You may say to yourself, “A Snow Jacket is a Snow Jacket. How much more do I need to know?” Are you ready? There are Snow Jackets currently on the market that will allow you to charge your gadgets while you enjoy your favorite winter sport while, at the same time, “going green”.

Other “green” Snow Jackets offer cutting edge technology when it comes to the fabrics used to manufacture them – i.e., there is a Snow Jacket made of completely recycled products. Another progressive fabric being used to manufacture Snow Jackets is industrial hemp.

Another product which has been introduced in the manufacture of Snow Jackets is intelligent foam for protection against abrasions while skiing and snowboarding.

(Photo courtesy of apolaine, Flickr.)

A company by the name of Zegna has come out with a Snow Jacket that will keep your gadgets – i.e., iPod, cellphone, camera, etc. charged while you are wearing the jacket. How is this done? Emernegildo Zegna, an Italian designer, has come up with a Snow Jacket that has solar panels on the collar. The collar is made from the super-waterproof material, Microtene, and is removable to allow you to charge your gadgets without having to be wearing the jacket.

SCOTTeVEST has designed and manufactured a solar Snow Jacket which allows you to “carry, connect and charge their portable digital devices in one convenient and fully integrated package. Strategically mounted CIGS panels are pre-wired, providing solar power to individual devices for power storage (charging) or immediate consumption.” (www.gizmag.com) Thanks to flexible thin-film photovoltaic cells implanted in the back of the jacket. When it hit the stores in 2004, the jacket was selling for between $200 and $400. 'We expect solar panels together with the P.A.N. to be incorporated into approximately 30% of all outerwear in the next three to five years.', said Scott Jordan, Chairman and CEO of SCOTTeVEST LLC. Sounds good to me!

Motorola and Burton got together and came out with the Bluetooth-enabled Snow Jackets which were intoduced for the 2006 winter season. What exactly are these jackets able to do? “ … links a [snowboard] rider's cell phone and/or iPod with an imbedded system operated via an easily removed control module on the jacket sleeve. Stereo speakers are built into the hood of the jacket and a microphone is embedded in the upper section near the collar, allowing seamless, unobtrusive wearability and playability. Elements can be swapped between products, used as stand-alones and removed and reinserted easily.” (www.gizmag.com) The rider is also able to switch between using his/her iPod to accepting incoming cellphone calls,instantly. “When the modules are removed from the helmet and beanie, they can double as a stereo headset.” (www.gizmag.com) The second generation of this product became available in 2007. Now, isn’t that cool?

(Photo courtesy of Hannhell, Flickr.)

A good Snow Jacket, today, will be manufactured from one of the new fabrics available such as Gore-Tex® and eVent™, which provide maximum breathability, wind-resistance and are also highly water-proof.

Another fabric option, when it comes to picking out your new Snow Jacket, is that which is manufactured out of recycled products.

Environmentally friendly fabrics are the third option for those seeking to purchase a “green” Snow Jacket. Eco fashion is now including Snow Jackets manufactured from hemp – industrial hemp, that is. Industrial hemp is “one of the most environmentally friendly fabrics in the world requiring no pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers to grow, it returns nutrients to the soil and is very fast-growing and resource-efficient.” (www.shop.hoodlamb.com)

No longer exclusively used for pillows and bed mattresses, intelligent foam technology has now also invaded the ski and Snow Jacket market in order to better cushion the inevitable falls.

“Revolutionary d3oô intelligent molecule pads reactively lock together on impact to absorb shock energy. Once pressure is lifted, the padding is soft and flexible, giving you complete freedom of movement… intelligent molecules that flow during movement, but reactively lock together on impact to absorb shock. (www.3dolab.com) The pads are molded to properly fit around your shoulders and elbows when using your Snow Jacket to snowboard and/or ski.