Let's start with an uncomfortable truth: we sell plastic.

At a time when our oceans are suffocating in microplastics, our soil is contaminated with them, and they have even been detected in our blood, this is a contradiction that preoccupies us every day. The world is drowning in plastic. And we are part of it.

So why do we do it?

Because there is currently no practical alternative for ultra-light, reliable, and completely weatherproof equipment that protects you from wet and cold conditions on a week-long hike. No one carries a sheepskin or a 5-kilogram cotton tent through the mountains for weeks on end. Modern, high-performance outdoor gear is primarily a world of high-tech polymers (apart from down). That's the pragmatic reality for anyone who wants to travel far and light.

So instead of making empty marketing promises about “green” or “sustainable” products, we want to be transparent and focus on what we can really influence. For us, that means three pillars:

1. Maximum durability: The most effective form of sustainability.

The most environmentally friendly product is always the one you don't have to keep buying new. Our entire endeavor at xfoil is to develop the most robust and durable film in its ultralight class. A piece of equipment that doesn't end up in the trash after one season, but accompanies you for years and thousands of kilometers. We have reports from thru-hikers who have walked the entire Pacific Crest Trail with a single foil – that is our goal. Durability reduces waste, saves resources, and ultimately saves you money. This also includes patching holes instead of ignoring them.

2. Material responsibility: A step in the right direction.

We have further developed our foil. From November 2025, xfoil will be manufactured with approximately 50% certified post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. This means that existing plastic waste—such as used packaging—will be given a second, meaningful life as highly functional outdoor film.

Does this make xfoil “sustainable”? No. That would be a lie. But it is an honest and effective step toward significantly reducing the consumption of new fossil resources.

At the end of its long product life, the film is theoretically 100% recyclable (as LDPE04). But the honest truth here is that whether it is recycled depends on your local infrastructure and whether you dispose of it properly. Our own recycling program (return for a 50% discount on the next film) is not used as often as we would like.

Another often overlooked issue is microplastics. Unlike fleece fabrics, which lose countless tiny fibers with every wash and through abrasion, xfoil is a solid, cross-linked film. Due to its structure and resistance, it does not release microplastics into the environment during normal use. A problem that we, at least, are not exacerbating.

3. Radical reduction: Omitting what is not necessary.

We do without plastic packaging, glossy flyers, and unnecessary frills. We ship in paper or cardboard. This is a small but natural part of our philosophy.

Our goal is not to be perfect. That's impossible. Our goal is to offer the best possible and most durable solution within the realities of modern trekking – honestly, transparently, and with a constant desire to do a little bit better tomorrow.