The dream of our design team? That each Forclaz product is so durable that it can be passed down from generation to generation, without going out of style or losing its technical qualities.
Between 2000 and 2015, clothing consumption is believed to have doubled. The other difference is that we use them for less time: the average number of times a garment is worn before it stops being used is said to have reduced by 36% in just 15 years (source).
No wonder the textile industry is number 2 on the world podium of the most polluting industries.
That’s why here at Forclaz, when the brand was created in 2015, we decided to build our DNA around durability over time.
This seemed all the more obvious to us because in trekking, equipment is an adventure companion we become attached to and which we want to keep as long as possible.
To best meet our Durability promise, we’ve defined a timeless design language specific to Forclaz. This translates into functional, refined products, designed to stand the test of time without going out of style.
This timelessness also involves building long-lasting ranges; the products don’t change, but are improved according to feedback from our users.
We’ve created a palette whose colours have been identified as being the most durable :
- Durable because they’re resistant
Laboratory tests (washing, UV exposure) help us choose colours that have the best stability over time.
- Durable because timeless
We favour neutral or pigmented colours and avoid overly saturated or garish colours which go out of fashion. This allows trekkers to immerse themselves in their user environment and blend in with discretion and humility.
- Durable because they’re more respectful of the environment
Wherever possible, we favour colours that come from less polluting dyeing processes (dope dyed, biton, etc.).
When you go for a trek completely on your own, you need to be able to rely on your equipment. A bag strap that comes loose, a fabric that tears and the experience can be ruined or even become dangerous.
So Forclaz has high standards with regard to the resistance of its trekking products: the reliability of our products guarantees safety and pleasure while trekking.
First, we map the susceptible areas of each product. This lets us rethink their construction by choosing the most durable option or providing a solution to strengthen it. As such, the choice of our components is mainly driven by their wear resistance index.
Here are some examples of solutions we use to optimise the durability of our products:
Ripstop fabric
Its weave contains reinforcing threads that ensure its solidity and prevent a tear from spreading.
Reinforced merino wool
A polyamide thread forms a fine sheath that protects the Merino wool fibre against chafing and cuts.
Reinforcement parts
We’ve added reinforcements to friction areas (backpack, ground supports, etc.) to limit wear.
We do our best to offer the strongest products possible. However, as the unexpected is part of the trekking experience, we’re also committed to integrating repairability from our first product sketches.
Our “Trek Lab” team uses all its know-how to test and trial Forclaz products to make sure they deliver on their promises: comfort, warmth, waterproofing, etc. But it puts particular effort into guaranteeing the resistance of products over time.
The first step in the protocol is to ensure the materials used for our products meet our durability requirements.
To do this, we test different components by reproducing accelerated ageing in the laboratory (friction, UV exposure, etc.).
The results of these tests help us determine the materials that will make up the catalogue of Forclaz components.
Our DNA, durability
THE MARTINDALE PROCESS
This test is used to assess the resistance of a fabric to abrasion.
The principle? Accelerate wear with a machine that rubs it against an abrasive material for several cycles until the threads break.
The extent to which the fabric changes colour, pills and suffers rips or holes is then assessed.
For example, the outer fabric of the Forclaz MT 500 wadded jacket with hood withstood more than 50,000 cycles in the Martindale test (DS017 NR1).
The Martindale test
THE MARTINDALE PROCESS
This test is used to assess the resistance of a fabric to abrasion.
The principle? Accelerate wear with a machine that rubs it against an abrasive material for several cycles until the threads break.
The extent to which the fabric changes colour, pills and suffers rips or holes is then assessed.
For example, the outer fabric of the Forclaz MT 500 wadded jacket with hood withstood more than 50,000 cycles in the Martindale test (DS017 NR1).
While our design centre stands at the foot of Mont Blanc, it isn’t just to enjoy the magnificent alpine landscapes (even though we never tire of them...), but is above all an opportunity to go and test our products in the field, in real conditions !
How do we proceed? We call on a panel of testers that we equip with different products (Forclaz or not, prototype or old product, etc.).
Then Théo, our field test engineer, goes for a walk in the mountains with our testers to collect their impressions and monitor product wear.
In 2022, Théo carried out more than 80 field tests lasting from half a day to several weeks.
TEST OF THE MT700 MATRYX® BOOT
Having pre-selected a very resistant material, we didn’t consider it necessary to add a stone guard but, after 35 days of trekking on a durability mission, the front and inner area of the boot proved particularly stressed by walking and showed signs of wear.
So we improved our prototype by adding a rubber stone guard and removing the seam on the inside of the boot.
Laboratory and field tests allow us to validate the resistance of prototypes, but we want to go further to be able to guarantee with certainty the reliability and durability of Forclaz products.
That’s how sustainability missions were born.
What is a “sustainability mission” ?
This is a field test pushed to the extreme: our panel of testers goes on a trek for 5 to 6 weeks, to test our prototypes on different terrains and in different weather conditions.
Our DNA, durability
What's exciting about durability over time is that there's always room to explore and improve. We intend to pursue this commitment, made at the birth of Forclaz, by continuing to listen to sportsmen and women, reworking and re-testing both new and old products.
We’re also considering developing a "lifetime guarantee"...
Every product we design carries the promise of durability. Trek after trek, they’ll be there for you, ever faithful, put to the test, bearing the marks of your adventures around the world, but never letting you down, never going out of style.
Designed and tested in the field, our products are refined to be above all functional, easy to use and rewarding. That's what makes them so endearing.
Throughout development, we seek to reduce their impact on the environment to preserve your playground for as long as possible, whether in choosing and saving materials, in assemblies, colour or the possibility of repairing our products.
