The ski industry has a climate problem: we depend on snow.
A small ski company out of Burlington, Vermont has done something no other ski manufacturer has managed: earned third-party certification that its carbon footprint is being measured, disclosed, and actively reduced across its entire supply chain. Renoun, which has been making skis since 2014, announced the renewal of its Climate Label certification this week, timed just ahead of Earth Day. The certification is administered by The Change Climate Project, a nonprofit that was previously known as Climate Neutral, and it requires companies to submit to annual verification — not a one-time audit, not a self-reported pledge, but a recurring external check on everything from raw materials sourced in North America to the finished skis rolling out of a manufacturing facility in Quebec.
Renoun was the first ski manufacturer to earn this kind of certification, and it remains the only one. That distinction matters in an industry that has every reason to take climate change personally. Snow is the product. Without reliable winters, there is no ski industry — no lift tickets, no gear sales, no reason to exist. Rob Golden, Renoun's CEO, put it plainly: the ski industry has a climate problem because it depends on snow. For Golden, the certification is not a marketing maneuver. It's an acknowledgment that the company's long-term survival is tied to the same atmospheric conditions it is, in some small measure, contributing to.
The Climate Label standard is built on internationally recognized frameworks for carbon measurement and the net-zero transition. It applies to consumer products and services companies, and it demands more than measurement — certified companies are required to fund climate solutions both within and beyond their own value chains. Austin Whitman, CEO of The Change Climate Project, describes the certified companies as a distinct group of climate leaders who have chosen to factor the real costs of climate change into how they operate. The goal, in Whitman's framing, is to bring those companies together into a single movement capable of accelerating the funding needed for a broader energy transition.
Renoun's environmental commitments exist alongside a product line that the company has built around a specific technological claim. Its patented VibeStop system uses a non-Newtonian polymer embedded in the ski that changes its stiffness properties depending on speed and terrain. At high speeds on hardpack or ice, the material firms up, improving edge hold. At lower speeds or in softer snow, it stays compliant, preserving the playful feel that powder skiers want. Jascha Herlihy, Renoun's head of product development, notes that most dampening systems either add weight or deaden the ski's feedback — VibeStop, he says, does neither, adapting in real time to conditions underfoot.
The company backs those claims with customer data: 48 percent of Renoun skiers report better control at speed, 40 percent say they experience less fatigue, and 74 percent notice a meaningful improvement in on-snow performance. More than half of customers say VibeStop was a decisive factor in their purchase. Renoun also offers a five-day, no-risk trial with free return shipping for anyone who finds the skis aren't the right fit.
In September 2025, Renoun launched a membership program called RenounPro, which gives members access to the latest VibeStop-equipped skis from the moment they sign up, with automatic model upgrades every 24 months. A feature called SwapAnytime allows members to exchange their current model for a different one at any point for $150. The program also includes access to exclusive ski trips, resort meetups, and discounts of up to 30 percent on partner gear through a dedicated app.
Renoun's current lineup spans six models, ranging from the carving-focused Atlas 80 to the limited-production Citadel 114, a deep-snow powder ski aimed at guides and expert skiers. All are designed in Vermont and manufactured in Quebec, and all carry the VibeStop technology. The company has collected multiple ISPO Gold Awards and has been recognized by Forbes, Outdoor Life, WIRED, and CNN Underscored.
The broader question the certification raises is whether it will remain a solitary distinction. The outdoor sports industry — skiing, climbing, cycling, paddling — is full of companies that market themselves on their connection to the natural world. Verified, third-party accountability for carbon emissions is a different thing from a well-designed logo or a recycled-content hang tag. Whether other ski brands follow Renoun into this kind of rigorous, annual disclosure may say something meaningful about how seriously the industry is willing to reckon with the conditions that make it possible.
Notable Quotes
Climate Label certification isn't a marketing move. It's acknowledging reality, taking accountability for our carbon footprint, and building a brand that can survive it.— Rob Golden, CEO of Renoun
Companies that achieve The Climate Label have chosen to factor the costs of climate change into their business — and we're bringing them together to accelerate critical funding for the climate transition.— Austin Whitman, CEO of The Change Climate Project
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does it matter that this is annual verification rather than a one-time certification?
Because a one-time audit is a snapshot. Annual verification means the company can't earn the label and then quietly backslide. The accountability is ongoing, not archival.
Renoun is a small brand. Does their certification actually move the needle on climate?
Probably not in terms of raw tonnage. But the significance is more about precedent — they're the only ski manufacturer doing this, and that gap is itself a kind of pressure on the rest of the industry.
Golden says it's about survival, not marketing. Do you believe that framing?
It's both, and that's not a contradiction. A ski company that loses its winters loses everything. The survival logic is real. That it also happens to be good marketing doesn't make the underlying argument wrong.
What does it mean to fund climate solutions beyond your own value chain?
It means the certification isn't just about cleaning up your own mess. Companies are required to direct money toward broader decarbonization efforts — outside their supply chain, outside their industry.
The VibeStop technology gets a lot of space in this announcement. Why pair that with a climate story?
Renoun is trying to make the case that environmental accountability and high performance aren't in tension. The technology is the proof of concept — if the skis are genuinely excellent, the sustainability story doesn't feel like compensation for a lesser product.
Is there any risk that Climate Label certification becomes another form of greenwashing?
That's the central tension with any certification. The answer depends entirely on how rigorous the third-party verification actually is and whether the reduction commitments have teeth. The framework here builds on internationally recognized standards, which is a meaningful floor.
What should we watch for next?
Whether any other ski brands pursue this certification. If Renoun stays alone in this category for another few years, that tells you something about the industry's appetite for real accountability.