Alpkit
Alpkit wants its customers to go to nice places and do nice things , so its slogan insists . The UK-based brand is there to support that sense of adventure with a host of clothing and equipment to not only give people the means to do different , but inspire them to do so in the process .
On the clothing front , Alpkit offers an extensive range of both men and women ’ s gear . Gone are the days of prioritizing one over the other . The brand knows that an ebullience for the outdoors transcends gender .
That means you ’ ll find waterproof and insulated jackets ; organic tees , shirts , and midlayers ; natural and ethically sourced merino wool jumpers ; fleeces and hoodies ; shorts , trousers , and jeans ; swimwear and cycling clothing ; and an extensive range of accessories , including hats , gloves , and socks for all .
Back to basics
These sound standard – and they are . There ’ s nothing terribly special about a pair of shorts or socks or a baselayer . However , that ’ s why Alpkit was born ; it was created by ordinary people to make ordinary products that allow people to live extraordinary lives . Without the price of high-end climbing , mountaineering , and camping gear , the brand embraces the simple and instead puts its energy into how each individual item performs in the wild . To create utilitarian products , Alpkit manufactures around a third of its goods on British soil , specifically at a facility on the edge of the Peak District . Another factor buoying its quality control is that the brand is proudly independent – there ’ s no global , external , faceless force cutting back on quality just to save a few bucks .
In fact , Alpkit is fiercely oppositional to that business model . Since 2015 , the company has given more than 40 percent of its profits to the Alpkit Foundation , helping over 40,000 people and benefiting 2000 grassroots projects in the process .
Access to the outdoors
The foundation aims to help young people , especially but not exclusively through leisure time activities , to promote personal growth and communal values ; assist with social welfare causes ; advance public education of conservation , protection , and improvement of our natural environment ; and to better access to sports to build a healthier nation .
In its most recent annual report , the Alpkit Foundation revealed that it had awarded nearly £ 140,000 to 542 projects in 2022 , doubling the number of grants from the previous year . In total , £ 550,000 has been awarded to more than 1800 projects .
The brand knows that spending time outdoors is good for the mind , body , and soul . However , generally , people are spending less time in nature or are otherwise facing obstacles that restrict their ability to access the outdoors . That ’ s the problem Alpkit ’ s founders – Col , Nick , Jim , and Kenny – are aiming to solve , and its products undoubtedly reflect the foundation ’ s goals .
Alpkit was launched in 2004 in a unit the size of a squash court at the foot of Mount Ilkeston in Derbyshire . Fast forward nearly two decades , and the team is now spread across the country , with sites dotted throughout the UK .
retail-merchandiser . com 49