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Naue GlacierProtect Biodegradable* protection nonwoven made of Secutex® Green

Naue GlacierProtect is an insulating and reflective, biodegradable* nonwoven for snow farming, glacier preservation and ski resort protection.

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  • Close-up of a thin Secutex® Green with a soft, fibrous surface on a smooth background
  • Workers on a snowy slope unrolling Secutex® Green beside a red snow groomer and equipment
  • Secutex® Green covered by snow which covered ski lift support pole in a snowy mountain landscape with falling snowflakes and blurred chairlifts in the background
  • Naue GlacierProtect is a glacier protection mat for snow farming, glacier preservation and the protection of ski resort infrastructure.
  • Reflects 80% of light and 75% of solar energy, insulating the surface to delay melting reliably.
  • Naue GlacierProtect can be delivered as standard with a mass per unit area of 500 g/m² and a width: of 4 m. Custom grammages and widths (2 m and 6 m) available on request.
  • biodegradable*, made from renewable raw materials (Secutex® Green G1).
  • TÜV Austria: Seedling (EN 13432), OK compost (home & industrial), OK biodegradable* (soil, water, marine).

Naue GlacierProtect is a glacier protection mat for snow farming, glacier preservation and ski resort infrastructure protection. You lay it directly over snow deposits and glacier surfaces. It reflects 80% of incoming light and 75% of solar energy. Melting is reliably delayed throughout the summer season.

Glaciers lose mass every summer, leaving cable car foundations exposed. Conventional snow depots for snow farming can cause material abrasion over time. Naue GlacierProtect offers a biodegradable* solution that protects sensitive alpine ecosystems without harmful production lubricants.

Glacier and snow protection is a multi-season investment. Naue GlacierProtect can be reused multiple times. Low biological activity at alpine altitude preserves the material. End-of-life disposal is zero-cost. The nonwoven converts into biomass, CO₂ and water. The complete product is certified, also as to biodegradability* of abrasion or residues - even fibre fragments entering the environment are harmless.

Naue GlacierProtect uses Secutex® Green G1 fibres. These are produced in a closed industrial process from biomass without petro-based materials. The needled nonwoven achieves consistent reflectance and insulation values per batch. Biodegradability* is certified under EN 13432. TUV Austria verifies performance across five environments: industrial compost, home compost, soil, freshwater and marine. Raw material supply chain is certified to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2019, FSC® and PEFC™.

Naue GlacierProtect functions

  • Protection

    Protection

    Shields glacier surfaces, snow depots and ski infrastructure from solar radiation and heat.

Naue GlacierProtect advantages: biodegradable* performance and long service life

Naue GlacierProtect delivers measurable glacier and snow protection. It helps preserve sensitive alpine ecosystems and is the choice for ski resorts, cable car operators and glacier conservation projects seeking reliable, fully biodegradable* protection.

  • UV protection

    High UV reflectance

    Reflects 80% of light and 75% of solar energy. Keeps the surface beneath cool. Reliably reduces melt across the full summer season.

  • Biodegradable

    Biodegradable*

    No environmentally harmful lubricants enter alpine watersheds, glacial meltwater or protected habitats. Certified biodegradability* of abrasion and residues. End-of-life: compost or cover with soil.

  • Breathable surface

    Breathable surface

    Air permeability reduces wind suction. Rough surface texture improves ground contact. Less risk of lifting in foehn conditions.

  • Multi season reuse

    Multi-season reuse

    Low biological activity at alpine altitude preserves the nonwoven for repeated use. Replace only when soiling impairs reflectance.

  • On-site stitching

    Easy on-site sewing

    Individual panels sewn together with corded or battery-operated on-site sewing machines. No specialist tools required.

Application areas

Typical applications:

  • Covering snow storage depots during the summer off-season
  • Protecting snow mounds from solar radiation and warm-air exposure
  • Extending seasonal snow availability for early-season and late-season ski operations
  • Top-layer cover for snow farming systems in alpine resorts above 1,500 m

Snow farming stores old snow in insulated depots over summer. The stored snow supplements snowmaking in autumn. Naue GlacierProtect is the glacier protection mat placed on top of these depots. It reflects 80% of light and 75% of solar energy. The 500 g/m² mass provides robust thermal insulation. GlacierProtect is made from natural raw materials and is inherently resistant to high-altitude UV radiation. No UV stabiliser additives are required. Panels roll out from 2 m, 4 m or 6 m wide rolls. They are joined by on-site sewing with corded or battery-operated machines.

Advantages:

  • Biodegradable*: no particles input into alpine water bodies during handling or end-of-life
  • Multi-season reuse: functions retained for multiple years in low-temperature alpine conditions
  • Fast deployment: 2/4/6 m wide rolls, simple on-site sewing with portable machines
Workers on a snowy slope unrolling Naue GlacierProtect made of Secutex® Green beside a red snow groomer and equipment

To the application:

Glacier protection and snow farming 

Typical applications:

  • Covering sensitive glacier surfaces to delay melt and preserve ice mass
  • Protecting cable car and ski lift foundations anchored in glacial ice
  • Shielding glacier zones from excessive solar radiation and warm foehn conditions

Naue GlacierProtect is a glacier protection mat deployed directly on exposed glacier surfaces. Cable car pillars founded in glacial ice are especially vulnerable to ice retreat. GlacierProtect® shields the ice beneath the foundations from solar heating, slowing ice loss and extending the operational life of ski lift infrastructure.

Advantages:

  • Measurable glacier melt reduction: approx. 4 m over 3 summer months (Stubai Glacier field trial, Austria, 2022)
  • Protects cable car foundations; extends infrastructure life in glaciated terrain
  • Zero particle output: critical for glacier-fed drinking water catchments
  • Dimensionally stable under foehn winds: confirmed in Stubai Glacier trial fields
Secutex® Green covered by snow which covered ski lift support pole in a snowy mountain landscape with falling snowflakes and blurred chairlifts in the background

To the application:

Glacier protection and snow farming 

Technical properties

PropertyUnitNaue GlacierProtect
Material and build-up
Product—Secutex® Green G1, mechanically bonded nonwoven
Raw material—100 % bio-based, from renewable raw materials of certified origin (FSC®, PEFC™)
Plastic content—None – no release of synthetic substances during installation, operation or removal
Upstream supplier certification—ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2019, within Europe
Dimensions and delivery form
Mass per unit area, standardg/m²500 (lower and higher grammages on request)
Width, standardm4.0 (other widths on request)
Roll diametercmapprox. 60
Packaging—Cardboard core from recycled raw materials, wrapped in recycled PE film
UV protection of the packaging—At least one year
Functional properties
Light reflectance%80
Energy reflectance%75
Air permeability / breathability—Yes
UV resistance—Naturally resistant; degradation by UV radiation barely measurable
Certified biodegradability*
TÜV Austria certificates—OK compost INDUSTRIAL, OK compost HOME, OK biodegradable SOIL, OK biodegradable WATER, OK biodegradable MARINE
Seedling certificate—Acc. to EN 13432
Decomposition products—Biomass, water and CO₂
Installation, service life and marking
Jointing technique—Sewn on site; sewing thread of the same fully biodegradable* raw material
Service life—Several years; replacement after one to three cycles of use, depending on soiling
Handling restriction—No spikes, crampons or ice picks on or into the nonwoven
CE marking—Not required
Naue GlacierProtect installed on an alpine glacier during a field trial in the Austrian Alps. The white protective geotextile covers a glacier ice column to demonstrate its application for protecting sensitive glacier surfaces and reducing glacier and snow melt under real high-altitude conditions
Naue GlacierProtect installed on an alpine glacier during a field trial in the Austrian Alps. The white protective geotextile covers a glacier ice column to demonstrate its application for protecting sensitive glacier surfaces and reducing glacier and snow melt under real high-altitude conditions
Naue GlacierProtect protects sensitive glacier surfaces by significantly reducing glacier and snow melt. During field trials in the Austrian Alps, glacier melt was reduced by approximately 4 m over the three summer months of 2022, demonstrating reliable performance under real alpine conditions.
Naue GlacierProtect protects sensitive glacier surfaces by significantly reducing glacier and snow melt. During field trials in the Austrian Alps, glacier melt was reduced by approximately 4 m over the three summer months of 2022, demonstrating reliable performance under real alpine conditions.

Naue GlacierProtect performs in alpine field conditions

Naue GlacierProtect is manufactured from Secutex® Green G1 – a needle-punched nonwoven from bio-based fibres, produced without petro-based materials. The fibre chemistry provides natural UV resistance. This delivers measurable UV stability at high-altitude exposure.

Naue GlacierProtect was field-tested at Stubai Glacier, Tyrol, Austria at 2,900 m altitude. Five trial variants ran from June to September 2022, in cooperation with the Association of Ski Lifts (Fachverband der Seilbahnen), the Austrian Economic Chamber and the University of Innsbruck. Glacier melt was reduced by approximately 4 m over 3 summer months. Temperature measurements confirmed insulating effect equivalent to PP nonwovens. No relevant soiling or reflectance reduction was recorded. All panels stayed dimensionally stable under foehn wind conditions.

GlacierProtect fibres that freeze into the snowpack decompose via naturally occurring microorganisms. The result is biomass, CO₂ and water. No fibre residue. Verified under EN 13432 and five TUV Austria OK biodegradable* certificates: soil, freshwater, marine, compost and home compost.

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Frequently asked questions

Naue GlacierProtect is a glacier protection mat made from biodegradable* Secutex® Green nonwoven – produced without petro-based materials. You lay it over snow depots or glacier surfaces. It reflects 80% of light and 75% of solar energy, delaying melt reliably.

Naue GlacierProtect pricing depends on area covered, roll quantity and project scope. Contact Naue directly for a project-specific quote. The standard product is 500 g/m² at 4 m width. Widths of 2 m and 6 m are available on request.

The 500 g/m² standard suits snow farming depot covers and direct glacier surface protection. Higher weights are suitable for enhanced insulation or to withstand mechanical stress. Lower grammages suit lift entry/exit area covers. Contact Naue for grammage guidance for your specific project.

Thickness provides thermal insulation below the cover. Reflectance determines how much solar energy reaches the surface at all. Naue GlacierProtect combines both. Its 500 g/m² mass insulates. Its 80% light reflectance reduces incoming energy at source. This is more effective than relying on insulation alone.

At Stubai Glacier, Austria, Naue GlacierProtect reduced glacier melt by approximately 4 m over 3 summer months in 2022. Results vary by altitude, solar radiation, foehn frequency and slope aspect. Contact Naue via the form below for project-specific estimates.

Naue GlacierProtect holds Seedling certification (EN 13432, Certificate No. 7H2040) and five TUV Austria certificates (all under Certificate No. S1158): OK compost INDUSTRIAL, OK compost HOME, OK biodegradable SOIL, OK biodegradable WATER and OK biodegradable MARINE. CE marking is not required for this product category.

Naue GlacierProtect handles well during installation. Avoid spikes, crampons or sharp tools on the nonwoven surface. If the fabric freezes to the snow, this reduces wind suction and secures the cover. Handle carefully during removal to minimise mechanical stress on the biodegradable* fibres.

The standard roll is 500 g/m², 4 m wide and approximately 60 cm in diameter when wound. Widths of 2 m and 6 m are available on request. Rolls are packaged in recycled PE film on a recycled cardboard core.

Individual panels are sewn together on site using corded or battery-operated portable sewing machines. Naue can assist with sewing machine selection. The sewing thread is made from the same bio-based raw material as Naue GlacierProtect and is biodegradable*. Sheets weighted with sandbags or similar ballast are used for additional securing against wind lifting.

Yes. Naue provides project consultation for glacier protection, snow farming and ski resort applications. This includes coverage area estimation, roll quantity planning and on-site sewing machine recommendations. Contact Naue via the request form below or via e-mail at info@naue.com.

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