The intersection of high-performance athletics and environmental advocacy has reached a new creative milestone with the announcement of a unique collaboration between professional gravel cyclist Sarah Sturm, the non-profit organization Protect Our Winters (POW), and the sustainable hydration company Bivo. This partnership has culminated in the release of a limited-edition stainless steel water bottle, designed by Sturm, which aims to shift the narrative surrounding climate change from one of apprehension to one of proactive joy and community engagement.
Sarah Sturm, a prominent member of the POW Bike Alliance, transitioned from her typical role as a competitor on the professional gravel circuit to that of a visual communicator for this project. Leveraging her background in the arts—a discipline she practiced extensively before her nine-year tenure as a professional athlete—Sturm sought to create a functional piece of equipment that serves as a mobile canvas for environmental awareness. The collaboration represents a growing trend within the outdoor industry where athletes utilize their personal platforms and creative talents to support systemic climate policy and conservation efforts.
The Genesis of a Mobile Canvas
The design process for the POW x Bivo bottle did not originate within the traditional confines of a graphic design studio. Instead, Sturm conceptualized the visual elements during the long-duration training rides that define her professional career. For a cyclist accustomed to five- or six-hour excursions through high deserts and mountain ranges, the bicycle serves as a space for cognitive wandering and creative problem-solving. Sturm noted that the rhythmic nature of long-distance cycling provided the necessary mental environment to brainstorm the bottle’s aesthetic direction.
Rejecting the increasingly digital nature of modern design, Sturm returned to fundamental tools: pencil and paper. Her sketchbooks eventually yielded a design that reflects her affinity for textiles, bold geometric shapes, and botanical motifs. The final product features an intricate interplay of flower petals woven into typography, blooms that transition into the circular form of bicycle wheels, and an abstract representation of a cyclist.
A primary objective of the design was to avoid the "polarizing" nature of traditional political or environmental messaging. By focusing on "joyful" imagery, Sturm intended to provide a visual antidote to "climate anxiety"—a psychological phenomenon characterized by a chronic fear of environmental doom. The bottle is intended to serve as a gentle reminder for users to "protect what they love" while engaged in the very outdoor activities that the advocacy work seeks to preserve.
Technical and Creative Challenges of the Cylindrical Form
Designing for a water bottle presented a unique set of spatial challenges. Unlike a flat canvas or a digital screen, the cylindrical surface of a Bivo bottle requires a design that maintains visual integrity from multiple angles. Sturm approached this by treating the bottle as a continuous theme that could also be viewed as separate pieces of art depending on its orientation in a bicycle’s bottle cage.
This creative exercise also marked a personal milestone for Sturm. As her career in gravel racing and cyclocross accelerated, her artistic practice had become secondary to the rigors of professional sport. This collaboration allowed her to reintegrate her identity as an artist with her public persona as an athlete. The project highlights a broader movement among professional athletes to embrace multi-faceted identities, moving away from the "singular focus" model that has traditionally dominated professional sports culture.
The Strategic Partnership: POW and Bivo
The collaboration is underpinned by the involvement of Protect Our Winters (POW), an organization founded in 2007 by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones. POW has evolved into a significant political force, representing a "Global Outdoor Community" of athletes, scientists, and business leaders. The POW Bike Alliance, of which Sturm is a key member, specifically mobilizes the cycling community to advocate for renewable energy transition, public land protection, and climate-positive legislation.
Bivo, the third partner in this initiative, brings a focus on sustainable manufacturing and product longevity. Based in Vermont, Bivo was founded with the goal of reducing the cycling industry’s reliance on plastic. Traditional plastic water bottles often contribute to microplastic pollution and have a limited lifespan before they are discarded. Bivo’s stainless steel bottles are designed to be carbon neutral and feature a "gravity-flow" nozzle that mimics the flow rate of a squeezable plastic bottle without the environmental drawbacks of polymer construction.
By combining Sturm’s artistry with Bivo’s hardware and POW’s advocacy mission, the partnership creates a tangible link between consumer behavior and environmental activism. Proceeds from the sales of the bottle are directed toward POW’s operational costs and its ongoing campaigns to influence climate policy at the federal and local levels.
Background Context: Climate Change and the Outdoor Economy
The release of this collaboration comes at a critical time for the outdoor industry. According to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the outdoor recreation economy accounts for approximately $1.1 trillion in annual economic output and supports nearly five million jobs in the United States. However, this sector is uniquely vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
For cyclists like Sturm, the impacts are already visible. Rising temperatures in the American West have led to more frequent heatwaves and wildfires, which often force the cancellation of major racing events and limit safe training windows due to poor air quality. Furthermore, the high-altitude ecosystems where many gravel races take place are experiencing rapid shifts in biodiversity and water availability.
Data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicates that the window for maintaining a stable climate is narrowing. This has prompted organizations like POW to shift their focus from individual "lifestyle" changes—such as recycling or reducing personal footprints—to "systemic" change. This involves leveraging the collective economic and social influence of the outdoor community to lobby for large-scale policy shifts, such as the transition to a clean energy economy and the protection of carbon-sequestering public lands.
The Role of Joy in Climate Communication
A notable aspect of this collaboration is its emphasis on "joy" and "lightness." Experts in climate communication have long debated the effectiveness of fear-based messaging versus hope-based messaging. While fear can highlight the urgency of a crisis, it can also lead to apathy or "shutting down" among the public.
Sturm’s design philosophy aligns with the emerging psychological consensus that positive reinforcement and the celebration of what is being protected can be more effective at sustaining long-term engagement. By placing artwork on a tool used during moments of recreation, the collaboration reinforces the connection between the joy of movement and the responsibility of stewardship.
Industry Reactions and Broader Implications
While official statements from corporate stakeholders often focus on the product’s features, the broader reaction within the cycling community suggests a growing appetite for gear that carries a social or environmental message. The "gravel" segment of cycling, in particular, has positioned itself as a more inclusive and environmentally conscious alternative to traditional road racing.
Industry analysts suggest that collaborations like the POW x Bivo bottle are part of a shift toward "values-based purchasing." Modern consumers, particularly in the millennial and Gen Z demographics, are increasingly likely to support brands that align with their personal ethics regarding sustainability and social justice. For Bivo, a B-Corp certified company, this collaboration reinforces its market position as a leader in sustainable hardware. For POW, it provides a stream of unrestricted funding and a way to maintain visibility in the daily lives of its supporters.
Chronology of the Collaboration
The development of the POW x Bivo Sarah Sturm edition followed a multi-stage timeline:
- Conceptualization (Winter 2023): Initial discussions between POW and Bivo regarding a collaborative product that could benefit the Bike Alliance.
- Artist Selection (Spring 2024): Sarah Sturm was selected due to her dual expertise as a premier gravel athlete and a trained artist.
- The "On-Bike" Design Phase (Summer 2024): Sturm spent several months sketching and refining the floral and textile-inspired motifs during her training season.
- Production and Prototyping (Late 2024): Bivo worked to translate Sturm’s hand-drawn sketches onto the 21oz and 25oz stainless steel vessels, ensuring the wrap-around design remained cohesive.
- Official Launch (Current): The bottle was released to the public through the POW and Bivo digital storefronts, accompanied by a photography campaign by Gretchen Powers.
Conclusion and Availability
The POW x Bivo bottle designed by Sarah Sturm is currently available through official retail channels. As a limited-edition release, it serves as both a functional tool for athletes and a collector’s item for supporters of the climate movement.
The project stands as a testament to the fact that climate advocacy does not always require a somber tone. Through the lens of Sarah Sturm’s art, the message is clear: the fight to protect the environment is rooted in a deep love for the outdoors and the joy found in exploring them. As the outdoor industry continues to grapple with its environmental footprint and the threats posed by a warming planet, collaborations of this nature provide a roadmap for how athletes and brands can work together to foster a more sustainable and hopeful future.
