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The great outdoors of Washington is calling!  For the fourth year in a row, Egan & Associates LLC on behalf of our vendors will sponsor TrailsFest 2008, Saturday July 19, 9am - 4pm at Rattlesnake Lake near North Bend east of Seattle.  This year, Gregory, Chaco, Teko and Ibex are all donating raffle prizes in support of the event.  All are cordially invited to stop by our booth and say hi to Dave, Jason, or Val if you're able to attend!

For more information on TrailsFest: (206) 625-1367 / http://www.wta.org.

TrailsFest is a hands-on event for all ages, providing families and other adventurers with a fun and safe environment to explore the outdoors.  This outdoor extravaganza is free and open to the public, and features clinics on everything from wilderness first aid to hiking with kids to backcountry cooking. More than 3000 + outdoor enthusiasts are expected to attend and visit dozens of exhibitors, including gear companies and outdoor groups. 

TrailsFest is presented every summer by Washington Trails Association. Sponsors for TrailsFest 2008 include Gregory, Chaco, Teko, Ibex, Hilleberg the Tentmaker, KPLU, Green Trails Maps, REI, CLIF Nectar, Outdoor Research,  Helly Hansen, Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods, Freezer Bag Cooking, and Marmot Mountain Works. 
 

Teko and Egan & Associates LLC are proud sponsors of Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics ( www.lnt.org ), an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors by all people, worldwide. Teko's founder Jim Heiden recently sat down with the folks at LNT to talk Teko and was featured in the March 2008 newsletter (you can read the full article here ). Here's some of what they had to say:

 "Why we love them: ....Cutting-edge, conscientious, quality and true: Teko is a thriving collection of great minds, great product and great practices.

What Teko does with SOCKS. It starts with a simple product, and explodes from there to set minimum-impact precedents across the arenas of material, packaging, transportation and production....

What Teko does with the OFFICE. Close to home and close to heart, the conscientious vibe rings true even in Teko's office. From recycled sawdust booths and displays, or FSC certified paper in catalogs, letterhead and other office materials, Teko raises the bar for businesses beyond Boulder....

What Teko does with the COMMUNITY. Teko is a leader in the community, by extending its resources and passion for environmental responsibility well beyond the walls of its office or factory. In addition to an established partnership with Leave No Trace, Teko donates 10% of its online sales to organizations it supports, sponsors the Dart Adventure Racing Team ( www.dartnuunracing.com ), and is a strong advocate for American manufacturing.

Leave No Trace is privileged to watch Teko continually push the bar in our community and beyond, by setting an example of responsibility, leadership and environmental integrity."

Photos courtesy of Teko, top to bottom: New packaging for socks; the Dart Racing team, one of the top two teams in the country.

Teko socks are featured in the summer issue of elephant magazine! Elephant magazine focuses on: "organics, sustainability, genuine conscious consumerism, fair fashion, and the contemplative arts."  

Green Feet

 

EcoMerino Wool Women's Light Hiking Teko SockTeko has built its brand on sustainable and eco-conscious practices. While it always used sustainably-farmed wool, this spring they made the leap to organic wool to round out its roster of fibers including organic cotton, Ingeo (a renewable corn-based fiber) and recycled polyester. The socks are the softest, most durable we’ve ever tested and they make our feet and hearts all warm and fuzzy thanks to the non-toxic dyes and treatments. Check out the full line of athletic socks ($13-$21) at Teko.com, this striped version of the EcoMerino Wool Women's Light Hiking sock ($17) will be available later this summer.

 

Green Points: All of Teko’s materials (except the wool) are purchased from sources within 200 miles of the factory.

 

Teko's Ingeo socks are featured in the latest review from The Gear Junkie of today's best eco-friendly gear.  Read the full article here: 

The Gear Junkie: Green Gear 2008
By STEPHEN REGENOLD

Going green is not a new phenomenon in the world of outdoors gear. To be sure, it was almost 15 years ago that Patagonia unveiled a jacket made with fibers derived from recycled soda bottles. But today’s eco-friendly gear—including packs, shoes, socks, gadget cases and camp stoves—reflects an industry-wide push to think broadly about sustainability.

“Consumer demand is there,” said Berne Broudy, a Vermont-based editor with Backpacker magazine who covers the environment. She said sustainable manufacturing processes, new chemical treatments and the availability of materials ranging from organic cotton to PVC-free plastics has changed the industry. “Making a wide range of green gear has now become viable,” Broudy said.

Here are a handful of new products that tout a good eco story as well as performance for use in the field. . .

Teko Ingeo Light Hiking socks
Made of a biodegradable corn-based fiber, these socks have extra reinforcement in the heels and toes for durability. The fabric transfers moisture and sweat to keep feet dry and prevent blisters. $13.95, www.tekosocks.com

 

Egan & Associates LLC is very proud to support the efforts of the Outdoor Industry Association's (OIA) Eco Working Group.  Currently, we're the only sales rep agency participating as a voting member of the group and our very own Jackton Downard is serving on the Executive Committee (way to go Jackton!).  Jackton was there for the recent meeting -- see the article below -- and would be happy to talk details with anyone interested in learning more. 

OIA Eco Working Group Makes Strides Toward Industry Index

At a three-day OIA Eco Working Group meeting in Boulder last week, more than 90 participants representing over 50 brands started working on the framework for a manufacturing index that will determine how the industry measures its environmental footprint. The meeting marked the one-year anniversary for the working group. Over the past year, members donated countless hours to develop the group's mission and vision, benchmark other industries, research possible outcomes for the group and reach consensus to begin the process by developing an index. During the meeting, attendees split into groups representing apparel, footwear and equipment and began discussing how design, materials, toxins, waste and packaging determine a company's or a product's impact. Members of the Leather Working Group also provided valuable benchmarks with a progress report on their efforts to develop tannery standards, and Alex Boian, OIA director of trade policy, provided an overview of the political environment and sustainability opportunities on the horizon at the government level. Most of the hard work needed to create an index remains and the group will now narrow its focus in upcoming months to: Distill the notes from the meeting and narrow the definition of the index's framework. A smaller taskforce consisting of working group members will develop strawman frameworks for the group's comments. Hire a third-party convener before the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. This organization will manage the multi-year process of designing the index. Ensure that the process serves companies large and small, regardless of their resources. Identify packaging as a potential "quick win" and fast track development of packaging standards. The next Eco Working Group meeting will be August 10, 2008, from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Marriott Hotel, Salt Lake City. The group's efforts are entirely voluntary, and individuals interesting in reviewing the group's work or participating are invited to visit the Eco group website. At the beginning of the meeting, each attendee was tasked to have a take-away that they could provide to the first individual that they met on their way back home. "Our future just got a little brighter," summed up Greg Scott, of Mountain Equipment Co-op.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Julie Atherton McFadden

JAM Media

julie@jampr.net

1.415.839.7546

Teko Socks Announces Private Investment

For immediate release: March 25, 2008

Boulder, CO – teko®, the technical and eco-friendly sock company attracts private investment.

A private investor has invested in teko® socks. This investment comes at a perfect time for teko and will be used to boost the brand’s growing momentum in the specialist sports, outdoor, comfort footwear and natural products markets. teko will use the investment to increase on-hand inventories, accelerate product development, and strengthen back-end systems for improved customer service and market penetration. The essence of the teko brand remains the same; its main purpose is to provide the best technically performing socks with minimal impact on the planet. The new investor has expertise in the outdoor and footwear markets and a proven track record with small growing companies in niche markets; a synergistic match for teko’s strong, eco-friendly brand.

With the investment, teko bids a very fond farewell to Jim Heiden, founder and former CEO. Owen Hammond has been promoted from VP of Operations to General Manager of teko. Owen’s dedication to corporate sustainability and his involvement with the Outdoor Industry’s Eco Working Group ensure a smooth ownership transition and teko’s future brand integrity. Owen says, “This investment is a fantastic opportunity for teko to evolve to the next level and to provide our retailers and their customers with even better products and service. Demand for teko socks is growing tremendously, reflecting the need for performance gear that’s easy on the planet. I am ecstatic to be part of teko at this dynamic stage in the brand’s evolution.”

About teko® socks:

teko® socks: Best Socks ON the Planet, Best Socks FOR the Planet. Based in Boulder, CO, teko® was founded on the belief that making technical, high-performance outdoor products doesn’t have to leave a heavy impact on our ecology. Using only high-performance fibers and sustainable manufacturing processes, teko creates performance socks that are safer for the environment. From the raw materials, all the way down to the recycled paper packaging, teko’s product line features environmentally-sound materials, such as EcoMerino™ Wool, Ecopoly™ Recycled Polyester, Ingeo™ corn-based fiber and Organic Cotton. teko buys wind energy credits to ensure that 100% of the electricity used in manufacturing and operations is put back onto the energy grid from clean, sustainable American Wind. Greenhouse gases produced by transporting the socks are offset by purchasing credits through the Chicago Climate Exchange. teko is unique in that its eco-friendly commitment extends to its entire product line, supply chain, and daily business practices.

Phone: 800.450.5784 Email: info@tekosocks.com Website: www.tekosocks.com