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that Dupont story is terrifying @exteroceptive @Chopsicle

Thanks - their sustainability / employment statement linked above...

@MCamb in case you’re still looking / interested

Not wanting to tread on @hippy ‘s toes but as circumstance would have it I’m working on a job taking down a large temporary wall that we built with rockwall insulation. It’s quite a lot - wall is 3.5 x 6.5metres, about to dig it out but I think the wool is 10cm thick, so probably enough here for a roof etc, or you can take some etc. We’ll poly wrap it into manageable stacks and it’ll be clean. Any interest? Free, pick up near Liverpool Street Station between Wed and Fri this week. Let me know. Cheers

Ah interesting, thanks @Dogtemple - I found it. The transparency of some of the efforts they are making and research they are doing is interesting. Link here (and above):
https://www.morvelo.com/pages/sustainability

A bit of background: one of the things I first used LFGSS for was to buy more expensive (better made, longer-lasting) kit than I could afford, second-hand. Over the years I’ve read many useful / interesting conversations on here related to buying / selling / fixing / adapting / reusing / restoring / making and the relative attributes of various bits of kit. It's clear that there is an amazing community on here of designers, makers and, also, attentive and demanding consumers. I know that LFGSS means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. This thread may be of niche interest or concern only a few of us. But I’ve thought for a while that what was missing was a place for some discussion of the ethical ramifications of all of this production / consumption, and a collected set of resources for those who are interested in the related complexities (after all, my buying of second-hand gear replied upon someone else selling something before it finished its useful life…).

I don’t claim to be an expert but I’d like to be better informed than I am – and better able to make decisions (in the first instance as a consumer, but also as someone who makes things) about what I put on my back / cycle off into the hills / therefore invest in and contribute to the continuation of (be it material production, employment practices, etc.).

Some of the issues that might be discussed here (but no means limited to) are, for e.g.:

Sustainability / 'sustainability'
Supply chains (sourcing and workers rights)
Materials / production processes / recycling / Extended Producer Responsibility / corporate ownership (a.k.a. the Cordura problem)
Repairs (factored into production cost) / reuse / recycling / biodegradability
… and more things I’m sure that I haven’t thought about / don’t know about yet.

The resources below relate mostly to clothing / equipment, but would ideally cover bike parts themselves (there is some related discussion of this on the 3D printing / AM thread for e.g., link below).

I’ll try and update the resources list as often as I can on this first post. Flag things directly if it doesn’t look like I’ve spotted it. These lists are certainly not definitive, and there is lots to discuss / scrutinise with each of these initiatives / corporate positions etc. so please add your comments and suggest other resources / events / info etc. Thanks everyone.

Accreditation / existing programs:

B-Corp: https://bcorporation.uk/
Bluesign: https://www.bluesign.com/en
Fair-Tax Mark: https://fairtaxmark.net/
Living Wage/London Living Wage: https://www.livingwage.org.uk/
OEKO-Tex: https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/
Sustainable Apparel Coalition / Higg index:
https://apparelcoalition.org/
https://apparelcoalition.org/the-higg-index/

Extended Producer Responsibility schemes / policy changes / proposals:
t.b.c…

Individual companies:

Albion:
https://www.albioncycling.com/about/

Alpkit:
https://alpkit.com/pages/sustainability-principles
https://alpkit.com/pages/sustainability?utm_campaign=388740_Welcome%20Sustainability&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alpkit%20Ltd&dm_i=57MB,8BYC,4P9SI7,WVTG,1

Endura:
https://www.endurasport.com/sustainability.list?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI06b1r8Wd8gIVV-vtCh20bwPtEAAYAiAAEgK3lfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

MAAP:
https://maap.cc/stories/our-road-to-a-more-sustainable-future

Milltag:
https://milltag.cc/blogs/news/our-responsibility

Morvélo:
https://www.morvelo.com/pages/sustainability

Pas Normal:
https://uk.pasnormalstudios.com/pages/impact-responsibility
https://pasnormalstudios.dk/pages/fabrics

Proviz:
https://www.provizsports.com/en-gb/sustainability

Rapha:
https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/stories/Rapha-Impact
https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/sustainability

This is an initial search, and some companies are certainly more detailed in terms of commitments than others (Rapha, for e.g.). If you can find more info from other producers, please post it below and I’ll add it…a number of the big names I couldn’t find anything. This could / should also cover bikepacking / touring / luggage (Apidura, Restrap, Ortlieb, etc.)…

Other related discussion boards on LFGSS:
Sewing / materials / fabrication: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/160474/
3d printing: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/185042/

Wow, impressive @littleK - pm'ing you now...

Very nice

Oh great, thanks @littleK , let me know if you find anything!

Hi there,
Looking for a replacement for my daily runaround rear wheel but trying to match / keep in period etc. Wheelset on there is a Normandy large flange hubset on Mavic (red label) rims, 124/6 spaced running a single speed freewheel...and the cones are gone on the rear.
Does anyone have either a Normandy (or other French, c.1970s) rear wheel (700c), or hub (36h ideally) / hubset / wheelset surplus to requirements? Other French marques definitely considered...
Let me know! Cheers!

LK: ‘Sixty laps in and we haven’t touched the pedals’ !!

Hi there
Long shot and OT but anyone got a decent biscuit jointer surplus to requirements?
Let me know! Cheers...

Chapeau!

A thanks and nice to meet you bump

PM’d re the Mavic rims

So many interesting sounding talks on that link, thanks! (My partner is the proud owner of a pair of those glasses incidentally - in whalebone I think. So beautiful, untested by me though sadly).

Given all the discussion here of high-performance technical fabrics I thought I’d share this that I saw yesterday @chopsicle - a hip-length parka made by the Inuit of Inupiat (north west Alaska) or Nunatsaivut (Labrador, Canada) likely towards the end of the 19th Century. Made to protect against the wind, chill and wet conditions in the harshest of environments (specifically for hunting and kayaking) - and given how long it must have taken to make its reasonable to assume it worked and was durable. Super light and packable - it looks basically like its made out of film. Material? Hand stitched seal intestine (so it’s also got by-product synergy going for it too). In the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford.

These are great. Worth posting here I'd wager: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/157546/?offset=24025
glws

Very nice

A thanks for the beautiful cranks / nice to meet you @knowthejo bump!

You have pm re the Gators

@Edavies94 - yep, pm me if you’re interested

Hi @123oner - yes, the brake calipers and levers are gone. Items available updated above. Will update those who expressed an interest in the levers ASAP as they are still on hold. Thanks again everyone.

Lovely these but no room for a new bike. I’d love the NR rear derailleur of its available though. PM’d

Afraid those are dibsed (brakes) and gone (cranks) @user126870.
Current status / list of what's available updated above - drop me a PM if you're after anything. Will update as further bits go / if anything comes available. Cheers for the interest everyone.