Archive for October, 2011
Eco-Conscious and Tour Bus Resistant
In honor of Halloween, we wanted to share the treats that showed up in our customer mailbox recently. You guys say the sweetest things!
Wanda writes:
On October 14, 2005 my two year old son’s right foot was run over by a tour-sized bus. Because of your Timberland boots he suffered no broken bones, only stitches under all five toes. I still have the pair of Timberlands he was wearing that day. You can still see the bend in the shoe when it was taking on the weight of the bus. Thank you for saving my son’s foot.
And this, from “Yat”:
I’ve just bought the earthkeeping clogs and I’m not even a clog person! The fact that they were made with the environment in mind makes them just that much more special. They are cute, comfortable, light and the quality is very good especially compare to the throwaway fashion that we are now sadly used to. I could tell that a lot of time and attention has been spent on developing the design of your shoes.
We love to hear from people who buy our products about how well they perform (but please – don’t throw your foot under a bus to find out). And yes, we also like to know when our stuff misses the mark. Have a Timberland story? Send it in and maybe we’ll feature it in an upcoming blog post!
Beating the Winter Blues With ‘Style Night Out’
Any excuse for a party: In honor of the changing season and the changing wardrobe that goes with it, Timberland hosted a series of Style Night Out events across the US and invited Timberland fans to join in the festivities.
DJ Lora sets the mood at Timberland San Francisco's Style Night Out.
Because (wo)man can't live on fashion alone.
From San Francisco and Seattle to Chicago and New York, fall-minded fashionistas came out to enjoy food, music and fun. We even had a personal stylist on hand to assist guests in creating their own winter wardrobe (with our Women’s product collection serving as inspiration):
What winter blues?
If this doesn't scream "mountain chic," I don't know what does.
You can see more Style Night Out photos by clicking on the Womens tab of our Facebook page … and if you live in the Boston area, you still have time to get in on the Style Night Out event at our Newbury Street store on November 2!
Our thanks to Lucky Magazine and Nordstrom for helping us celebrate all that’s warm and wonderful about winter.
Stay Warm
Here in New Hampshire, it’s so cold that the forecast calls for SNOW … which makes the idea of staying warm more important than ever. Here’s our senior director of apparel, Dean, back again to explain the natural inspiration (two words: polar bears) for the technology we use to make our gear thinner, lighter and warmer:
If you think that’s cool, check out the Timberland Technology Guide, where you’ll find a boatload of other videos and information about the innovative technologies and eco-conscious materials we use to create durable products that keep you comfortable, dry and warm.
And if flurries are in your local forecast, you’ll want to dress accordingly … shop our winter collections for men and women now.
Riding in Style: Timberland EcoCabs
When they were covering the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last month, our video bloggers Ramsey and Amanda had the pleasure of tooling around town in the back of one of the Timberland EcoCabs — powered by feet, not fuel, to help keep TIFF’s environmental impact down.
But let’s be clear – this isn’t just a souped-up Schwinn. Unless your Schwinn happens to have turn signals, headlights and THROTTLE. Check it out:
In Our Boots, City Year Changes the World
The following video is billed as a “thank you” from City Year, an education-focused nonprofit organization we have had the honor of partnering with over the last 20+ years. But as you watch it, it quickly becomes apparent that the gratitude is all ours to give, for City Year’s powerful commitment and tireless effort to create positive impact and sustainable change in our communities.
City Year spirit laced up in Timberland boots: a pretty unstoppable combination.
Robert on the Wrong Side of the Tracks
Robert, the star of Timberland’s Nature Needs Heroes TV commercial, invited us behind the scenes as he performed one of his breath-taking stunts. Or not:
Ah, well. Even seasoned performance artists miss their mark sometimes.
You can see more unedited footage of Robert’s on-set shenanigans on our Facebook page: like us to unlock the entire Robert video vault! And while you’re there, don’t forget to vote for your favorite Earthkeeper footwear. At last check, the Men’s Rugged 6-Inch Waterproof Plain Toe Boot was getting the most love, with the Women’s Rudston Waterproof Pull-On Boot in a distant second place. Agree? Don’t? Cast your vote!
Timberland’s Quarterly CSR Update
Last month, Timberland announced its 2nd quarter CSR performance. Highlights from this quarter’s performance are as follows, organized by Timberland’s four CSR Pillars: climate, product, factories, and service:
Climate:
Our Greenhouse Gas emissions increased by 11% in Q2 2011 compared to performance in Q2 2010. This change is primarily due to increases in air travel as our business rebounds, as well as the fact that we are no longer purchasing offsets for our Smartwool operations. With forecasted business growth this year, we are targeting static emissions for our owned and operated facilities (and employee air travel) as compared with our year-end 2010 result. We have prioritized several energy efficiency projects and renewable energy purchases to meet this goal.
Product:
Timberland continues to prioritize the use of environmentally-preferred materials in our products. In Q2 2011, 28.75% of materials in our apparel production were recycled, organic, or renewable (ROR). This result is consistent with Q2 2010 ROR use at 29.1%. Timberland’s International Design Center continues to drive improved ROR use across our apparel production. We are also working with our Licensee partners to further incorporate these materials.
Factories:
34% of our suppliers had High Priority scores in Q2 2011, which is relatively the same as our Q1 2011 results. Controlling working hours and effective wage calculation/payment processes were issues for 85% of the High Priority factories. Our sourcing managers are increasing regular assessments of factories’ production capacities and making adjustments in orders (or securing additional suppliers).
Service:
Timberland employees served a total of 45,702 hours year to date, as of the end of Q2 2011. The Hours Utilization Rate (HUR – the percentage of employee service hours used compared to total available according to the Path of Service program) year to date at the end of Q2 2011 was 21%, which is slightly higher than our Q2 2010 result.
Additional Q2 2011 performance data and analysis can be found in the Goals & Progress section of Timberland’s new CSR website.
Stay Dry
As a brand built on the very idea of “waterproof,” we spend a lot of time thinking about the best way to keep you dry – both from the outside and the inside. Here’s Dean, our senior director of apparel, on why breathability is so important in designing waterproof gear:
Dry = happy is a pretty simple equation, but there’s a lot of innovative technology behind it. To learn more about the ways we’re working waterproof into our products (and your closet), check out the new Timberland Tech Guide.
Timberland Serv-a-palooza 2011
Last month, we kicked off “Serv-a-palooza” — Timberland’s annual, global community service initiative. Since then, our employees and partners have been hard at work, making a positive and sustainable impact in communities around the world.
Here’s our favorite video blogger Amanda to give us a taste of what Serv-a-palooza was like at one of our projects here in New Hampshire — framing houses to go to families in need with Habitat for Humanity:
Outdoor Essentials for Fall: LiteTrace Packs
There’s something about autumn’s changing colors that can inspire even the most committed slackers to get up and go outdoors. And whether your next outdoor adventure takes you to the top of a mountain or just down the street, you’re going to need something to stash your essentials in when you go out.
Introducing Timberland’s LiteTrace pack collection:
LiteTrace Daypack
LiteTrace Backpack
LiteTrace Hydration Pack (featuring a 3-liter water bladder w/customizable tube exit)
Our LiteTrace packs feature durable, lightweight ripstop fabric made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, and quick-adjust straps for a more comfortable fit. And because no fall foliage trip should be ruined by rain, LiteTrace packs have water-resistant zippers and waterproof, stashable rain covers to keep your gear dry.
You can shop for LiteTrace packs and other products on our website or in Timberland stores.
