Tyrolean sustainability: Chillaz | Sport Conrad Blog | Advices, Guides, News and Outdoor Equipment

From pants to popular climbing brand

The Chillaz story began with the idea of using stretch to make climbing pants more comfortable and allow more freedom of movement. What sounds logical today was the spark that ignited the success story of the Tyrolean climbing brand in 2001. Chillaz co-founder Ulf Kattnig had previously worked for one of the world’s largest textile manufacturers, but no one wanted to work with him on his idea for comfortable climbing pants. So he quickly set up his own label.

Chillaz is now over 20 years old, and Ulf Katting and his wife Sandra run the ten-strong team in Zillertal, Austria. Chillaz not only stands for casual designs, but also for a respectful approach to nature and other people, and for valuing family and friends. The Tyrolean brand takes its social and environmental responsibility very seriously. This includes resource-saving and fair production, as well as a family relationship with the main producer in Turkey.

More than the legal minimum: Fair business

Based on his experience in the textile industry, it was important to Ulf Kattnig from the start to work with partners who respect human rights and guarantee a high standard of production. The main textile production has been in Turkey for over 20 years. 90 % of the products have always been manufactured in a family business in Istanbul.

This ensures that workers are paid a fair wage and work in humane conditions – unlike many companies in the textile industry who pay only the legal minimum wage, which is often not enough to live on. By paying fair wages, Chillaz enables the children of its workers to get a good education.

In this way, Chillaz ensures that all employees are financially secure, whether at the headquarters in Vomp/Austria or in the production facility in Istanbul/Turkey. In addition, Chillaz guarantees the following to its production workers:

Pension: Employer pays for pension insurance
Travel expenses to and from work
Tea and biscuits during breaks and lunch are paid for by the employer.
The working week cannot exceed 43 hours. Overtime is prohibited
5 weeks paid holiday
Adherence to hygiene standards: Clean workplaces and toilets, …

Green production & smart fibre selection

Chillaz has chosen to manufacture in Turkey because of its textile expertise and the fact that production takes place as close as possible to the source of the fibre. Thanks to the short distances, Chillaz is able to reduce CO2 emissions.

Chillaz uses only ecologically produced fibres and recycled wool. The Lyocell and Model brands also use Lenzig fibres. Compared to cotton, Lyocell and Model have a much better environmental balance – they are biodegradable fibres made from wood from sustainable forestry.

The brand uses recycled wool for their cuddly, warm Cillaz styles. This saves resources and reduces energy consumption as the wool does not need to be dyed. The cotton used is high quality and sourced from trusted traders. The cotton is not certified organic due to the difficulty of traceability in the global market. However, the brand is committed to using only organic cotton in the future, as it uses less water during cultivation and does not use dangerous pesticides.

Packaging, transport and carbon footprint

With the necessary support from Chillaz’s customers, the brand was able to overcome a major hurdle and completely switch from plastic packaging to recycled paper. Chillaz had a lot of catching up to do, as it has always delivered its products by truck. The CO2 load of the entire truck journey is 556.52 kg per transport. Since spring 2022, deliveries to Tyrol have been made by train for the first time, allowing Chillaz to significantly reduce CO2 emissions. The estimated CO2 impact of rail transport is 17.45 kg per shipment.

The Tyrolean brand publishes its total CO2 balance on its website: For the production of its clothing, Chillaz emits 72.37 tonnes of CO2e per year. Electricity accounts for 6.05 t CO2e, space heating and hot water for 17.19 t CO2e and mobility and travel for 49.14 t CO2e. To offset its CO2 emissions, Chillaz is working on a project with a company in Tyrol. The brand intends to publish details in the near future.

Because of these efforts, Chillaz is a WIR DENKEN UM brand. Our WDU label recognises brands and products that are environmentally friendly and fair. Find out more about our WDU label here.