Let’s Talk Sustainable Chalk!

As mentioned in an earlier post, it’s estimated that the bulk of climbing chalk available on the market is derived from magnesite mines in China. After discovering the pollution problems associated with magnesite mining, I’ve been on the lookout for chalk brands that provide some form of traceability to where they obtain their chalk or produce chalk through alternative methods. I’ve recently come across two really interesting brands that I’m excited to share about:

Tokyo Powder Industries 

The first brand is Tokyo Powder Industries (TPI) from Japan. According to their website, TPI chalk does not come from magnesite mines but is instead synthesised from the byproducts of salt production and carbon dioxide:

The overall process appears to be quite sustainable given that their production factory is also powered by solar energy. TPI chalk production is claimed to be “an ideal way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions”, however there is no disclosure on the volume of carbon dioxide that is actually removed in the process. Nonetheless, this method of production still appears to be a viable way to reduce pollution from the sourcing of climbing chalk.  Another notable aspect is TPIs general commitments towards ensuring sustainability which include a packaging reuse program, renewable energy usage and even divestments!

Chalk Rebels 

Chalk Rebels was founded by climbers who aim to reduce loose chalk usage among the climbing community due to the negative impacts from its use. Seawater-based chalk is the latest crowdfunding product by Chalk Rebels that uses the byproduct of desalination process as a main raw material for chalk production. The brand also carries Crystal Chalk, which contains an anti-perspirant agent to reduce sweat production and hence minimise the need for chalk.

Admittedly, there’s still a lot that’s unknown about the specifics of the production processes from these two companies, especially on how the byproducts of salt production/desalination are obtained. However I do think that these innovations are a promising start in reducing pollution in an industry that has long relied on mineral mining and I’m now looking forward to making the switch to TPI chalk once I’m done with my current batch!

Thanks for reading and I hope you’ve learnt something new along the way, stay tuned for the next post!