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Gotëborg, Sweden (November 22, 2023) - With Thanksgiving upon us, there will be increased pressure to buy more and more. For ourselves and others, but mostly for the sake of buying. However, consumers will not find any Black Friday deals at Icebug. The company has been boycotting the concept for "a long time." Instead, Icebug chooses to donate all proceeds from sales from their webshop and the Gothenburg store on Friday to Naturarvet – a foundation that buys Swedish old-growth forests to protect them from logging.
Old-growth forests contain trees that are at least 120 years old. They can be found all over the world. Roughly 6% of the US is covered with old-growth forests, while Sweden has nearly none. Although Sweden is nearly 70% forest, only a very small amount of that forest is untouched by humans and retains its natural lifecycle.
Old-growth forests are important not just to humans but to all occupants of the planet. They provide a habitat to a variety of flora and fauna that is reliable and constant. As forests are felled, these species lose their homes, have reduced ground to search for food, and may find their food sources eliminated.
The effects of felling old-growth forests extend beyond destroying habitats. Cutting old-growth forests down and converting them into manufactured tree plantations releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Each time an old-growth forest is felled, a piece of priceless nature is lost forever.
Naturarvet is a not-for-profit foundation that was registered in January 2004. They were able to purchase and protect their first section of Swedish old-growth forest in 2006. Their structure and statutes ensure that each forest purchased is protected for all time. This work is close to Icebug’s heart. The forest is at the heart of everything they do, from lowering the emissions that result from their production to taking walks in the forest together during the workday.
“Icebug does not exist so that the owners can buy luxury sports cars. We exist to make as big a positive difference as possible. We don't want to encourage unnecessary consumption, but if we can contribute to protecting old-growth forest on Black Friday, that's a good thing,” says David Ekelund, CEO of Icebug, who emphasizes that old-growth forest is effective in sequestering carbon dioxide.
The work is a collaboration between Icebug and the Swedish Orienteering Association, who share Icebug’s love of the forest and desire to make a difference.
Icebug’s Press Contact
Teagan Bowar
Marketing Coordinator
Teagan.bowar@icebug.com
Icebug is the world’s first climate-positive footwear brand. Based in Sweden, Icebug was founded to save the world from slipping. They also want to get people outdoors more often. Whether you run or walk and at what pace you do things doesn't matter. Getting people off the couch and spending time outdoors creates change. Icebug makes shoes that allow you to be outside, no matter the season or weather.
The vision for Icebug is to be a changemaker for a society where people can thrive on a planet in balance.
Though they didn’t set out to be climate activists, Icebug’s love of the forest and spending time in nature quickly made it apparent that they couldn’t stand by and return to business as usual as the climate crisis escalated. The guiding commitment for Icebug is to do the right thing for people and the planet, even when it hurts their bottom line. They are moving into a new paradigm where growth and profit are not prioritized above everything else. A world where business is a driving force to improve the livelihoods of many and is not fueled by exploiting people or exceeding planetary boundaries. Improving their practices is not enough for Icebug; they are encouraging the rest of the footwear industry to join them in using business as a force for good.