How We Keep Toxic Chemicals Out of Your Outdoor Gear
Apaar Mahajan / Jun 28, 2025 / 6 Min Read / Sustainability, Manufacturing, Product Safety, Gear, Planet
“The outdoor industry faces challenges in chemical compliance, including managing a complex web of regulations and consumer expectations regarding sustainability and environmental impact. Many outdoor products, especially those designed for water resistance and durability, rely on chemical treatments like PFCs (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which have raised concerns about their persistence and potential health risks.”– The Outdoor Industry Association
A Clean Start: Why Chemical-Free Matters
When we spend time in nature, we want to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and feel safe in the gear that protects us. At Gipfel, we believe the gear itself should not be a hidden source of harm. That’s why we are committed to keeping toxic chemicals out of every step of our outdoor equipment production process—from thread to tents.
Modern outdoor gear often relies on treatments and coatings that contain harmful substances. These include azo dyes, formaldehyde, PFAS (forever chemicals), phthalates, heavy metals, and more. These chemicals don’t just stay in the factories—they can end up in your gear, your skin, and the ecosystems we love.
Gipfel is changing that.
Chemical-Free Production Flow at Gipfel
Cutting & Stitching
Chemicals at risk: Phthalates and adhesives used in trims, inks on labels.
Our approach: We avoid PVC, phthalate-rich adhesives, and use sewing threads and trims certified for restricted substance content. Stitching is done in-house or in audited units.
Our team at work: Safe stitching with certified materials
Packing
Chemicals usually found: PVC bags, toxic inks, adhesives.
Our approach: Our packaging is PVC-free and printed using soy-based or water-based inks.
Final packaging is PVC-free and eco-responsible
Final QC & Chemical Audit
Every finished product undergoes a final inspection, which includes:
Tests for azo dyes, formaldehyde, lead, cadmium, chromium (Cr VI), mercury.
Review of batch-level traceability from raw material to finished goods.
In-house QC and third-party chemical audits ensure compliance
Why This Matters
Toxic chemicals don’t belong in our gear. They compromise the health of workers, harm ecosystems during production and disposal, and pose risks to users. At Gipfel, we’re proving that high performance doesn’t need to come at the cost of your health or the planet’s.
We believe in making producst that are “Tough on trails. Gentle on Planet.”
Our customers trust us because they know we’re transparent, certified, and deeply committed to doing better—not just for today, but for generations of explorers to come.
Apaar Mahajan
Founder, Gipfel Outdoor Equipment
References
– European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Database
– OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 guidelines
– Greenpeace Report: “A Little Story About the Monsters in Your Closet”
– Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives (2022): Textile Chemicals in Consumer Products
List of Chemicals
Total and Extractable heavy metals like Hexavalent Chromium and Arsenic
DMFa (Dimethylformamide)
Formaldehyde
Phthalates
Lead
Azo Dyes
Certificates
