Sherpa Adventure Gear Kirtipur Sweater Jacket Wins 2015 ISPO Gold Award

Men’s Kirtipur Sweater

(Kent, WA and Kathmandu, Nepal)—January 29, 2015—Sherpa Adventure Gear’s Kirtipur Sweater Jacket has been announced as the 2015 ISPO AWARD GOLD WINNER for Outdoor Lifestyle & Fashion products in the annual competition that culminates at the ISPO Munich sporting goods trade show.  The Kirtipur Sweater can be seen from February 5-8, 2015 at ISPO Munich at the awards arena or at Sherpa Adventure Gear in Hall B6 Stand 424.

The news sparked huge cheers from Sherpa Adventure Gear, including CEO and founder Tashi Sherpa, as well as the company’s Kathmandu, Nepal, US and European teams. 

“The Kirtipur Sweater Jacket has been an odyssey of hope and dedication from day one,” said Tashi Sherpa, explaining the inspiration behind the hand-knit sweaters that benefit women’s skill building and jobs in Nepal.  “What started off as a simple idea to empower some women in a small village to learn to knit and make a living has now grown into an iconic symbol representing the richness of an ancient heritage with the best innovations of modern technology.”

Sherpa Adventure Gear employs over 1,000 women in local knitting co-ops in Kirtipur and the ancient city of Bhaktapur to hand knit and sew the company’s hats and sweaters. It takes four days to hand knit each Kirtipur Sweater, which is named after the village where women gather daily to create them.
The Kirtipur Sweater Jacket project highlights Sherpa Adventure Gear’s commitment to manufacturing in Nepal and supporting small-scale industries and employment there, particularly for women.

The Kirtipur Sweater—made in different designs for men and women—combines the tradition and beauty of a hand-knit wool sweater with the modern insulating power of PrimaLoft® Silver. Incredibly warm, the Kirtipur has many practical features that showcase its utility in cold weather.  Its lined interior and plush fleece collar and hood are very cozy. Internal and hand pockets, arm cuffs, a jacquard drawstring and a brass prayer wheel are among the finishing touches.

Every year, Sherpa Adventure Gear plans to create a new hand knit pattern for the Kirtipur, which is produced in limited edition quantities.

Building on the success of the company’s program, Sherpa Adventure Gear has expanded its knit offerings for Fall 2015 with the addition of hand-loomed sweaters. The men’s Lhotse and Basantapur Sweaters and the women’s Nima are crafted using 100% lambswool on looming machines. Additionally, these sweaters are insulated with lightweight PrimaLoft® Silver (40gsm) and are lined with tricot in the body and nylon taffeta in the sleeves.  An exclusive jacquard knit pattern adds texture and detail to the sweaters.

About Sherpa Adventure Gear

In the highest reaches of the Himalayas, the Sherpa people lead the world in mountaineering with warmth, grace and good humour. Tashi Sherpa—upon discovering that his uncles assisted Sir Edmund Hilary’s celebrated 1953 expedition to the summit of Everest—founded Sherpa Adventure Gear in 2003 to honour his people by creating the best quality outdoor apparel made in Nepal. The company employs hundreds in Kathmandu and Nepal at its headquarters, stores and manufacturing operations. Marketing and North American sales and distribution is based in Kent, Washington. A portion of every sale benefits the education of Sherpa children through the Paldorje Education Fund, an IRS 501(c)(3) charitable arm the company established in May 2012.

For more information, visit www.sherpaadventuregear.com.


By Boo Turner, Footloose Communications through press release ©