This week in his shed, OM editor Will profiles a brand called Cortazu which started out, only fairly recently, as a humble Kickstarter project.

Nothing new there; we see loads of go-getters trying to launch their own business via crowdfunding platforms. Not many, however, go on to win an ISPO Gold Award though, basically the biggest award any outdoor brand can win.

It was for a new jacket this Dutch brand have developed that features not only a recycled membrane, but a recycled lining and outer fabric as well. The whole kaboosh. No brand has ever managed that before with a three-layer nylon waterproof jacket.

Sadly we couldn’t get our hands on that particular product (we will though – Cortazu, if you’re reading this, you know our address). We did manage to get our hands on their new Mountain Shell, a jacket that still boasts some pretty decent credentials on the ethics front.

What about that jacket’s performance then? Well, we’ll leave Will and our field correspondent to fill you in on all that…

The jacket actually made it into our new Green Gear Guide so head over there to see some more pics of it and to read some more details about its performance. There’s also a bunch of other eco-friendly outdoor products over there to check out.