Rab is revisiting the Sheffield roots of its business and the principles behind more than four decades of mountain equipment, linking its early sleeping bags with a continuing focus on durable kit and clearer product information.
In its latest brand update, the company sets out a mission to grow its community of mountain people and equip them for adventure. Its story begins in 1981, in the attic of a small terraced house in Sheffield.
From a Sheffield attic
It was there that Rab Carrington made the first sleeping bag to carry his name. The brand says his exacting standards remain central to its approach today, with the emphasis on making equipment that lasts.
The update brings that history into the present through a selection spanning insulated outerwear, fleece and trousers, including the Women’s Deep Cover Down Parka, Women’s Nexus Jacket, Men’s Nexus Pull-On and Men’s Incline Pants.
Rather than presenting its origins as a standalone anniversary, Rab connects its early work with the clothing and equipment used by its mountain community today.
Making product information clearer
The company also highlights its commitment to reducing its impact on the mountain environments its customers use. It acknowledges that sustainability claims can be confusing and points to its Material Facts programme as a way to make product information easier to understand.
Material Facts is intended to help customers make informed choices by showing what goes into Rab products and where they are made. In the brand’s update, transparency sits alongside durability as part of the discussion about its future.
For outdoor retailers, the message offers two useful starting points for conversations with customers: how a product is intended to perform over time, and what information is available about its materials and manufacture.
Read more about the brand at Rab’s story. Outdoor Insight has also covered Rab’s consumer-facing Service Centre.
Source and image: Rab’s “Our story.” newsletter.
