Expedition GREENLAND

Team UMIAQ – an Inuit word describing a boat used solely by women working around the Arctic ice.

A team of incredible women set sail from Iceland to Greenland, passing through fjords only now navigable due to the melting of the Arctic sea ice. The journey will of course help to bring public attention to the frightening rate of change in the Arctic but will serve several other purposes too. The team will be collecting seawater and ice samples for microplastic analysis, investigating the resilience of all female teams in extreme environments, and of course field testing the latest GROUNDTRUTH equipment. You’ll bear witness to all the action as our co-founder and experienced filmmaker Sophia Scott will be there to document the entire journey. 

Written by Sophia Scott
Co-Founder, GroundTruth Productions & GROUNDTRUTH Global

GROUNDTRUTH bags were always designed to withstand harsh and remote environments, whilst still accommodating everyday use in the modern world. Our RIKR range was originally field tested by polar explorer Robert Swan and the Greenland expedition provides the perfect opportunity to test our latest products. The first is the new upgrade to our zip-pullers and name tags which incorporates recycled household plastic and captured atmospheric carbon dioxide. It has been an absolute privilege to work with our partner Expedition Air. They imagine a world where atmospheric carbon may be sequestered and incorporated into all manner of materials, from household items to building infrastructure. Whilst the absolute amount of carbon in any single item may be relatively small, experimenting with these materials paves the way to scaling up production in the future with the potential to make real impact. Perhaps this is one piece of the puzzle in addressing atmospheric carbon concentration and building a truly circular economy.

The second line of products to be tested are our brand new RIKR sling bag prototypes (pictured). These are perfect for people who need to keep essentials within easy reach whilst keeping their hands free. The idea was first conceived in partnership with Arctic explorer and Team UMIAQ member Felicity Aston MBE.

GROUNDTRUTH are supporting Felicity with her Big North Pole expedition next year– she told us that when she or a team mate gets into trouble on the ice, they need certain safety items such as flares and a radio within easy reach and ready to use. We think the rough seas around Greenland’s Cape Farewell is the perfect environment to put these bags through their paces. The sling bags are made with our innovative recycled plastic rPET material, now sealed with a new prototype coating incorporating captured CO2. Once we learn how they perform, we can make the appropriate changes and bring them online – watch this space!