On September 19, outdoor brand Arc’teryx and artist Cai Guoqiang staged a fireworks performance titled “Ascending Dragon” in the Relong area of Gyantse, Shigatse, Tibet. After the video was released, this so-called “artistic practice” in an ecologically fragile region quickly ignited heated debate on social media about the ecological responsibility of commercial activities.

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The organizers stated that the original intention of the event was to “honor nature, culture, and the environment,” aiming to raise awareness of the highlands and their local culture.

The fireworks show lasted 52 seconds, during which 1,050 firework units were ignited, using steel rods for suspension and firework boxes for discharge. The mountain site, at an altitude of 4,500 meters, is characterized by alpine meadows. While it does not fall within a nature reserve, scenic area, or ecological redline zone, and does not involve forestry land, the nearest water body is about 30 meters away and the closest glacier is roughly 6 kilometers away. Three days after the event, visible traces remained at the site.

Although the organizers claimed to have used biodegradable, eco-friendly materials and adopted measures such as relocating livestock, guiding small animals away with salt bricks, and cleaning up residues and restoring vegetation afterward, these explanations failed to quell public skepticism. Critics questioned whether fireworks on the plateau could damage the fragile ecosystem and argued that the act contradicted Arc’teryx’s brand ethos of “respecting nature.”

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and other high-altitude regions are characterized by low temperatures, low microbial activity, and slow vegetation recovery. Any foreign solid or chemical residues decompose at a far slower rate than in lowland environments.

Several environmental experts emphasized that alpine meadow ecosystems are extremely fragile, and once damaged, restoration can take decades or even centuries. Simply claiming to use “eco-friendly materials” does not eliminate environmental risks. Botanist Gu Yourong and other specialists further warned that beyond pollution residues, the noise of firework explosions could disturb wildlife preparing for hibernation, potentially causing long-term harm to the local ecosystem.

On September 21, the official “Cloud Everest” WeChat account released a notice: after the fireworks video of “Cai Guoqiang: Ascending Dragon” was posted online on September 20, it drew widespread public concern. The Shigatse Municipal Party Committee and Government immediately dispatched an investigation team to the site, pledging to handle the matter in accordance with laws and regulations based on the findings.

Following the announcement, both Arc’teryx and Cai Guoqiang issued apologies.

Cai Guoqiang admitted: “We indeed overlooked many considerations, and I deeply apologize. We will proactively cooperate with third-party institutions and relevant authorities to evaluate the ecological impact of this event from multiple perspectives, and we will take concrete actions to protect the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. If environmental damage is found, we will do our utmost to carry out remediation. Going forward, we will be more cautious and conduct stricter evaluations of the environmental impact of artistic activities.”

Arc’teryx posted an apology on Weibo, stating it would sincerely accept all criticism and suggestions. However, netizens quickly noticed discrepancies between the apology statements published domestically and abroad, fueling further controversy.

In its Chinese statement, Arc’teryx avoided directly addressing value conflicts, using vague wording such as “deviation” and “misjudgment” to downplay responsibility. It emphasized the need for “more professional assessment of artistic expression boundaries” and “more humility in respecting nature,” while reclassifying the event from a “collaboration” to mere “sponsorship,” which many saw as an attempt to dilute its responsibility.

By contrast, the overseas statement highlighted that the fireworks performance was “contrary to brand values,” adding that the company would “engage directly with the local artist and our team in China, and adjust ways of working to ensure this does not happen again.” This wording was interpreted as shifting blame to its China team and the local artist, distancing the global headquarters from the controversy.

Such inconsistencies have been widely criticized as a “double standard” between domestic and international markets, further undermining consumer trust in Arc’teryx’s sincerity and accountability.

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Founded in Canada in 1989, Arc’teryx is a premium outdoor brand under Amer Sports.

According to the company’s website, Arc’teryx launched the ReBIRD™ sustainability initiative in 2021 with a mission to respect nature and extend product durability through circular economy models. Its ReCARE™, ReGEAR™, and ReCUT™ programs aim to transform the traditional “raw materials–manufacture–use–discard” chain into a circular model, recycling used equipment and textiles into reusable resources to extend product life cycles across design, manufacturing, supply chains, and retail.

Yet the recent fireworks display clearly contradicts Arc’teryx’s sustainable brand narrative and undermines its image of “respecting nature.”

In February 2024, Amer Sports was successfully listed on the New York Stock Exchange, marking a new stage of growth.

For the full year 2024, Amer Sports reported revenues of US$5.183 billion, up 18% year-on-year. Arc’teryx alone generated over US$2 billion in revenue, contributing 36% of the growth in the technical apparel division, and added 33 new retail stores.

According to Amer Sports’ 2024 Sustainability Report released in April 2025, the group launched a climate plan that was validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in January 2025. Its targets include achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with a milestone of cutting emissions by 25% by 2030.

In 2024, Amer Sports’ Scope 1 and 2 (market-based) emissions totaled 25,713 tCO2e, down 18% from the previous year, while Scope 3 emissions rose 17% to 774,078 tCO2e.

As a key investor in Amer Sports, Anta Sports also felt the impact of the incident, with its share price experiencing volatility. The episode highlighted Anta’s failure to effectively oversee and control the activities of its subsidiary brand.

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The fireworks have faded, but the public outcry continues to burn.

Xinhua News Agency commented: “Honoring nature does not require fireworks! A fireworks display in the wrong place, no matter how beautiful, is still destruction.”

People’s Daily published an editorial titled “When the Fireworks Fade, Apologies Are Not Enough”, raising a series of questions: “How was this approved in the first place? Was there scientific assessment? Could such an unexpected performance harm the fragile ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau? Could it disturb local wildlife? If damage occurs, how will it be repaired? Where are the boundaries of artistic expression? How should brand marketing activities under the banner of art be regulated?”

Known as the “Third Pole of the Earth,” the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau absorbs nearly 100 million tons of CO2-equivalent annually and is currently China’s only region achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Respect for nature is a fundamental requirement for any brand. Against the ecological redline, no activity conducted in the name of “art” or “commerce” should override scientific assessment and strict regulation. For Arc’teryx and related institutions, short-term apologies cannot close the trust gap. Once the fireworks are gone, what remains should not only be apologies, but also renewed scrutiny of commercial commitments to environmental protection and reflection on the limits of artistic expression.

Author：Qinger