Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Niche Snowboards wins ISPO Eco Award for sustainable innovation and eco-responsibility


Niche Snowboards has earned the Eco Award for sustainable innovation and eco-responsibility in the snow sports hardware category for their 2012-13 all-mountain freestyle snowboard model, The Story, by the leading international sports business network ISPO. The title was awarded after input from an international jury, which consisted of journalists, dealers, designers and athletes.
“The Niche Story Snowboard is a well thought product with carefully selected, sustainable materials such as the FSC certified wood core and hemp stringers to replace carbon fiber. Critical substances have been removed, such as the surface lacquer, or replaced with recycled materials,” states Professor Dr. Michael Braungart of Erasmus University in Germany, one of the judges for the ISPO awards.
Every component of the Story board replaces traditional materials with an environmentally friendlier alternative or recycled material. The “Snappy Sap” bio resin replaces traditional resins with a flexible and impact resistant blend of bio materials.
“Hemp Hop” replaces carbon fiber and adds more pop. Fiberglass is replaced with basalt, or volcanic rock, and a bamboo wood top-sheet replaces the plastic top sheet used on most competitors’ snowboards. The combination of these new eco materials results in a lighter, more elastic and durable snowboard.
“Niche Snowboards is fully committed to being as eco-friendly as possible. Said Niche Snowboards founder Dustin Morrell.
“Traditional snowboard manufacturing is toxic. We have revolutionized the process with new materials and new construction technologies that increase performance and quality.”
ISPO, based out of Munich, Germany, is considered the leading international sports business network. ISPO has over 2,000 international corporate members from the Outdoor, Ski, Action und Performance Sports industries. More than 80,000 visitors from over 100 countries travel to the ISPO tradeshow in Munich every year. The ISPO Award represents a seal of approval for innovators in the sports business market and will serve as a trend indicator to media, retailers, and consumers.


About Niche Snowboards
Niche is rider-owned and operated in Salt Lake City. Utah. Their snowboards are designed and tested locally in Salt Lake City and produced in Austria by the industry renowned GST. Niche strives to be at the forefront of innovation, and is focused on making the highest quality snowboards on the market, while having the smallest ecological footprint. Niche Snowboards are lighter, snappier and more durable than snowboards made with traditional materials, which also gives an all-around smoother ride.

For Media Inquiries:
Kirsten Kolter
Kirsten@nichesnowboards.com
801-971-8139

For More about Niche Snowboards, please contact:
Dustin Morrell
4645 Highland Drive
Holladay. UT 84117
801-319-6425
www.nichesnowboards.com

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