![]()
Bainbridge Island–based company Ignik Outdoors is all about warmth—except when it comes to the planet. Graeme Esarey started the company to provide more sustainable warming products—like sleeping bag warmers, stoves, and seat covers—for outdoor adventurers and to fight global warming: The company donates 1 percent of sales to fighting climate change in the Arctic. Now Ignik has also donated about 1600 blankets to eight local organizations, including Bainbridge Prepares.The electric blankets were retailing at REI for $129, but Ignik was dissatisfied with the functioning of the electric component and pulled the blankets off the market. That doesn't mean the blankets aren't still useful. To repurpose them, Ignik reached out to BP, which hooked up the company with eight other social service and emergency prep organizations in Kitsap and Jefferson counties. The donated blankets will be used at emergency hubs and during disaster and severe weather response.Here's who got blankets:
- 400+ to Bainbridge Prepares and the City of Bainbridge Island
- 30+ to the Bainbridge Island Fire Department
- 400 to the Kitsap County Dept. of Emergency Management
- 450 to Kitsap Health and Human Services (KHHS) for severe weather shelters
- 260 to the Jefferson County Dept. of Emergency Management
- 15 to Helpline House
- 4 to Fishline
- 50 to Coffee Oasis
Now that it has the new blankets, KHHS will be passing along between 50 and 100 of its older blankets to the Kitsap Humane Society.Featured photo shows Executive Director Loren Bast with the donated blankets.
