Mervin has been building snowboards every day for over 25 years. From the beginning, we’ve been a very environmentally aware snowboard factory. Founders, Mike Olson and Pete Saari both spent many years hand-building snowboards themselves and wanted their shop to be as healthy and easy on them, their crew and the
environment as possible.
We currently have an environMental division headed up by Norm Nelson and Mike Olson. It’s their passion to stay on the front lines with our green efforts. We use the safest epoxy resin systems available, with minimal VOC’s. We use no solvents in the factory, but instead use citrus based cleaners… our shop does not stink! For
years , we have used fast-growing farmed wood for our wood cores.
Mike and Norm run a Lib Tech biodiesel co-op, with a filling station next to the factory. Our factory is also heated with biodiesel. All the electricity used by the factory is “green” power specially contracted from the local PUD. We recycle all the scrap manufacturing materials possible… including scrap wood, sawdust, and plastic base materials. Mervin sublimates rather than silkscreens its graphics. Our sublimation process eliminates the need for the super toxic automotive lacquer gloss coats you see on many shiny snowboard topsheets. (If the snowboard you own looks unbelievably glossy and shiny you are looking a “toxic gloss curtain coat” and you better believe it stunk and killed brain cells to make it shine). Our sublimation system also allows us to recycle excess base material (you cannot recycle scrap base material that has silkscreen inks on it).
This year Mervin introduced a new environmental plastic top material called BEANS that is stronger and lighter than conventional top materials. The oil used to make these topsheets comes from the castor bean plant. BEANS enviro-plastic bio-polymer is used on many models of the 08 Gnu and Lib Tech lines. Here at Mervin, we build our own snowboards near Canada in the USA with a snowboarder, surfer, skateboarder labor force. Our crew needs a healthy work environment to maximize their shred potential.
Core shops don’t let their kids ride toxic Chinese toys!