Repair instead of throwing away!

“Repairing things” – something our grandparents took for granted is now becoming a trend again, and not without reason, because repairs are particularly sustainable. In times of climate change and increasing awareness of costs and resources, repairs help extend the life cycle of products and reduce waste.

We have always offered a wide range of spare parts for our KED helmets (straps, visors, padding, reflectors, etc.) long before the trend for repair cafés and DIY instructions. As a responsible manufacturer of bicycle helmets, we want to help protect and preserve the planet for future generations. We are trying to reduce our footprint and optimize our processes accordingly.

Many factors play a role in the production of bicycle helmets. Our helmets consist largely of technical plastics and are developed to offer the highest possible level of protection. A helmet must also be as light and comfortable as possible and withstand wind and weather in daily use - of course without losing its protective effect. This high level of resistance also has a downside, because you can't simply throw a helmet in the compost when you no longer need it. Recycling old helmets makes sense, of course, but it also uses energy. That's why we want our helmets to be able to be used for the entire recommended service life of up to five years in the spirit of sustainability. We achieve this on the one hand through the particularly high product quality of our helmets, most of which are manufactured in Germany, and on the other hand through the systematic promotion of repairability and the manufacture and availability of spare parts.

The advantages of repairs are obvious:

• Reduction in the amount of waste: Repairs contribute immensely to avoiding waste and thus also relieve the burden on the recycling industry.
• Conservation of resources: Repairing products (instead of buying new ones) conserves resources because fewer new products have to be manufactured.
• Life extension: A repair extends the life cycle of a product, which has a direct impact on sustainability.
• Reduction of CO2 emissions: The production of new bicycle helmets requires energy and therefore of course also contributes to emissions.

Repairing bicycle helmets is an important aspect of sustainability. Many people decide to simply throw away their helmet and buy a new one even if it has minor defects. However, this leads to an unnecessary waste of resources and unnecessarily increases the mountain of waste. Instead, minor repairs should be carried out - if possible - to extend the lifespan. Of course, only original spare parts should always be used for repairs and no “structural changes” may be made, otherwise the helmet’s approval will be lost.

One thing is clear: if a helmet has been exposed to impact, it should definitely be replaced. When it comes to safety, no compromises should be made with a bicycle helmet.

But the whole helmet isn't always broken. If, for example, only the safety light is defective, then it can be easily remedied. If just a small thing needs to be replaced, then our range of spare parts is the first port of call. In more complicated cases, you can confidently contact the KED service team, because we know our products inside out and are happy to help.

Many parts of a bicycle helmet can be repaired without any concerns. Here are some examples:

• Visor/Visor: If the shield or visor is damaged or lost, it can be easily replaced
• Interior upholstery: Worn or broken interior upholstery can usually be replaced with fresh upholstery.
• Light: We have many spare parts in stock for the safety lights on our helmets.
• Shell: If the foam core or the outer skin appears damaged, the helmet should generally not be repaired, as only a flawless shell ensures effective shock absorption. In this case, you should look for a new helmet.

Of course, the topic of sustainability doesn’t stop with the topic of repairs.

Bicycle helmets are an important part of road safety. They protect the head from injuries in the event of accidents and are therefore indispensable. In Germany there are strict rules and regulations that guarantee the safety of bicycle helmets. But today it is not just safety that is important, but also sustainability. When shopping, more and more people are paying attention to the origin and environmental impact of the products they buy.

The KED brand helmets are developed and mostly manufactured in Germany. The high level of vertical integration at the company location enables us to produce responsibly, which offers many advantages. The path to the end product is kept short, the local economy is supported and the environment is protected. In addition, the high production standards in Germany guarantee that our bicycle helmets are not only safe and reliable, but are also manufactured in a much more environmentally friendly way than production in other parts of the world.

We believe that every positive change, no matter how small, counts and, last but not least, we are convinced that we have to protect smart minds in order to be able to create a better future for everyone together.

Your KED team