The Vaude Alpine Challenger

A mountaineering rucksack won an award at a recent trade show because of its environmentally friendly design.

Vaude’s new Challenger backpack gained the GOLD award at the Friedrichshafen OutDoor show in the category of ‘products of high ecological and sustainable value’.

The jury at the German show said: “The jury said: “The Challenger gets a GOLD award because it is made of sustainable certified materials while maintaining all the criteria that a good standard rucksack should.”

The pack, made from bluesign materials, is one of Vaude’s 15 new models approved to the bluesign standard and hitting the shops for the 2012 season.

The rucksack is aimed at the Alpine market, with attachments for climbing gear, skis, ice gear and has an external crampon compartment. The pack has zip access to the main compartment and is available in a 30- or 40-litre capacity, both with a 10 litre expandable lid.

It also features Vaude’s Anatomic Alpin suspension system for a body-hugging fit, and F.L.A.S.H. NT shoulder strap adjustment and detachable hipbelt which the German company said aids good load distribution.

The bluesign standard guarantees environmentally friendly production processes and forms part of Vaude’s Green Shape product philosophy for products that feature special ecological manufacturing.

This coming winter, the Green Shape product range has grown to 30 per cent across the board, from 16 per cent in summer 2011.

Forty per cent of the new clothing range will meet these standards – a 10 per cent increase on the current range.

The products must be made of at least 90 per cent organic cotton or recycled materials, coloured using Vaude’s eco-friendly ecolour dyeing process or made to conform to the stringent bluesign textile standard to earn the Green Shape quality label.