PEARL iZUMi Calculates Cycling Distance to Offset Carbon Impact of its Garments

PEARL iZUMi, the worldwide leader in cycling apparel and footwear, is excited to launch Pedal to Zero™, a first-of-its-kind initiative to motivate and inspire people to choose bicycles as an alternative form of transportation. Every garment in PEARL iZUMi’s new BikeStyle Spring 2022 collection will include a stat with the number of miles needed to ride a bike, instead of driving a car, to offset the carbon impact of that garment.

Like many outdoor and apparel brands, PEARL iZUMi uses the Higg Index to measure the environmental and social impacts of its business. Using the new Higg Product Module, PEARL iZUMi can also determine the amount of carbon dioxide created in the manufacturing of each garment. Using the EPA’s estimate that the typical passenger car produces 404 grams of CO2 per mile, they can then calculate how many miles a cyclist would need to ride to zero out the carbon of each garment.

For example, the Rove Short contributes the equivalent of 5.9 kg of CO2 to make and ship to the U.S. If you ride 15 miles instead of driving, you’ve zeroed out the emissions impact of the garment.

“Our Social Purpose is to harness our business practices, products, and advocacy to consume less oil in order to fight the effects of climate change. We believe the biggest opportunity to reduce oil use through our business is to inspire and empower people to ride bikes for transportation instead of driving a car,” said Aaron Kutzer, social purpose lead for PEARL iZUMi. “Seeing the miles to zero number reminds you that everything we buy has an impact, and so does our daily behavior. If you love to ride, we hope it spurs you into going by bike when you can.”

According to Andrew Hammond, brand marketing director at PEARL iZUMi,“This is bigger, and more fun, than commuting. It’s about seeing the bike as a vehicle that can change the way we move around our communities. And while it’s true that you don’t need to buy new clothes to ride around town, our BikeStyle line makes it easier and more comfortable with bike-specific features and design. Off the bike, you’d never think of it as bike gear, so you can wear it every day.”

Pedal to Zero™ is part of an overall brand goal to reach net positive by 2025. In 2018 PEARL iZUMi announced an ambitious sustainable product target of 90% sustainable styles by 2022. Today, over 40% of the product line is made with recycled, renewable, and organic fibers, and the brand is on track to reach 90%.