Here’s the story of Alpkit x NTU.
21 redesigns. 31% less carbon. One bestselling tent, taken apart and reimagined with care, science, and a sewing machine.
Our partnership with Nottingham Trent University captures the essence of learning. They step inside our world. They bring fresh ideas, critical questions, and spreadsheets that decode the carbon inside a tent pole. In return, we open our doors — to our factory, our fabric shelves, our team. It’s a partnership stitched with curiosity, insight and the quiet thrill of getting things right.
Sustainability isn’t a checkbox, it’s a design principle. That’s why Nottingham Trent University’s Product Design undergrads were invited to do more than study us—they were asked to redesign one of our best-selling products: the Soloist tent, to reduce its carbon footprint without sacrificing performance.Opening the doors wide
The journey began with full immersion. Students toured our head office, Hathersage store, and UK factory, even sewing their own Bandicoot pouches from scrap fabric to understand the impact of manufacturing nuances. Our Senior Lecturer Karen Winfield says:
“We saw Alpkit demonstrating product development within a company that lives and breathes its brand values.” That hands-on orientation was crucial. It’s one thing to theorise sustainable design—it’s another to feel it under your fingers.
Teaching tools that transform
Students used a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) toolset tailored for the Soloist. Under NTU guidance, they broke the tent down, weighing every component—from flysheet fabric and poles to stitching thread. These figures were fed into the tool to map the Soloist’s current carbon footprint and model the impact of design tweaks. Senior Product Developer Rowan Williams reflects:
“As a small team, having time and resources to work on product redesign is one of our biggest challenges. The LCA tools and knowledge we don’t normally have were invaluable.”
The student sprint
Over two weeks, 54 Product Design students (plus 17 international exchange participants) worked in groups to critique, reengineer and reimagine the Soloist. Their brief? Trim carbon impact, retain function, and showcase visible savings in a final pitch to our team.
Their proposals ranged from simple fabric material swaps to structural redesigns—one group even flipped the door positioning to reduce material waste and increase usable space . Replacing virgin nylon with recycled alternatives became a recurring theme.
Real impact
From the curated suggestions, Eleven design adjustments were chosen for implementation:
- 5.55kg CO2e per tent, a 31% reduction in Soloist emissions
- Potential annual savings of ≈16,850kg CO2e across the product line
But it didn't stop there. The insights sparked improvements in packaging, pole-hub redesigns, dimension tweaks, and plans for a clear care & repair kit.
Rowan adds:
“Having LCA data allows us to bring manufacturers onboard and apply lessons across other products.” And yes—we're already repeating with rucksacks next year.
Academic praise
NTU echoed our enthusiasm. Michelle Johansson says:
“The student work was lifted to a higher level because of the level Alpkit are already at.”
Our honesty and openness enabled deep interrogation—and that transparency is a two-way street. They learned from us. We learned from them.
Multiplied benefits
This wasn’t just about one tent. The same NTU programme supported lifecycle analysis on our Brukit stove, helping reduce its carbon footprint by 19% and weight by 200g, via fuel-sleeve swaps (neoprene cork) and plastic removal.
Because these LCA insights scale, we can now estimate footprints across our full range, accelerate sustainable design, and embed data-driven decision-making firmly into our roadmap.
Why it matters
For students:
Real-world experience in sustainability, LCA, and product redesign. And a glimpse of future career paths informed by data and values
For Alpkit:
Access to external design firepower and LCA know-how. Plus verified environmental improvements in existing products
A repeatable model for future innovation
For the planet:
Tangible CO2e savings—one tent at a time. Odd effects, like sourcing recycled nylon, can shift global industry standards
Performance and durability ensure longevity—reducing waste