Glossary

B

Baffle construction

Baffles are the areas of space created between two layers of fabric which contain loose fill synthetic insulation or down that is inside a jacket. These ‘chambers of insulation’ trap air and are how the jacket helps to keep you warm. ‘Nano baffle’ refers to our slimmest, or narrowest baffle channels, micro baffles are slightly wider, for example the Anti Freeze Down Jacket.

bluesign® Approved

This certification ensures that the chemicals used in production are non hazardous, for workers and those who buy the end product. Bluesign applies to all aspects: the chemicals and processes used, and the materials and products themselves. It helps to ensure harmful substances are removed and replaced with better alternatives.

bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER

Montane is a bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER, enabling us to have greater visibility over the chemicals used by the suppliers we work with, and ensure that these are non-hazardous and compliant with EU REACH Regulations. A product testing programme helps to monitor compliance with a Restricted Substance List provided by bluesign®, so any potentially harmful chemicals found can be replaced with non-hazardous alternatives. Many fabrics and trims in Montane products are bluesign® APPROVED and we are working to also highlight products that qualify as bluesign® PRODUCTS.

C

Code of Labour Practises (CoLP)

Eight labour standards developed by the Fair Wear Foundation to ensure workers’ human rights in factories. These have been derived from ILO (International Labour Organisation) conventions and the UN’s declaration of Human Rights, ensuring they are based on internationally recognised standards.

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Core

Versatile outdoor product designed for core mountain activities all year round.

D

Denier

A unit of measurement which determines the thickness of fibers used in the fabric that makes up a product. The smaller the denier the lighter and finer the yarn and in turn the lighter the fabric.

DWR

An abbreviated term that stands for durable water repellent. A DWR is a chemical coating or finish applied to the textile to enable water droplets to bead up and run off the surface of a fabric. Effective DWR’s provide a multitude of performance benefits such as preventing garments from absorbing moisture, reducing heat loss, minimizing condensation inside the garment and ultimately maintaining the breathability (Moisture Vapour Transmission) of waterproof breathable fabrics. Typically found on our range of men's and women's waterproof jackets and trousers - though DWR’s are used across a wide range of other Montane products such as legwear and insulation garments.

Duck/ Goose Down

Down is found on the underbelly of a bird, beneath the protective outer feathers. Made up of clusters, these provide insulation by trapping air, to help to keep the bird warm. Down has an unbeatable warmth to weight ratio, is highly packable and is available in a range of fill powers. All of Montane’s virgin down is Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified, to ensure the birds welfare at every stage of their life. Both our virgin and recycled down also uses the Track My Down platform, which provides visibility on where our down has been sourced. We have a range of virgin and recycled down products across our range, including men's and women's jackets.

E

European Outdoor Group (EOG)

The voice of the outdoor sector - set up by a number of leading outdoor brands to help manage key projects for the industry, such as the European Outdoor Conservation Association and the Single Use Plastics Project. Their key focuses involve market research, sustainability and events.

European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA)

A not for profit organisation that supports valuable conservation work globally. The EOCA have a number of projects aimed at helping to preserve wild places and give back to nature. Montane has been a member of EOCA for several years and 100% of our membership fees are put directly towards EOCAs valuable conservation work.

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F

Fill Power

This is a measurement of how much loft and strength down clusters have, and therefore how much air (or warmth) they can trap. A smaller down cluster will trap less air, and therefore have a lower fill power. Larger down clusters trap more air, and achieve a higher fill power. Where lower fill powered down is used, using more down can improve warmth, but will also increase weight (and cost). High fill powers achieve the greatest warmth with the lowest weight, but do cost more for this premium!

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

The FSC is a global, non-profit organisation. FSC certified products ensure you are choosing wood, paper and other forest products that have been made with materials that support responsible forestry management. Montane hangtags are sourced from a supplier with FSC certification.

Fair Wear Foundation (FWF)

A non-profit organisation which strives for fair working conditions across the global garment industry. As a member of FWF we agree to adhere to FWF’s 8 codes of labour practices, which ensures the factories we work with support workers’ rights. Montane has been a member of Fair Wear Foundation since 2019.

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G

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS certified)

The GOTS ensures environmentally and socially responsible practices are followed throughout the supply chain, from the farming of the raw material (the cotton) to the manufacturing of the finished product (our cotton tees). All of Montane’s organic cotton t-shirts are produced in a GOTS certified factory.

H

Hydrostatic head (HH)

A way of testing how waterproof a fabric is. The hydrostatic head denotes the water pressure the membrane of a jacket can withstand before water can permeate it. The higher the number, the greater the resistance.

HyperDRY

Goose and duck down has an unbeatable warmth to weight ratio, but when it gets wet it loses its loft, and therefore its ability to trap air and keep you warm! Similar to a DWR treatment, HyperDRY is a water resistant treatment applied to all Montane down. It is free from fluorocarbons, and helps the down to stay lofted for longer. Discover more about HyperDRY.

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I

Internal storm flap

Also known as a placket, this flap of fabric sits behind a zip to prevent any wind or rain that permeates the zip teeth from reaching the wearer. Often the placket will fold over the top edge of the zipper to further prevent irritation, where the top edge of the zip could rub against the wearers chin. The internal storm flap is found on all of Montane’s waterproof jackets.

L

Layering system

A layering system relates to how you layer your clothing to make sure you are comfortable when exploring the great outdoors. Typically this consists of a next-to-skin base layer, followed by a thermal insulating mid-layer, then a protective outer layer. This final layer could be a waterproof, insulated jacket or a windproof - dependant on the elements you’re likely to encounter.

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Leather Working Group

The global multistakeholder, Leather Working Group (LWG), is a member-led nonprofit organization that is dedicated to driving excellence in the leather industry, minimizing the environmental impact of leather production, and challenging industry perceptions, through a suite of tools and ESG certification.

Lifetime Guarantee

All Montane products are guaranteed for their lifetime against faults in workmanship and materials – that is, the length of time any product can reasonably be expected to keep delivering the same great performance as when it was new. In a nutshell, if you experience a manufacturing fault, you are entitled to a free repair.

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Lite

Lighter materials, optimised features, trimmer fits, Lite products have a clear fast and light focus.

Loft

Loft refers to the volume and thickness provided by insulation material, regardless if it is natural like down, synthetic like PrimaLoft or even fleece. The bigger the loft, the greater the amount of trapped air; this ultimately makes the garment thicker and keeps you warmer.

M

Merino blend wool

Merino wool is a natural fibre found on Merino sheep. It is finer than regular wool, making it softer next-to-skin. Our Merino blends include a mix with synthetic fibres, such as acrylic. Blending the wool with a synthetic helps the product dry faster. Several Montane hats and some baselayers utilise Merino wool.

More Sustainable Choice

More Sustainable Choice products use a minimum of 50% more sustainable materials, including recycled, organic cotton, RDS down, non-mulesed wool, and Tencel. In order to qualify for this label, More Sustainable Choice products must also use a PFC free DWR (C0), where a DWR is required. The label relates to the material choices, but not the full life cycle of the product, such as aftercare and disposal.

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Mulesing-free wool

Mulesing describes a form of treatment for flystrike, a common infection for Merino sheep, where infected flesh is removed without the use of anaesthetic. Prohibiting mulesing supports proper and humane treatment of sheep, which is why Montane places importance in ensuring that all of the Merino wool we source is certified mulesing-free.

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N

Nano

Lightest appropriate weight with optimal features. Material performance and packability are paramount for Nano garments.

Next-to-skin

Typically defined as a baselayer, the garment closest to your skin. A baselayer acts as a ‘second skin’ utilising the wicking process to absorb and remove sweat from your body. In turn this helps keep you comfortable on the move.

O

OEKO-TEX

An independent 3rd party organisation which enables both consumers and companies to make responsible decisions, by testing textiles and ensuring they are free from harmful substances.

Organic Cotton

Organic cotton supports more sustainable farming practices, promoting continued soil health and limiting water use. Another benefit of growing organic cotton is that it avoids harmful chemicals being used and contaminating local waterways through crop run off. This ultimately helps to protect cotton farmers. Montane only sources certified organic cotton.

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P

Per Fluorinated Compounds (PFC)

Some DWR chemical treatments contain PFCs. In recent years there have been growing environmental concerns around the use of PFCs,and we have worked hard to eliminate the use of them where possible. Due to their superior water and oil repellency, PFCs are still found in some of our more technical products designed for extreme environments.

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Pile

A high pile fabric generally consists of a knit or a woven base fabric constructed with additional “pile or filling” yarns that stand perpendicular to the base fabric. This provides a thickness to the fabric and increases the loft to help trap air and in turn increase thermal efficiency. Typically pile relates to our range of fleece garments.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) & Phthalates

Phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are a class of chemicals used to soften plastics, such as PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride). In the past these have been used to print on garments, ensuring durability throughout their lifespan. However phthalates have been linked to health and environmental issues. For this reason, Montane only use printing inks which are free from PVC and phthalates.

R

Responsible Down Standard (RDS)

A certification that ensures the down in a product does not come from birds that have been live-plucked or force-fed. RDS is a certified company that monitors animal welfare throughout a bird's lifetime, from the time they were hatchlings to when the down is harvested. Since 2015, the RDS has been implemented across 100% of the down we use across our range.

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Recycled Down

Montane uses both virgin (Responsible Down Standard certified) and recycled (100% post-consumer) down across our product range. The recycled down Montane uses has a fill power of 700, which is suitable for many end uses. For those products where a higher fill power is required, our RDS down is used. The same as the virgin down in our range, the recycled down Montane uses has a HyperDRY water resistant treatment applied.

Recycled fabrics/ insulation/lining

Montane continues to work closely with our fabric and trim suppliers to introduce the latest recycled materials to our product range, where possible. This helps to reduce demand on virgin fibres which are non recycled e.g. virgin polyester or nylon, made from oil. This ultimately helps reduce CO2 emissions and water consumption. We use recycled fabrics across the Montane range, including popular Dart base layers.

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S

Single Use Plastic Project (SUPP)

This project is led by the European Outdoor Group, and aims to significantly reduce single use plastic waste in the garment industry. With over 40 members, including us here at Montane, this project is working to divert polybags from landfill by recapturing and recycling them. This is an ongoing project we are committed to exploring at Montane.

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Solution Dyed

Most commonly, dying is an additional stage to apply colour to a fabric. This is typically water, chemical, and energy intensive, in turn generating more carbon emissions. Sometimes called dope dying, solution dying applies colour to the raw material, for example polyester pellets, before these are melted and extruded into the yarns that go on to be knitted or woven into a fabric. By adding the dye at this earlier stage, less water, chemicals, and energy are used, in turn creating less (potentially harmful) effluent and less carbon emissions. The colour is also inherent throughout the yarn which improves the fabrics colour durability when worn or washed (known as colour-fastness).

Synthetic insulation

Primarily made of polyester these non-woven (sheet) or loose fill (like down) insulations are engineered to loft and trap air, with the additional benefit of not collapsing when wet. This results in superior insulation capabilities in damp environments. Typically these garments are much easier to care for and launder than down. All of our synthetic insulation has recycled content, and we are working to increase the percentage of this each season. This kind of insulation is found across the range, including synthetic insulated jackets, as well as slippers and other accessories.

T

Taped Seams

To keep out wet weather, waterproof products use fabrics with a membrane or laminate. Where these products are sewn together, tiny stitch holes can let in water. Using heat to apply a tape along these seams prevents water from getting through the stitch holes, leaving the product fully waterproof.

TENCEL™

This is a cellulose (plant based) fibre, made and trademarked by Lenzing. It has an exceptionally soft handfeel and is therefore sometimes used in next-to-skin or fleece fabrics, including the Montane Men’s and Women’s Spinon Hoodies. The production method for TENCEL™ is closed loop, which means all chemicals and water are retained within the system for filtering and reusing. As a result, the environmental footprint of TENCEL™ is particularly good. TENCEL™ can refer to Lenzing’s TENCEL™ lyocell (which we use), modal or lyocell filament. Without the TENCEL™ however, standard lyocell and modal are not produced in a closed loop system (i.e. the water and chemicals are not necessarily captured for reuse).

Track my Down™

This is a traceability platform offered by the down supplier Montane works with, as a way for consumers to learn more detail about the down used in their product. Every Montane down product has a lot number printed on the hangtag. This can be entered onto the Track my Down website, to find details of the downs source, content (i.e. feather to down ratio), fill power and any certifications.

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W

Wicking

Wicking describes the movement of moisture (sweat) from the inside of a fabric to the outside, where it can spread and evaporate quickly. Ultimately this helps the wearer to stay dry and comfortable for longer. Some fabrics, particularly those used in active clothing, are constructed to aid effective wicking, for example Montane’s mens and womens base layers.

X

XPD

XPD products are the most durable and protective in extreme weather and appropriate for winter climbing or expedition use.

XT

XT products are mountaineering appropriate, with an increased feature set for extended use.

Y

YKK zip

Prized in the garment industry for their durable construction and reliability, YKK originated in Japan and stands for ‘Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha’. They are a Bluesign System Partner who produce roughly half of the world’s zippers, including all of Montane’s!