Hallensteins Launches Scott Base Clothing Range

17 May 2004

Hallensteins Launches Scott Base Clothing Range to Help Restore Antarctic Explorers Huts

Christchurch - Hallensteins is launching a new range of menswear clothing called Scott Base with five percent of all sales going to the Antarctic Heritage Trust to fast-track the restoration of historic Antarctic huts and their contents.

The huts in New Zealand’s Ross Dependency, Antarctica, were originally built during the 'Heroic Age' in the late 1800s and early 1900s – a seminal period in Hallensteins’ own history.

The historic Antarctic explorers and our modern New Zealand male weekend warriors inspired the Scott Base clothing range.

Roy Dillon, Merchandise Director, Hallensteins says: "Through our partnership with the Antarctic Heritage Trust, Hallensteins can fulfil its desire to ensure a legacy of the heroic Antarctic era of exploration remains for future generations in the place it was built."

Scott Base clothing is perfect for the typical New Zealand man who's outdoorsy lifestyle includes camping, walking, sideline rugby watching, mountain-biking and fishing. The range includes: lightweight merino wool fleeces, chunky roll neck jumpers, easy travel roll-up wet weather jackets with breathability and protection from the wind through to big puffer jackets.

In addition, Hallensteins have created three Heritage T-shirt designs with five percent of each sale going to the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project. The T-shirts are available in black, charcoal, stone and white and feature heritage Antarctic iconography sourced from the Canterbury Museum.

Nigel Watson, Director, Antarctic Heritage Trust says: Hallensteins fund-raising initiative through sales of its Scott Base clothing range will contribute towards the conservation of these huts, including Scott’s original bases. "Urgent action is required now if these unique heritage sites are to be saved for future generations.

"This is a multi-million dollar project and our challenge is two-fold.

"Firstly we need to ensure the structural integrity of the huts which scientific reports have found to be degenerating, and secondly we need to ensure the conservation of the original artefacts inside the huts such as sleeping bags, books, clothing and provisions," Mr. Watson says.

New Zealand has taken a strong leadership role in caring for Antarctica as part of the world's cultural heritage. Through the Antarctic Heritage Trust, New Zealand is leading the way in the conservation of this unique heritage for the benefit of the international community.

The Antarctic Heritage Trust’s Ross Sea Heritage Project is focused on conserving:

Cape Adare Huts, Northern Victoria Land
(British Southern Cross Expedition 1898 – 1900 led by Carsten Borchgrevink) Discovery Hut, Ross Island
(National Antarctic Expedition 1901 – 04, led by Commander RF Scott) Nimrod Hut, Ross Island
(British Antarctic (Nimrod) Expedition 1907 – 09 led by Ernest Shackleton) Terra Nova Hut, Ross Island
(British Antarctic Expedition 1910 – 1913 led by Captain R F Scott)

Hallensteins fund-raising initiative through sales of its Scott Base clothing range will contribute towards the conservation of these huts.

In recent years the structural integrity of all four huts has become more and more unpredictable and assessment by New Zealand and overseas conservators confirmed they were at great risk of loss due to the ravages of time and extreme weather conditions and a critical lack of funding.

In 2001 it was recognised a major conservation effort was required to ensure these legacies remained for future generations and in 2002 HRH Princess Anne launched the Trust’s international project to preserve, conserve and to an extent restore the huts.

This is a long-term, world-leading project and internationally recognised experts in their relevant fields have been contracted to work on the project.

Experts include conservation architects, conservators, structural and fire engineers, quantity surveyors and historians.

Hallensteins - it's good to be a guy.

ENDS

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