Sustainability
BETTER WAX FOR A HEALTHIER WATERSHED
In the heart of the winter landscape, it’s crucial to acknowledge the longstanding, detrimental effects of fluorinated waxes and hydrophobic additives on our watersheds. With each run, these materials are left on snow, seeping into snowmelt, soil, and eventually our water, where they remain as “forever chemicals”. FIS has now banned fluorocarbon waxes from competitions, but there are few limitations in recreational use. With over 65 million annual ski & snowboard visits, it’s up to manufacturers, retailers, and consumers to do better for our watersheds.
Since day 1, Wend has embraced environmental responsibility, from our manufacturing to on-snow impact. Long before the FIS fluoro ban and eco-competitors, Wend pioneered the quest for watershed-safe wax formulations and cutting-edge fluorocarbon alternatives without compromising top-tier performance. Crafted in Wend’s zero-waste wax facility, every Wend product mirrors this commitment to natural, biodegradable, and plant-based ingredients.
MAKING SENSE OF PRODUCT CLAIMS
When it comes to claims, our policy has always been NUBS (No Unsubstantiated Bull-Shit). When you see these words with each Wend wax product, you know what we stand by:
BIODEGRADABLE: Capable of being decomposed by biological activity, especially by microorganisms.
PLANT-BASED: Product containing at least 50% (by weight) ingredients derived directly from plant sources.
NATURAL: Materials or ingredients produced directly by natural processes.
SUSTAINABLE: Able to be produced for an indefinite period without damaging the environment or depleting a resource.
ZERO-WASTE: All ingredients, materials, and packaging are used, recycled, or retained for future production.
MEADOWFOAM: OUR CORNERSTONE SNOW TECH
Used exclusively in our waxes since 2012, Meadowfoam seed oils and waxes made Wend the first wax to use natural plant additives with performance on par with fluoros.
What makes Meadowfoam so unique? Its seed oils and waxes are cultivated from wildflowers native to CA & OR and used as an organic additive that mimics the exceptional hydrophobic capabilities and performance of fluorocarbon molecules, but in a biodegradable, non-toxic, and watershed-safe form.
Since its introduction in 2012, Meadowfoam has been our cornerstone ingredient. Used in different concentrations from our Cleaning & Maintenance products to our Elite Racing Lab waxes, Meadowfoam provides increased base penetration, prolonged durability, and exceptional hydrophobic glide.
ZERO-WASTE PRODUCTION
Every bar of Wend wax is made in our zero-waste factory in Vista, California. Our core ingredients are melted with steam, then mixed, to minimize environmental impact. All ingredient packaging is either recycled or reused, and our process leaves no excess or waste production.
Once finished, Wend wax products are hand-packed in packaging made from recycled materials, ready to be shipped to your gear shop or home.
WATER-BASED, SOLVENT-FREE BIKE LUBES
Just like their winter counterparts, the bike industry's solvent-based cleaners, fluorinated waxes, and oil-based chain lubricants have a dirty history of detrimental impacts on our watersheds.
When we launched Wend Bike products, we set out to reimagine drivetrain maintenance with our same passion and commitment to delivering a faster ride without harm to the world around us.
Created by founder John Dahl and original formulation partner Dr Hylton Murphy, Wend's Wax-On Liquid Lubes use nanoceramics instead of harmful PTFEs, for a lubricating chain wax that's free of fluoros, solvents, dyes, and fragrances.