each other since kindergarten) also makes climbing duffels and fanny packs from recycled and up-cycled materials -- by hand -- in Denver’s RiNo District. 

“We looked for a sustainable crash pad that was truly customizable, and our search left us empty-handed. So began our goal to develop a line of products that have a low environmental impact without compromising on design,” Kyle said.  Fabrics are sourced in the Colorado Rockies. And each taco-style bouldering pad features waist belt, side handles, and backpack carry.

Here’s what you need to know:

Sustainable 

Kush Crash Pads are the world's first hemp crash pad. They also use nylon made with recycled deep sea fishing nets, called Regen Recycled Nylon, that reduce beach and ocean pollution and CO2 emissions with each pad. Every 2200 pounds of Regen  210D Coated Recycled Nylon Fabric cuts atmospheric CO2 emissions by 4600 lbs. By comparison, it requires 125, 50-year-old deciduous trees a year to absorb that much atmospheric CO2), and they are Global Recycle Standard (GRS) Certified.

The 100-percent Hemp printed canvas is herbicide and pesticide free, inherently anti-microbial, SPF 15, and meets certifications for Sustainable Biodegradable Products as well as the USDA Certified Bio based Product standard. The foam is “CertiPUR-US” certified, meaning it’s made without ozone depleters, formaldehyde, mercury, lead, and other nasty stuff to avoid in your water, or your gear. 

Kush Climbing founders say they’re committed to pushing the limits of sustainability and design, and if this initial effort is any indication, we believe them. 

Customizable 

Kush Crash Pads feature realistic graphics with photo quality designs unprecedented in crash pad history, Kim and Kyle say. Customers send in their art work (or ideas) and the couple generates custom graphics, which are then printed directly onto the organic hemp canvas. Other custom crash pads are limited to sewing fabric strips together into rudimentary patterns to produce one-off graphics.

The process, from design idea to delivery takes 6 to 8 weeks. Kyle will do up to three iterations of design mock-ups to ensure the customer is happy.  That’s before the fabric is printed, cut, sewn, stuffed and shipped. Standard designs (which are still printed graphics) are also readily available.

The nylon, offered in a rainbow of colors, is chosen to compliment the artwork. “We believe in promoting art in the outdoors. Teaming up with artists from around the world has given us the opportunity to show the creative side of the climbing community in locations that we love,” Kim told us.

Community 

“Giving back to the community and environment that make our passions possible is our highest priority,” co-founder Kim Vines said. The startup will donate two percent of sales to charitable organizations. “Following Patagonia's lead, we donate one percent to the environment, with the other one percent going to non profits like Paradox Sports,” she said. They also take suggestions from customers on where to donate. 

Said Kyle: “Starting a business with strong social and environmental ethics is the best way for Kim and I to give to causes we believe in. It's our passion. The places that we climb are immediate impacted by our actions. We want wild spaces to stay wild.”

Support Kush Climbing's Kickstarter Campaign!

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