There’s a lot to think about when it comes to buying eco-friendly gear, because the term covers so many bases.

When we buy a new snowboard, or a jacket, or even a pair of socks, we don’t often consider where it came from, who made it and what harmful substances might have brought it into being. But now’s a great time to start!

At Cooler, we’ve been looking into which brands source their materials ethically, use eco friendly production methods, recycle their waste products and treat their workers responsibly.

It can be a tricky process, as some companies can be pretty cagey about where their factories are (although here is a handy chart from Illicit Snowboarding to help!)*.

Most don’t offer the consumer a transparent supply chain – but things are improving, especially from snowboard brands.

As is the case with most products we buy these days, there is no such thing as a piece of winter sports kit that’s good for the environment, but these guys are definitely doing their bit to help sustain the planet.

From the use of water based inks, forest replenishing, plastic recycling, employee car pooling and many many more, we’re stoked to see so many companies, big and small, going the extra mile to keep the snow falling and the mountains full of fresh air.

Read on to view our pick of the greenest companies to get your gear from this year…

*Illicit also have some really interesting articles on evil factories and who owns who, definitely worth a read…