Dakota Racing and It's Purpose
Two-time Olympic Snowboard Cross athlete Tess Critchlow has travelled around the globe to compete on the World Cup tour for most of her adult life. She grew up at Big White Ski Resort, she learned to snowboard at Big White Ski Resort, her first-ever race was at Big White Ski Resort, and now, home-town hero Tess Critchlow is on route to the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games to represent Canada in Snowboard Cross.
Often she visits the same glaciers around the world for either training or races and notices the painfully visible impacts of global warming season after season.
"It has gotten to the point that venues that have been on the circuit for longer than I have are no longer able to host for lack of snow, and races are getting pushed further and further back into the season," says Tess.
After witnessing the effects of climate change first-hand, she decided to develop an environmentally conscious clothing brand with several goals in mind.
"This brand has a few short-term goals that I'm hoping can morph into long-term change. The idea to come out with merchandise came from my need to financially support my SBX career, but I wasn't going to do so at the expense of the environment.”
For the first part of her apperal rollout, Tess is super excited to be working with Ungalli - a Canadian company committed to creating a new style standard and raising awareness of the mainstream clothing industry's negative impact. With their help, all Dakota Racing products are made with 50% recycled bottles and 50% organic cotton.
"This may not be the most lucrative way to go about it, but it's the right way, and my goal with the support of people like you is to move into using 100% hemp fabrics.”
Hemp has been known for centuries as one of the most sustainable and functional materials out there, and unfortunately, due to the war on drugs (a whole other story), hemp products were banned in 1937.
"But, now they are coming back in amazing ways, and we now have more information on hemp's many benefits.”
"Ultimately, I want to give adventure enthusiasts and environmentally conscious folks fun designs and comfortable apparel that they can be proud to rep.”
Profits from Dakota Racing sales go to Tess's training, travel, racing and other sport-specific expenses.
"But I'm hoping to surpass this and move these profits to support others. These plans are still in the works, but I promise that as the brand grows, I will prioritize giving back and will keep you all updated.”
Dakota Racing apparel is available exclusively at The Rider in the Village Centre Mall. Learn more about Tess and her road to the Olympics.