Outdoor group launches environmental tool

BOULDER – The Outdoor Industry Association has launched a software tool to gather data on how companies manage chemicals used to manufacture clothing, shoes and outdoor equipment.

Companies can use the software tool, which cost $100,000 and was paid for by membership dues, to identify and reduce the future environmental impact of the outdoor products they manufacture. To input data into the software tool, go online to outdoorindustry.org/cmpilot.

Information gathered could be used to market products in terms of how environmentally friendly they are, said Beth Jensen, director of corporate responsibility at the Boulder-based Outdoor Industry Association. The information gathered is scheduled to be published in a report in August.

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“This tool was developed by and for the industry that will help companies closely examine chemical use in their supply chains and identify tangible steps to make improvements,” Jensen said. The software cost $100,000 to develop and was paid for by OIA membership dues.

Representatives from DuPont (NYSE: DD) in Wilmington, Delaware; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C.; Recreational Equipment Inc., or REI, in Kent, Washington; and Patagonia Inc. were among those involved in creating the new tool, Jensen said.

The Outdoor Industry Association has more than 4,000 members – including manufacturing companies, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers. More than 250 of the members are involved in the Outdoor Industry Association Sustainability Working Group, a volunteer group focused on creating more environmentally friendly initiatives related to their products, according to the press release.