Parvat: “Eco not Ego” made in Arco

Parvat is a new generation brand born in the cradle of climbing: Arco. We interviewed the two founders, Samuel Betta and Mattia Gardella to learn about what we would call more of a mission, geared toward a complete reuse of the sport’s prince material: rope.

The meeting is at the former Carmellini parking lot, and together we cross the main street of the small town in Trentino to reach the square. They proudly show me the window display that a store decided to dedicate to them, with their products and a poster, of which I recognize the main character. Spring is well underway and the heat is beginning to push on. We sit in the square. “Beer?”

Samuel and Matthias, tell me something about yourselves.

We were born in Arco, grew up among these walls that we have always loved and began to appreciate a few years ago when our passion for climbing burst out. Living here is a privilege: we are in the Mecca of climbing and we love this atmosphere. Personally, I love all disciplines, but bouldering is my favorite. Samuel is the one with the long routes.

What is climbing for you?

Climbing is a complete activity, like an ongoing process where everyone has their own style, their own approach, but the essence remains a competition with oneself. Climbing balances meditation, and that is precisely why we chose a name for our brand that recalls this aspect. The practice of meditation originated anciently in the Punjab, India, and using the Hindi word for “mountain” seemed a suitable way to convey our concept of climbing.

How was Parvat born?

We wondered why there was not yet a brand dedicated to this industry that was based right here in Arco. And so from a little chat we started to conceive of something more serious, but with a very specific goal. At least 30 ropes are discarded every month in Arco alone, and our main suppliers find it difficult to dispose of these materials. We have gathered some information about this, and old ropes constitute waste for incineration or landfill, and in both cases a fee is charged for disposal. What we do is recover these ropes, wash them and give them new life through accessories such as magnesite bags, bands and belts. We have many projects in the pipeline and are experimenting, every day we are sewing and modifying.

You are at the beginning, but there is no shortage of satisfaction….

We are very cautious, but our enthusiasm has led us to meet many people, including a couple of athletes we sponsor. We are present with our products in some climbing gyms, where we go to present the project and raise awareness about collecting used ropes. Parvat, only five months after its startup, was selected by the Province of Trento as a finalist among the top 60 Italian companies working in upcycling. It was a great honor for us to be present at the awards night and tell about our startup .

While at the distribution level?

We are beginning to be distributed in major stores in the industry, but our production is still dependent on the raw material, which makes our business sustainable. It is no coincidence that we have chosen “Eco not Ego” as our claim, which in its simplicity clearly and precisely communicates our vision.