To this day, the outdoor and also the fashion industry is in the midst of this transformation process. PYUA was able to move faster, the idea of recycling was already part of the founding and corporate philosophy. Needless to say, it was also an enormous risk to go down this path so early as a small brand. No one can predict whether it will work. Persuasion is needed, investments have to be made and risks taken.
With the development of a new, waterproof and breathable laminate made of eco-friendly materials, PYUA laid the foundation for its future products. From now on, all products will be designed using mono-materials: Outer fabric, membrane, backing, lining are made of polyester. PYUA does not use down at all, as this is difficult to reconcile with animal welfare.

After more than 10 years, the current managing director, Dr. Stefan Mohr, can say with satisfaction that PYUA, as a driving force, is advancing the topics of recycling and the circular economy together with the entire industry. With its sustainable functional clothing, PYUA is a member of the FairWear Foundation and, together with ABS, the Freeride Film Festival and the Freeride Experience, belongs to Spin Capital, based in Munich.

To us, sustainability is a never-ending challenge and we put all processes, the entire mindset and every detail, no matter how small, to the test from an ecological point of view – and then make consistent decisions," says Managing Director Dr Stefan Mohr, explaining the task for him and his team. "Sustainability is not a trend, but a fundamental necessity. PYUA consistently follows this path: from the choice of materials, to plant-based hangtags that become compost again and re-pack packaging that can be returned and used again. It's not for nothing that Greta Thunberg wore the brand's clothing during her appearance at the Climate Summit in Madrid.

In this context, the possibility of recycling is the premise of all activities. Arianna Fritz, Head of Product at PYUA, explains: "In product design, we try to ensure from the very beginning that every detail of a jacket can be completely recycled. Therefore we cooperate with recycling experts like the wear2wear initiative. We want to show new ways and, thanks to innovative technologies, we can do this without losing function. The goal is to close the loop over all life cycles of the product, from production to sales and from care to disposal. The more manufacturers join in, the better." Daniela Hochmuth, CSR manager at PYUA, adds on recycling: "The recycling process of Shell jackets with membranes made of PTFE and PU has not been possible so far or is too complex. They are hazardous waste and produce toxic fumes when incinerated. That's exactly what we want to avoid and that' why we're working with Sympatex on alternatives for our collection. There is already a lot of experience with a membrane made from 100% recycled polyester, i.e. a PTFE-free membrane, as an environmentally friendly and recyclable alternative."

In order to get closer to PYUA's vision of a complete circular economy, many partners are needed who work in the same direction. At the moment, PYUA's membrane consists of "pre-consumer waste", i.e. material residues that arise in production. This is currently the most sustainable solution to avoid waste. Thus, PYUA is already very close to its vision, but is still not at the end of its efforts. The next step is to consistently recycle post-consumer waste. There is still a lot to do. But these garments are already more than functional clothing; they are also a statement for ever-advancing sustainability efforts.

The fact that others are also convinced by the idea was already demonstrated in 2013, when the company was awarded the German Ecodesign Award.
Since then, PYUA has also received the ISPO Award, the Greentec Award, the SIS Eco Award and the Stadtwerke Kiel Environmental Award nine times.