Tag: #SkiGreen

Sell your ski clothes in five simple steps

Embrace the re-sale vibe and sell on your no longer needed ski clothing. It’s simple with WhoSki.com. Here’s how:

Step 1: Clear out your SKI wardrobe

Motivate yourself for a ski closet clear-out by remembering that selling it on helps keep it out of landfill: you are doing the environment a favour. Plus you’re helping monetise your wardrobe – and keeping skiing affordable. Ski and snowboard clothes are hardwearing, so perfect for re-use and re-sale.

Step 2: Make sure your ski clothes are clean and in tip-top condition

Wash any items if needed and check for wear and tear so your buyer knows exactly what to expect. Better condition items will likely fetch a higher price. Any damage? Pay your local sewing repair shop a visit. You may be surprised what wonders they can work on a frayed salopette hem, dodgy ski jacket zip or gaping seam.

Sell like a pro: pricing tips for a quick WhoSki.com sale

Step 3: Photograph and upload

When snapping your ski clothing, keep the background plain, photograph from front and back, capture details and highlight any damage / marks etc. Read more selling tips here.

Register at WhoSki.com (super-simple via any device: phone, tablet or PC), upload details of the ski clothes you are selling along with fixed price and images, and post for sale. It’s easy to edit the info afterwards so don’t worry if you make a mistake.

Top tip – make the first photo of your item ‘landscape’ as it fits better on the WhoSki.com shop homepage.

Sell like a pro: listing pic tips for a quick WhoSki.com sale

Step 4: Watch your ski clothes sell!

Secondhand clothing does not always sell immediately – although WhoSki.com does enjoy some instant sales, especially at peak ski season. Be patient and wait for the right buyer to come along. Share a link to your post on social media to help attract buyers – and remember to celebrate your sale. Remember too: at WhoSki.com we donate 10% of our commission to charity on every item sold.

Sell like a pro: write a killer description for a quick WhoSki.com sale

Step 5: Wrap and post it

Delight your customer with a swift response by getting their ski clothes delivered as quickly as you can. Re-use packaging where possible; turn an old delivery bag inside out, recycle a tough paper bag, and think about using strong paper tape rather than plastic.

Keep your customer informed via the WhoSki.com private messaging system (and hang on to your postal receipt to track your item’s progress).

ANd that’s it: simple!

Let us know how you get on – are you happy with the process? How much money have you made on your good-as-new ski clothing – or how much have you saved by buying secondhand? Drop us an email with your comments.

Register at WhoSki.com to buy and sell, PLUS – coming soon! – receive updates about latest ski clothes that go on sale so you won’t miss out on the best pre-loved piste wear.

Fresh tracks at WhoSki.com in 2023

Happy New Year to all! Here’s a round-up of some of the ‘fresh tracks’ we made at WhoSki.com in 2023:

fresh tracks: Growth

  • Registered WhoSki.com users rose month-on-month, with increasing quantities of good-as-new kit finding a second life in every corner of the UK, Ireland & Europe. Thanks to you all.
  • We rank No1 in Google organic search for secondhand ski wear. That makes it easier for even more people to find our preloved ski clothing shop online: good news for sustainability and the circular economy.
  • We expanded WhoSki.com beyond winter sports wear to include all kinds of outdoor clothing and equipment. By buying and selling your secondhand outdoor kit you are helping keep even more durable, hard-to-recycle materials in active usage, reducing their carbon footprint and helping ease pressure on the world’s resources.
Boots, backpack and more: the kit you need for an outdoor adventure
Boots, backpack and more: all outdoor kit now available via WhoSki.com

Fresh tracks: events

  • WhoSki.com co-founders Nicola and Sally hosted two live workshop sessions about ‘Easy ways to ski green’ at the NEC Birmingham and London’s ExCel for National Snow Week. Many thanks to guest eco experts Iain Martin, Sarisher Mann and Matthew Sexton for joining us on stage to share their insights and expertise.
  • We attended the super-useful LISTEX – London International Snowsports Trade Exchange in London. It was inspiring to meet so many like-minded movers and shapers in the ski sector. Thanks to Mountain Trade Network for organising.
  • We enjoyed a fun couple of days at The Snow Centre , Hemel Hempstead, for ‘Get your kit out’ winter launch weekend, spreading the word about sustainable ski fashion and hearing about customers’ ski plans. Looking forward to similar later this year with a WhoSki.com stand at Chill Factore, Manchester, too.
Ski wear from the Alps with ZERO carbon footprint
One Tree at a Time ski wear from the Alps – with ZERO carbon footprint

Fresh tracks: support

  • We were delighted to see the WhoSki.com brand gain increased exposure, with press coverage in outlets including The Guardian, Evening Standard and Time & Leisure Magazine. WhoSki.com was a finalist for two business award categories in the fields of Best Sports Brand and Sustainability.
  • Thanks to Protect Our Winters UK for supporting our learning in all things eco via your Carbon Literacy course: we recommend. A big cheer too for the ongoing support and inspiration from our participation in the Re-Action Collective.
school ski trip packing tips
Skiers increasingly care about the environment

And finally… In a WhoSki.com survey, more than 95% of skiers said that making their ski trips more eco-friendly was ‘very’ or ‘quite’ important to them. Which is a good reason for us to feel positive about the year ahead, look forward to even bigger things in 2024, and embrace the host of opportunities ahead.

Thanks, of course, go to the many other individuals, organisations, businesses and customers who continue to back us in our mission to increase circularity and sustainability in the active outdoor sector. You’ve all helped us make fresh tracks at WhoSki.com in 2023. Don’t hesitate to get in touch throughout the year ahead with your ideas and opinions: we love to hear from you .

Join us at Snow Show Week

‘Easy ways to ski green’ is the topic of two workshops WhoSki.com will be leading in the Snow Skills Cabin at this month’s National Snow Show Week events. Join us at the NEC Birmingham on Sunday October 15 at 12.30 and / or London ExCel on Sunday October 22 at 12.30.

We’ve got special guests including Sarisher Mann from SATI (Sustainable Alpine Tourism Initiative) who will be joining us after her Mountain Expedition raising awareness of climate change in the Alps this summer. Also on stage with us for National Snow Week 2023 will be sustainable travel expert Iain Martin from Ski Flight Free and Matt Sexton from Futerra, a leading international sustainable change agency. (Check our social media to see who’s joining us at which Snow Show event.)

We’ll be providing top tips on taking steps to help reduce your environmental impact on your winter sports holiday. Plus there’ll be the results of the WhoSki.com Ski Green survey (we’ve had some interesting responses…).

So please – join us at our National Snow Show Week workshops and find out what we’ve got to say about easy ways to ski green.

From how you dispose of your no longer needed second hand ski clothes, to how you travel: we look forward to hearing your ideas and views in our workshop sessions.

Celebrating our first full ski season

As the ski lifts close at the end of Europe’s winter sports season, at WhoSki.com we are celebrating our first full ski season of trading, with your help.

Helping stem the textiles glut and cutting the cost of skiing with our simple, safe, online marketplace for secondhand ski and snowboard clothing: what a year it has been!

Season highlights include:

  • A customer database that keeps on growing: thanks to all who have registered and continue to do so. It’s the best way to be among the first to know when new items go on sale. Register quickly and simply here.
  • A Best Business award for innovation (and a runners-up gong for sustainability).
  • Building partnerships with a network of businesses operating in the winter sports sector including Huski, Halsbury Ski, Club Europe, the Ski Club of GB and more.
  • Working alongside local, national and international players to promote circularity and the #SkiGreen message, like Sustainable Merton, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, SATI and Re-Action.
  • With your help, we have kept heaps of snow wear, from ski jackets to goggles, IN active usage and OUT of landfill.
  • We have enabled numerous WhoSki.com members to monetize their wardrobe while reducing their carbon footprint via the circular economy.
  • A stand at the NEC National Snow Show where we enjoyed meeting (and feeding – homemade biscuits, anyone?) so many potential customers. We look forward to seeing you at the next one.
  • Feedback from our many satisfied, supportive WhoSki.com users

It really feels like a distant memory since the evening Nicola suggested we set up the UK’s eBay just for ski clothes – now live and trading as WhoSki.com.

Pre-loved fashion then was a niche interest. The only way to reliably get your hands on a pair of affordable salopettes was via a friend or neighbour. And when your children grew out of their snowboots there was no real way to ensure they were passed on sustainably outside your immediate circle.

making sustainability simple

As one happy WhoSki.com customer puts it: “A very easy process to kit my children out to replace the items they had grown out of. Will certainly be using the site again.”

So, happy full first year to us – and watch out for exciting developments at the WhoSki.com marketplace during the year ahead.

Image by ArtPhoto_studio on Freepik

Cutting carbon impact with the support of Ski Line

Welcoming specialist wintersports travel agent Ski Line as a new WhoSki.com partner – you may have spotted their logo on our Partners Page.

We have teamed up with them because of their commitment to sustainability. As the company explains: “Ski Line promises to highlight green initiatives being undertaken by our featured ski resorts”. They also promote more eco-friendly travel options like taking the train. Bravo!

So this is a quick welcome and well done to Ski Line as our latest partner in the #SkiGreen movement, plus a shout out to the 15,000 plus skiers that will be travelling with them this winter.

If just a fraction of those skiers think pre-loved ski clothing this season, we will be keeping A LOT of extra wintersports clothing in active usage and out of landfill. Which is of course what WhoSki.com is all about.

Read the WhoSki.com guest blog on the Ski Line website

WhoSki.com : best for Business Innovation

Team WhoSki.com enjoyed a super-successful Merton Best Business Awards ceremony last night, taking home a trophy for best Business Innovation – AND a runner-up award for Sustainable Impact.

Judges put us in first place for innovation, stating our entry demonstrated ‘new skills, approaches and attitudes’. Exactly what we are all about at WhoSki.com: a new approach to wintersports that puts #SkiGreen and sustainability front of mind.

Circular economy wins

Making sure you extend the active life of your ski and snowboard clothing by selling it on via WhoSki.com when it’s of no more use to you, is one of the easiest ways to #SkiGreen. It also helps make a trip to the mountains more affordable by keeping down the cost of essential clothes and enabling you to monetise your existing ski wardrobe.

Back to the awards…

After that first win, WhoSki.com co-founders Sally and Nicola were delighted to be called back to the stage as second place runners up for the Sustainable Impact category. Our entry was pipped to the post by the brilliant Polka Theatre in our hometown of Wimbledon. Congratulations to them!

Keeping textiles out of landfill

Remember: experts calculate that extending the active life of clothing by just
three months per item, leads to a 5-10% reduction in its carbon, water and waste footprint.

By choosing secondhand and re-selling on WhoSki.com, you are helping keep valuable textiles out of landfill and in circulation.

A top awards night

A big thank you to all Merton Best Business Awards organisers, sponsors and attendees at the event, which took place at Wimbledon’s AELTC All England Club. It was a treat to meet so many talented, interesting and committed business owners, staff and volunteers. Well done all.

Join us at The National Snow Show – for FREE

Here’s the deal. We’ve got FREE tickets to give away (limited supply!) so you can join us at The National Snow Show at the NEC, Birmingham, in October.

And when you get there: make sure you pass by the WhoSki.com stand E70 to say hello.

OK, the popping into our stand is not actually compulsory. But we are giving away free tickets. See below for how to get yours.

Perhaps you visited The National Snow Show last year? This year’s show, 15-16 October 2022, promises to be even bigger and better, so we reckon it’s definitely worth a trip.

The organisers are big supporters of the #SkiGreen message so expect a host of eco-ideas to inspire your next ski or snowboard holiday. Plus we are planning to have a rack of pre-loved clothing at the WhoSki.com stand to show off how ‘good-as-new’ is the new ‘new’. But of course, you knew that already.

Do pass by stand E70 and say hello – we always love to hear your feedback.

Get your free ticket to The National Snow Show using code WHOSKI. Offer closes midnight Sept 7, 2022.

See also: Five things we learned at the 2021 National Snow Show

Get repairing – with Re-Action

We are throwing WhoSki.com’s support behind the #ReAction10000repairs challenge, which launches today.

Reckon your sewing is up to mending a simple repair, extending the life of a garment, supporting the sustainable economy? Even if you don’t think you can manage it yourself, try finding a local repair shop – maybe your local dry cleaner? – that can help out.

The Re-Action Collective aims to log 10,000 repairs by the end of 2022. The goal is to normalize the practice of bringing clothing and equipment back to use through repair, rather than throwing them away.

Reduce waste, cut emissions

Why? Because as a planet we have finite resources: we simply must make our stuff last longer. It’s a way to reduce waste, cut carbon emissions and limit the effects of climate change.

It’s another step, like selling on your ski clothing once you no longer want / need it, thinking about buying secondhand before you buy new, or renting an item rather than purchasing it. A means of extending the life of an existing item.

log your repairs

What are you waiting for? It’s time to get handy and start fixing the planet one item at a time. Find out how to get involved at ReAction’s 10,000 repairs page here.

And once it’s repaired, perhaps that ski garment might even be good enough to sell on at WhoSki.com when season 2022/23 comes around…

Schuss into spring 2022 with new-look WhoSki.com

Welcome to new-look WhoSki.com. We’ve had a marketplace makeover, making it quicker and easier to buy and sell pre-loved wintersports wear on our UK-based website, with transactions powered by Stripe for financial confidence and security.

What’s new?

  • upload technology SO SIMPLE that you can list your no-longer-needed clothing by mobile as you travel to and from the piste
  • reliable click-to-buy transactions powered by trusted provider Stripe
  • focused ski and snowboard community: no trawling through page after page of irrelevant content
  • #SkiGreen Directory to help you make eco-choices when you visit the slopes

PLUS we continue to donate 10% of our commission to teen mental health charity stem4 on every sale.

Think green as you head for the mountains

Sustainability is the No1 reason why we set up WhoSki.com. Extending the lifetime of textiles is the most environmentally friendly way to keep clothing in circulation and out of landfill. It’s a step that we can all take, by passing on our good quality, secondhand clothes to other enthusiasts.

Experts calculate that extending the active life of clothing by just three months per item, leads to a 5-10% reduction in the carbon, water and waste footprints of your family’s no-longer-needed ski and snowboard outfits.

Find out more about sustainability in winter sports and the fast business on our Eco page here.

Meanwhile, around three-quarters of clothing donated to charity shops fails to find a home – especially specialist items like ski wear – and a mere 15% of our textile waste is recycled.

The good news is, every one of us can make a difference. So why not put sustainability on your to-do list this back-to-ski season? Selling through WhoSki.com instantly reduces the carbon footprint of your wintersports habit, helps you earn a bit of money and keeps down the cost of kitting out yourself and your family.

Sell simply and safely in our dedicated community

So whether you’ve fallen out of love with your wintersports wardrobe since you were last on the slopes, or had a clear-out and realised those ski and snowboard clothes no longer fit, the WhoSki.com shop is the place to sell them, simply and safely.

We look forward to welcoming you to our refreshed online marketplace – join us too on social media, @WeWhoSki on Twitter and Instagram.

Can skiing come back greener?

Most of us have come to the terms with the fact we’re not going to be skiing or ‘boarding this season, and are instead looking ahead to 2021/22 for our return to the piste. This enforced hiatus is the perfect time to consider the carbon footprint of your trip to the slopes. WhoSki.com founder Sally Warren shares her thoughts:

“When my WhoSki.com co-founder Nicola and I embarked on our green ski-clothes journey I don’t think either of us were aware quite what a commitment to the #SkiGreen movement there already was within the wintersports sector.

“In fact, the eco snowsports industry encompasses an extensive range of start-ups, SMEs, policy makers, academics and long-term successful businesses, already making their mark to push the #SkiGreen agenda.

Focus on sustainability

“Since Lockdown1.0 in spring 2020, when the ski and snowboard industry essentially shut down overnight, energies have been poured into a focus on sustainability. And they – we! – are starting to make real headway. Late last year, SATI (the Sustainable Alpine Tourism Initiative) organised a series of thought-provoking digital seminars covering decarbonisation, the circular economy, progressing sustainability in tourism and sustainable development. I was lucky enough to be a panellist.

“These seminars have achieved a lot. They assembled movers and shakers in the wintersports industry in the same (virtual) room to discuss what they are doing. They highlighted the barriers speakers had come up against, the tourism psychology of choice and how businesses can become more transparent about their environmental credentials. They provided practical expertise for businesses and consumers and helped us develop a common purpose, about taking steps to reduce carbon footprint.

“Barriers highlighted included:

  • government non-commitment (we certainly see that regarding the circular economy in the fashion industry),
  • no industry-wide green ‘kite mark’ or ‘accreditation’,
  • lack of transparency by some businesses for consumers
  • the rise in temperatures and its impact on mountains.

Industry acts on wintersports clothing

“Ski fashion finds it difficult to get ski gear recycled within Europe; Japan is one of the few countries where this can be done, yet transporting clothing to the other side of the world is no eco-solution for European businesses.

“There has however been real innovation. New materials for ski clothing now frequently incorporate recycled plastic, and some are starting to revise designs to minimise the environmental impact of clothing. Incorporating fewer zips is one simple way that helps make it easier to recycle clothing, for example.

Inform yourself

“It’s definitely getting easier for consumers to find out more information (check our blog here) but how do you as a skier or snowboarder make that jump, that commitment to reducing your impact on the environment?

“A recurring point made by numerous SATI participants, was the need for governments to legislate. The wintersports sector is increasingly calling for a courageous green commitment at resort level, national and European levels.

“What I got from attending SATI’s online events, is that we all want to see visitors enjoying the mountains. But at the same time, it is essential that we reduce and minimise the impact of our visits on the environment.

“This covers simple choices ranging from the building you stay in, how you travel there, which resort you choose and the clothes you wear. All make a difference.

Make the right eco choices

“Alpine tourism tends to attract more affluent visitors: people who can afford to make a conscious change in their buying behaviours and make environmentally-friendly choices when visiting the mountains.

“Meanwhile, industry needs funding to raise consumer awareness, to guide them through change on the greener mountain futures. Large holiday providers must work harder to communicate how their clients can #SkiGreen, and what they are doing to promote sustainability. Their actions should not simply consist of ‘offsetting’.

“It is apparent that the Alpine sports tourism industry is undergoing – and driving – change. While there is a long journey ahead, these passionate business leaders are going to be the industry’s strong collective voice – so keep your eyes peeled as the #SkiGreen campaign gathers pace.

“Finally, I’d like to thank Sarisher Mann from SATI for doing such a great job in getting the 2020 programme up and running, questioning us and our goals and getting us together. We look forward to SATI 2021.”

WhoSki.com join SATI (Sustainable Alpine Tourism Initiative): how to green up your wintersports habit

WhoSki.com was delighted to join a panel of major players in the snowsports field for last month’s virtual SATI conference.

SATI is the Sustainable Alpine Tourism Initiative which promotes knowledge sharing and collaboration on sustainability in alpine tourism. The circular economy was a focus for this conference. It’s exactly what we are trying to promote in the wintersports clothing sector by enabling you to buy and sell preloved items from your ski and snowboard wardrobe, extend their lifecycle and keep them out of landfill. Find out more about our eco-motivations.

Our SATI webinar back in December discussed the impact of mountain tourism and how to make the right choice for the environment when enjoying snowsports. Here are some of the tips we picked up from the event:

1 Booking your ski holiday

Look for a smaller, specialist company which works with specific resorts and can book you into accommodation providers with established sustainability plans to reduce their carbon impact. For example, bookdifferent.com will give you a “staygreencheck” rate, public reviews and carbon footprints as well as clear top tips for responsible holidays. The platform is simple and easy to use.
If you book though a major ski company, ask what they are doing to reduce environmental impact, how they are working with resorts and why they don’t do more to help consumers understand how to #SkiGreen.

2 Travel to your ski resort

Flight costs look likely to rise in the wake of last year’s enforced shutdown, plus we all know the environmental damage air travel causes. Driving might be tempting from a Covid-secure point of view, but the train is your most eco-friendly alternative.
Visit snowcarbon.co.uk for timetable information and travel options to your chosen resort. They’ve done the hard work to make booking easier for you. Or follow theskipodcast.com where host and creator Ian Martin touches on many snowsports-related topics, including vehicle-free resorts.

3 Do your research

Attend the www.NationalSnowShow.com this autumn. The #SkiGreen agenda will be a big part of their offering at the show at the NEC in October 2021 with input from a number of emerging green companies across the whole snowsports sector. Come along and find out more.
PS: bring your preloved ski clothing – WhoSki.com will be present to help keep your ski jackets and pants out of landfill and in circulation. We’ll be providing more info closer to the date.

4 Dress green

No longer wanted wintersports clothing is notoriously difficult to recycle with its mixed fabrics, coatings, zips and fastenings. That’s why so many brands are now using sustainable materials in their collections. But however eco your clothing’s credentials, re-use always beats recycle. Ensuring every item of clothing gets the maximum number of wears should be your goal.
That’s why we created WhoSki.com as the online marketplace where you can buy and sell good quality secondhand ski and snowboard clothing. Perfect for families and students on a budget. It’s also the ideal solution for Instagrammers wanting to snap a different look every day for their channel.

Look out too for brands like Planks, Picture, Surfdome and EcoSki which offer transparency in manufacturing and sustainability credentials. Some brands will repair damaged clothing including Patagonia and Norrøna. In Scotland, try Scottish Mountain Gear.
Even skis are going green, with some marques using wood and other natural materials to make them increasingly recyclable.

5 Get your voice heard!

Finally, we recommend you sign up to protectourwinters.uk which is lobbying government and business to act on the environmental impacts of wintersports. Follow us on twitter @wewhoski for more eco-ski inspo, and spread the word: it might just be the best thing you do this winter while ski and snowboarding is off limits.

Have you signed the Ski Train petition yet?

More than 10k people have signed the petition to Save the Ski Train – which Eurostar has cancelled for winter season 2020/21. And there’s still time to add your name to the list.

The Ski Train, which has been running between London and the Alps since 1997, is hugely popular with UK-based skiers. For the last two years, tickets for travel during for the peak February half term week have sold out within five hours of going on sale.

‘Take the train to the slopes’ website Snowcarbon – whose founder Daniel Elkan took part in our #SkiGreen webinar recently – has long championed Eurostar for its convenience and eco credentials.

24k travellers opt for Ski Train over flying, driving

Some 24,000 travellers a year choose to take Eurostar’s Friday overnight and Saturday daytime services. For ski season 2020/21, the Ski Train was likely to have been the option of choice for even more skiers wanting to avoid airports and busy roads.

That’s why it seems a bonkers time to cancel the Ski Train – and why Snowcarbon launched its Save the Ski Train petition.

So why has Eurostar decided to bin the train to the Alps for the coming season? There has been speculation in the French press that the operating company was hoping to convince the Government to offer subsidies as it has done for other coronavirus-affected businesses / sectors.

Eurostar itself says that it is focusing on high-demand routes between major cities, and would find it challenging to maintain correct hygiene measures on longer distance routes.

Cancelling the Ski Train has led to an avalanche of complaints from ski resorts and operators, already facing a likely drop in visitors for the coming season.

#SkiGreen to cut your carbon footprint

The way you choose to travel to and within your ski resort is by far the biggest contributor to your trip’s environmental footprint at some 57%, according to the Mountain Riders sustainability charity.

Swapping plane for train saves an estimated 80% in CO2 emissions, Snowcarbon says, as well as being more relaxing and often quicker than flying.

A large part of the reason we set up WhoSki.com was to help reduce the eco footprint of wintersports – so the Save the Ski Train campaign is one we 100% support. If you do one thing today: sign the petition.