Icebug (ook hardloopschoenen)

In mijn zoektocht naar een groen paar hardloopschoenen kwam ik dit merk tegen. Ik ken het zelf nog niet, maar deze staat op de nominatielijst.

Opnieuw een Scandinavisch merk voor met name sportieve schoenen; (berg)wandelen, hardlopen en winterschoenen. Ze hebben ook een kleine collectie shirts, sokken en collen.

Als ik de website en eigenlijk nog belangrijker, de keurmerken mag geloven, zijn ze een mooi voorbeeld van een echt groen merk. Ook nog eens opgezet door een moeder en zoon, overigens al in 2001.

Van de site

Icebug was founded by a mother and son in 2001 and is still an independent, privately owned company.

When we started the company, our business idea was to sell shoes with dynamic steel studs for good traction. The idea was that the shoes – in addition to keeping feet warm and dry – would save people from the most extensive winter problem; slippery conditions.

At first, no one believed in us. Colleagues in the industry said our product wasn't relevant enough, and no one thought we would survive in the long run.

The wow factor saved us.

Even today, the wow factor is our greatest asset. Putting on shoes with any of our grip technologies and experiencing traction where you expected to slip, is unique.

Our wow factor makes our customers love Icebug and happily recommend our products to their friends. With that foundation, we have created shoes with grip as a separate product category, step by step.

At Icebug, all materials and components in each shoe are constantly tested to see if we can replace them with something that – without compromising the function – is better for the environment.

When we find a suitable solution, we are happy to share it with others. Through our Follow The Footprints initiative, anyone can follow our entire production chain to see what components a product contains and where it is produced. It may seem controversial to share what others classify as trade secrets, but it is natural for us. If we can get other brands to reduce their climate impact by sharing our insights and discoveries, it is something that the whole society benefits from – and then it is the right thing to do.

One of Icebug's most important tasks is getting people out outdoors. We manufacture products that make it easier to get out, but we also regularly engage in various activities that make it happen. Under the umbrella name Icebug Xperience, we do things we think are fun and invite others to participate – and we do it on a level where everyone feels included and welcome to participate.

For example, during weekdays, we have open lunch runs in the forest outside our office in Jonsered. Frozen Lake Marathon, which is the ultimate winter running experience, and the three-day West Coast Trail, where people from all over the world come to run or walk the rocks of Bohuslän for three days.