WE’VE GOT COMPANY: PURL WAX
A True Rider Owned And Operated Business, A Grassroots Company At Its Finest
Scott Sparks keepin’ it clean and green for over a decade
Words: Adam Queen
In today’s snowboard industry, there are always a handful of companies described as “rider owned” or “snowboarder operated.” While this is true to a point, most of the time there is some type of higher-up calling the shots. It’s usually someone who doesn’t ride, and could probably care less about snowboarders. Then there are companies like Purl Wax, a true rider owned and operated business, a grassroots company at its finest.
Download pdf of full article
Checkout Snowboard Colorado
Purl Wax was started in Boulder in 1999 in a small warehouse space on 47th and Old Pearl, which is where the company’s name came from. Owner Scott Sparks says the idea to do a wax company came about in the late 90′s when everyone was using waxes with high fluorocarbon content. “In the late 90′s everyone was caught up using these high fluoro waxes,” mentions Sparks, “Even before all the scientific studies came out, we all knew these fluoros were nasty. It just doesn’t make sense to use wax with chemicals that contribute to global warming when your passion is snowboarding.” The first stage of starting Purl wax was to create an R&D team to develop a fast, durable wax line that was biodegradable and eco-friendly and designed for performance.
Purl Wax’s newest product is their ICE 9 all natural wax line. Every ingredient in the line comes from natural and renewable sources. There is not a single ingredient in ICE 9 that is found in a traditional wax. The wax is 100% bio-degradable, petroleum free, and PFC free. ICE 9 is not a soy wax like some other companies have tried to do in recent years. Its simply all the good stuff you want in a wax, none of the bad stuff for the earth. If you are still thinking that this whole all natural wax thing is just a gimmick, do a little research, like the guys at Purl have. PFC production contains some of the nastiest chemicals around including some acids that have ended up in the streams near Dumont, CO andaffected thousands of people. Purl encourages everyone to take a look at their website (www.purlracing.com) to see more about the harmful effects of PFC’s and the EPA’s lawsuits against fluoro-chemical producers in the U.S.
The response to Purl has been huge. After a few successful seasons, Purl moved the operation into a bigger warehouse in Dillon, CO, “to be closer to the mountains,” Sparks tells me. After all, Sparks, a native of Alabama, fell in love with the mountains while visiting his brother in Colorado years ago and moved to our beautiful state in 1994. “It was the curse of Chief Niwot.” Sparks says he was surprised at how much work goes into starting and building a company, but it seems to be paying off these days. “Business is booming,” Sparks tells me. Purl must be doing something right, as the company now has locations in Dillon, Boulder, and office space in Denver. They also have an international pro team with some pretty heavy hitters on board boasting names like Jake Blauvelt, Stevie Bell, Pat Milbery, Lonnie Kauk, and pro skiers Seth Morrison and Sage Cattabriga-Alosa. Local CO shreds that are down with Purl include Ricky Bates, Lakota Sage, Jake and Zack Black, and a slew of other riders and skiers.
Purl also just inked a deal to have their wax distributed by Wintersteiger worldwide. Sparks says, “As our business has grown from local to national, to global, we have made serious efforts to make sure that every aspect of our growth phase meets our environmental standards. We are in a time of great opportunity right now. Customers are more aware of climate change than ever before and they are demanding product with limited impact on the environment.”
When asked about future aspirations for the company Sparks replied, “My biggest goal for the future of Purl Wax is to build strong relationships with all of our retailers and customers. Purl invests heavily in research and development. I can’t tell you what we’re working on just yet, but we’re about to blow some people away. Sales are through the roof. If you’re not on board yet, what are you waiting for?”