Sustainability is a keyword that is often said and often means nothing. You can see what we mean by this here.

Social responsibility

How KAEMP 8848 does it

KAEMP 8848 is a company founded by Prabin Thapa in Nepal and produces there. The design of the products takes place primarily in Nepal. The added value and the idea for the products come from the Himalayas. Here they are tested and improved. The workers are in direct contact with the owners of KAEMP 8848 and are trained in the company. Many of the workers are now second generation at the company and for good reason. The working conditions at KAEMP 8848 simply cannot be described with the term “fair” because they go so much further. A respectful atmosphere in which suggestions for improvement are heard and paid vacation is just as natural as training positions for the younger generation. Respect and appreciation characterize the working atmosphere. During the Covid pandemic, it was a matter of course for KAEMP 8848 to keep all employees on full pay through the months-long lockdowns. KAEMP 8848 stands against discrimination and opposes racism and the caste system. Interreligious exchange and tolerance are practiced. KAEMP 8848 is originally from Nepal and will remain so. The KAEMP 8848 family has been supporting rural communities for decades by sponsoring schools and athletes. Due to the fact that training opportunities and the labor market in Nepal are extremely poor, the country has experienced a strong exodus of young, well-trained people for decades. Prabin Thapa and the KAEMP 8848 family see it as their responsibility to be a provider of opportunities from Nepal, in Nepal - a good, safe employer and a supporting member of the country's community.

KAEMP 8848 in Germany feels this responsibility as well and gives 10% of its profits to athletes in Nepal - to level the global playing field.

Find out more about the 10%

Why it matters

Outdoor products are mostly designed in countries in the global north by multinational companies with huge budgets. These are then produced in countries in the global south. The intellectual property does not lie in the country of production and even the factories often do not belong to people from the respective country of production. Even when people talk about fair working conditions, this is often a questionable concept. If fairness means that people receive a wage that is just enough to live on, some companies are already complying with this. But in our opinion, fairness is so much more. Fairness is ownership of the idea. Fairness is participation in the creative processes and freedom. The term “Fair Trade” often carries a derogatory connotation. This is reinforced by the fact that power relations between workers and the parent company abroad are extremely unequal. In our opinion, the absolute least we should do as humans is to meet as equals and be aware of the cultural and historical contexts that arise in global trade.

This means an awareness of equality, justice and therefore real fairness. Because in our opinion, fairness is about participation and dialogue and not a marketing term that ends with good pay. Fairness is meeting at eye level.

Why it is important

Outdoor products are usually designed in countries in the global north by multinational companies with huge budgets. They are then produced in countries in the global south. The intellectual property does not lie in the country of production and even the factories are often not owned by people from the respective country of production. Even when fair working conditions are mentioned, this is often a questionable term. If fairness means that people receive a wage that is just enough to live on, then some companies already comply with this. But in our opinion, fairness is so much more. Fairness is ownership of the idea. Fairness is participation in the creative process and freedom. The term "fair trade" often has a derogatory connotation. This is reinforced by the fact that power relations between the workers and the parent company abroad are extremely unequal. In our opinion, the absolute least we as people should do is to meet each other on an equal footing and be aware of the cultural and historical contexts that arise in global trade.

This means an awareness of equality, justice and therefore real fairness. In our opinion, fairness is participation and dialogue and not a marketing term that ends with good pay. Fairness is meeting on equal terms.

Ecological responsibility

How KAEMP 8848 does it

The KAEMP 8848 products have already taken into account both environmental damage and the end of a product's life. An outdoor product can be checked for ecological sustainability from three main aspects: production, service life, disposal

Manufacturing

All membranes used in KAEMP 8848 products are PFAS free. These are water-, dirt- and grease-repellent chemical compounds. Unfortunately, these are used by almost all major outdoor manufacturers. As an alternative, KAEMP 8848 uses PU based materials. These are not harmful to the environment and are 100% recyclable. Furthermore, KAEMP 8848 often uses recycled materials.

lifespan

The longer a product is used, the longer it takes to purchase a new one. This is good because the production of every product always involves the use of resources. The KAEMP 8848 products are designed for durability. This means that fasteners, seams and the materials used are extremely high quality to ensure a long product lifespan. In addition, down has a very long lifespan as an insulation material. On the one hand, synthetic insulation is usually a crude oil product and is therefore not harmless. On the other hand, synthetic insulation loses its warming properties much more quickly because the fibers break and knot. This means that a synthetic insulation jacket is vegan, but usually retains its thermal performance for a much shorter period of time.

disposal

The greater the proportion of recyclable material, the more of the starting product can be converted into new raw material. KAEMP 8848 produces with a focus on reusability. Almost all upper materials are recyclable, the same applies to the goose down. The key word is circular economy. At many outdoor shops, such as Globetrotter, old KAEMP 8848 products can be recycled so that the raw materials can be returned to the goods cycle.

Animal protection

Goose down from Canada is used for the KAEMP 8848 down products. The down used here is RDS and CDS certified. The reason KAEMP 8848 chose to source its down from Canada is that Canada is the country with the highest standards of keeping geese for down production. The CDS ( Canadian D own S tandard) is a standard that must be adhered to by KAEMP 8848 suppliers. This standard, enforced and controlled by the government, essentially includes the following guidelines:

Free from hunger and thirst by ensuring access to fresh water and a healthy diet.

Free from discomfort by providing adequate protection and a comfortable rest area.

Free from pain, injury or illness through prevention, rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Free to express normal behavior by providing adequate space, suitable living conditions and companionship of the animal's own species.

Free from fear and stress by providing appropriate conditions and treatment to avoid mental and physical suffering.

In addition, the KAEMP 8848 down is RDS certified.

The RDS ( Responsible D own Standard) is an international standard that is regularly monitored by independent auditors. The RDS and CDS certificate ensures that the companies from which the down comes can be traced without any doubt.

Since the down, unlike the fur of a sheep, cannot be easily sheared, the geese have to be plucked. The KAEMP 8848 partners undertake that the down is obtained according to the RDS and CDS standards. This means that the animals are killed painlessly and stress-free before they are plucked. Furthermore, the CDS guarantees that the meat must be used as food.

Certificates

Certificates are a way to communicate simple minimum standards in images. Unfortunately, these certificates can often only be obtained through great financial outlay and are not always very meaningful. KAEMP 8848 focuses on using the majority of resources on the sustainability of its own products, instead of purchasing a series of certificates and labels that are very effective for advertising purposes. This does not mean that KAEMP 8848 has reached the end of its journey. With regard to the circular economy, work is being done to build a more comprehensive infrastructure to ensure that as much of the product as possible can be put back into circulation after its life cycle. In addition, there is the big problem in the textile industry that producers of raw materials, i.e. so-called second-tier producers, are difficult to control with regard to their respective sustainability balance. KAEMP 8848 knows its trading partners very well, and serious and accurate handling creates security regarding the raw materials. However, further expanding supply chain transparency is a clearly formulated goal. The KAEMP 8848 products are currently RDS and CDS certified. This means that the down used in the KAEMP 8848 products is harvested in a species-appropriate manner. We are also working on getting certified by other independent testing institutes.