Name: 北極狐背包在貴什麼？高單價背後的感人原因 (Why is Fjällräven so expensive?)
Uploaded: 2019-07-27T21:01:10.000Z
Duration: 5 min 41 s

The history of Fjällräven begins a lot like most other outdoor apparel company origin stories, with a young adventurer unsatisfied with their gear.

Fjällräven 的歷史就像大多數戶外用品公司的起源一樣：一名年輕的冒險家對現有的裝備感到不滿。

基礎被動語態

In this case, the adventurer is a twenty-something Swede named Åke Nordin, who was frustrated with the clunky wooden backpacking frames of an older generation.

在這個故事中的冒險家是一名二十幾歲的瑞典人 Åke Nordin，他對舊式笨重的木製背包框架很不滿。

分詞構句

And so, in 1960, nestled in a town in Sweden's High Coast, Åke began to tinker with alternative designs, eventually creating what became his first aluminum framed backpack.

於是在 1960 年，居住在瑞典高地海岸一個小城的 Åke 開始改良背包，最終製造了他的第一個鋁製框架背包。

Åke sold this first backpack and the Fjällräven brand was born.

Åke 將這第一個背包售出，Fjällräven 這個品牌也應運而生。

Soon after, outdoor enthusiasts exploded onto the scene in the 1970s.

不久後，在 1970 年代突然出現許多熱愛戶外運動的人。

And as a result, Fjällräven became a mainstay in the Swedish outdoor community.

Fjällräven 也因此成為瑞典戶外運動品牌的中流砥柱。

Slowly, as their famous Greenland Jacket gave way to other popular gear like the Kånken backpack, the company transformed into a global outdoor brand.

慢慢地，當它們著名的 Greenland 夾克被其他像 Kånken 背包的流行裝備取代，Fjällräven 便轉型為全球戶外用品品牌。

And at the core of Fjällräven lies a deep commitment to the natural world.

而 Fjällräven 的核心理念，是對自然界的承諾。

Much like its counterpart Patagonia, Fjällräven sells high-quality adventure gear at sometimes jaw-dropping price points.

跟競爭對手 Patagonia 的性質相似，Fjällräven 販售高品質的戶外探險裝備，價錢有時令人瞠目結舌。

But, for both, this price point is often justified by their ethics and attention to quality.

但對這兩間公司而言，產品定價常會因為其恪遵的倫理和對品質的要求而被接受。

So, is Fjällräven actually an eco-conscious company like they claim?

Fjällräven 真如自己所稱，是一間具環保意識的公司嗎？

And does that really justify their price?

這點真的足以讓高價合理化嗎？

Fjällräven's approach to sustainability really started 25 years ago, in 1994, with the arctic fox, which also just so happens to be the logo of their company and the English translation of Fjällräven.

Fjällräven 從 25 年前（1994 年）就開始注重北極狐的永續發展，北極狐也恰巧成了該公司的商標，同時是 Fjällräven 的英譯。

As climate change began to drastically alter their Scandinavian habitat, these cute little animals began to disappear from the landscape.

隨著氣候變遷劇烈改變牠們在斯堪地那維亞的棲息環境，這些可愛的小動物也逐漸從這片景色中消失。

And by 1994, there were between 40-80 arctic foxes left in Scandinavia.

到了 1994 年，斯堪地那維亞半島上的北極狐只剩 40 到 80 隻。

So, Fjällräven did the only thing they thought they could.

所以 Fjällräven 做了他們認為唯一能做的事。

They partnered up with the EU and sponsored research and conservation efforts for the arctic fox.

他們跟歐盟合作，贊助了北極狐的研究和保育工作。

Since then, the fox's numbers have climbed to over 200!

從那時起，狐狸的數量就攀升到 200 隻！

Although this could be seen as a marketing ploy, these values are also central to the creation of their product line.

雖然這可能被視為行銷手法，但這些價值觀仍是他們設計生產線時的核心考量。

Especially now, as Fjällräven pours its attention into creating products like the Re-Kånken.

尤其是現在，Fjällräven 正傾注心力設計 Re-Kånken 這類產品。

A completely environmentally-focused overhaul of the wildly popular Kånken backpack.

它是 Kånken 這個熱門包款的環保進階版。

The Re-Kånken is woven from a single yarn made of 11 plastic bottles, which allows the backpack to eventually be recycled at the end of its use.

Re-Kånken 是用 11 個寶特瓶製成的紗線以單紗紡織的方式製成，讓背包在不堪使用後可被回收。

Fjällräven was also the first to utilize the SpinDye process in their production line, which allows pigment to seep into threads by spinning and dyeing them simultaneously.

Fjällräven 也是第一個在生產線運用 SpinDye 染製技術的公司，藉由同步紡紗和染色，讓染劑直接滲入紗線。

Apparently, this process uses 75% less water, 67％ fewer chemicals, and 39% less energy.

這個製程據說減少了 75% 的用水、67% 的化學製品和 39% 的能源。

And now, Fjällräven is transitioning that production technique to its other products.

Fjällräven 現在也將這個生產技術移轉到其它產品上。

On top of all that, it's removed PFCs, a chemical pollutant used to waterproof outdoor gear, from all of its apparel.

此外，Fjällräven 的所有服裝也不再添加全氟化合物，一種使戶外用品防水的化學汙染物。

And drafted a Code of Conduct for its suppliers that prioritizes animal welfare, workers' rights, and sound environmental practices.

並為供應商草擬了一份《行為準則》，以動物福祉、勞工權益、良好的環保實踐為優先考量。

So, Fjällräven is undoubtedly doing a lot to minimize their environmental impact, but they are still a for-profit company.

Fjällräven 在環境衝擊最小化這方面的確做了很多，但他們仍然是營利導向的公司。

At the end of the day, they're still trying to make money.

不管怎麼說，他們還是想要賺錢。

So do their ethical actions justify their product's price?

那麼，他們的道德行為是否能將產品價格合理化？

When you walk into a typical Fjällräven store, you're confronted with two things: well-made products and a big price tag.

當你走進一間典型的 Fjällräven 店裡，你會看到兩樣東西：製作精良的產品和大大的價格標籤。

Flip over the tag for a bag like the Re-Kånken and you'll find a large 90 next to the dollar sign.

把任一背包的價格牌翻過來，以 Re-Kånken 為例，你會在美元符號旁邊看到大大的 90。

Or if you're looking to buy one of their Greenland Down jackets, you'll be out 500 dollars.

如果你想買一件 Greenland Down 羽絨夾克，你得花上 500 美元。

Unfortunately, Fjällräven doesn't publicly disclose how much they spend on materials and labor, so it's hard to say exactly how much of a profit they are making.

很可惜，Fjällräven 並未公開透漏他們的物料和人力成本，所以我們也無從得知他們賺取的利潤。

Their price point seems to be guided by a combination of the cost of quality long-lasting materials, their commitment to the environment, and also the up-charge that a recognized brand can incur.

他們的價格似乎是奠基於耐用的材料成本、對環境的承諾，和其品牌知名度可以產生的附加價值。

In my opinion, if you are looking for new gear and you have enough money to spare, Fjällräven is a good bet because it's firmly committed itself as an industry leader in eco-conscious production.

我認為，如果你想添購新裝備，也有足夠的預算，Fjällräven 是個不錯的選擇，因為他們堅定地想成為環保產品企業的領導品牌。

The unfortunate truth is that it takes more time, effort, and money to create socially responsible and environmentally ethical apparel.

不幸的事實是，想要創造兼顧社會責任和環境倫理的服裝需要花費更多的時間、精力和資金。

And Fjällräven is doing what it can, given the restraints of an unsustainable industry.

有鑑於非永續產業的限制，Fjällräven 也已經盡其所能了。

But really, as I talked about in my Patagonia video, at the end of the day, the most eco-friendly and cheapest thing you could do would be to buy used gear, or better yet, not buy at all.

但就像我在 Patagonia 那部影片中提到的，說到底，購買二手裝備，或乾脆直接不買，就是最友善環境又最便宜的做法。