Ethical outdoor clothing

Finding ethical and sustainable outdoor clothing 

The beauty of the great outdoors is central to the marketing of outdoor brands: "buy products and you will experience the natural world in all its glory." Of course, there is some truth in this – it isn’t advisable to go hiking in a pair of heels and a mini-skirt (believe me). But when you consider the environmental damage that results from the production of much outdoor gear, this marketing shtick can seem hypocritical.

But not all brands are biting the hand that feeds them. In this guide we look at a range of outdoor brands, from well-known high-street names to lesser-known ethical labels that you might not have heard of, to highlight the best and the worst ethical practice.

We chose brands which make a wide range of outdoor clothing e.g waterproofs, and fleeces, but they may also make walking boots, tents, sleeping bags and rucksacks. We have not covered brands that are specialists in only one area e.g just walking boots. As well as our core ethical categories (Animals, Climate, Company Ethos, Tax, and Workers), we have also examined each brand’s use of sustainable materials and toxic PFAS.

Outdoor clothing brands in this guide

We have selected companies that offer a range of widely used outdoor clothing and equipment. This includes big high street brand names and smaller independent companies. 

What do the outdoor brands make?

The table below shows what outdoor clothing and equipment each brand makes. 

What makes outdoor clothing ethical?

The most ethical outdoor clothing and gear is that which you already own. You may consider your decades-old gilet unstylish, but retro is always in fashion! And if it is broken then repair it – either yourself or send it to one of the brands that offers repair services. We provide more information further on in this guide.

The next best option is buying secondhand and, to make life easier (and cheaper), most of our Best Buy brands have secondhand online shops. 

If you do need to buy new, then opt for one of our Best Buys or Recommended brands.

Which fabrics should I buy?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer to this because there are competing ethical factors and some differences in performance. Plant-based natural fibres, especially when organically produced, are generally the most sustainable, so go for these where possible. But they may not be adequate for more testing outdoor activities and the joys of British weather.

Animal-derived fibres, such as wool and down, can perform very well (especially for warmth) but come with animal rights and welfare issues. And synthetic fibres, which are ubiquitous in this market, have great performance credentials, but are mostly derived from fossil fuels, are not biodegradable, and contribute to microplastic pollution.

An important consideration is what you need it for: are you going to be climbing Everest, or is your expedition only taking you are far as the local park? For the latter you may not need a whole outfit of high-tech synthetic gear, so natural fibres will likely suffice.

Buying secondhand products allows you to bypass most of these ethical dilemmas because it means you aren’t contributing to demand for new products – though secondhand synthetic clothing will still contribute to microplastic pollution.

What materials are found in outdoor clothing?

Outdoor clothing can be made of many types of materials. They all have their advantages and disadvantages which we summarise in the table below.

* We found little when it came to policies that guaranteed the welfare of animals made into leather. Most brands just said it was a by-product of the meat industry, so argued that welfare considerations were not applicable. Buying secondhand is best.

Find out more about these materials in our additional articles:

• Down
• Fur
• Leather
• Synthetic fibres
• Wool and other animal fibres
• Choosing the most sustainable fabrics

Is there a problem with the use of synthetic fibres?

Nearly all outdoor gear brands rely heavily on synthetic fibres, primarily because they are lightweight, durable, and can be waterproofed. However, as we have pointed out in other clothing guides, most synthetic fibres, such as polyester, are made from fossil fuels and contribute to microplastic pollution. A report by Changing Markets Foundation recommended that the sector needed to “reduce reliance on synthetic materials, through a viable trajectory and targets for the uptake of more sustainable alternatives.”

How do outdoor clothing brands score for sustainable material use?

Brands were awarded marks on several criteria:

• The proportion of their materials that Ethical Consumer considered to be ‘most’ sustainable (e.g. organic or recycled natural fibres, recycled wool/down) or ‘more’ sustainable (e.g. recycled synthetics, non-organic plant fibres, responsibly sourced wool).
• Whether the company had taken steps to reduce water usage and pollution from fabric production.
• Whether the company was signed up to the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals, a multi-stakeholder initiative working to phase out hazardous chemicals from the fashion industry.

Many of the brands are increasing their use of recycled synthetic fibres, which in some respect is good news. For example, all of Patagonia's waterproof jackets have an outer made of recycled polyester. We considered recycled synthetic fibre to be a ‘more’ sustainable material because of the lower carbon impact associated with it. However, it still ends up in landfill eventually and contributes to microplastic pollution, so ultimately the sector needs to find more sustainable solutions in future.

Alpkit was the only company we found that was selling a fully waterproof 'Ranger' jacket made from organic cotton with zips, poppers and labels made from recycled materials. It was on sale for the 'special offer' price of £240 when we checked its website in April 2024.

Animal products in outdoor clothing

Most of the brands in this guide used wool, down, leather, and, to a lesser extent, silk in their products. To get full marks, a brand and its wider group needed to be free of animal-derived materials and have a policy committing to not using animal products in future.

None of the brands in this guide achieved this, but the closest was Páramo, which currently doesn’t use any animal-derived materials, but didn’t have an explicit policy saying this. We award more marks for brands that have policies on this issue because it shows that they have committed to not using animal-derived materials at all.

Brands that sold animal products but were considered to have adequate animal welfare policies (such as certified down, or prohibiting wool from farms that practice mulesing) could score up to 40 points. So opt for these brands if you are buying clothing made from animal products. Brands that used animal products but did not have adequate welfare policies scored zero.

Some brands used silk – for example, in gloves. Equip Outdoor Technologies, which owns brands Rab and Lowe Alpine, stopped using silk as a result of Ethical Consumer. They told us: “After Ethical Consumer emphasised the negative impacts of silk production in 2021, we dropped our small range of products containing silk.” It’s great to see companies making positive changes as a result of our research. 
 

Buying secondhand, repairing and recycling outdoor clothing and equipment

The most ethical and sustainable gear is that which you already own, so it is best to make it last as long as possible.

If it does need repairing and your skills aren’t up to the job, then a number of the brands in our guide offer repairs (or will recycle your gear if it is beyond repair).

Several brands will also accept your old clothes once you are done with them and recycle them, ensuring they don’t go to landfill.

If what you have can’t be fixed, then buying secondhand is a great option because it doesn’t increase demand for new goods – all of which have some impact on people and planet. Plus, it is usually cheaper!

Some of the brands in this guide also sell secondhand products, including most of our Best Buy brands.

NB Table only includes brands with an ethiscore of 40 and above (out of 100).

There are also a few independent repair services in the UK that specialise in outdoor gear, including Lancashire Sports Repairs and Scottish Mountain Gear.

Secondhand marketplaces

There are several secondhand marketplaces that you could use, besides the well-known ones like eBay, charity shops, and Gumtree.

We have rated some of these secondhand clothing marketplaces are reviewed in our ethical clothing brands guide, including Depop, Vinted, Preloved, and Thrifted.

Increasing the lifespan of your outdoor clothing and equipment

According to waste charity WRAP, an extra nine months of active use can reduce a garment’s carbon, water and waste footprints by as much as 30%. While we usually replace our day-today clothes because they no longer fit or we don’t like them, a recent study found that for outdoor clothing, we’re most likely to chuck out items due to damage or poor functionality. Care is thus important.

The REI’s ‘Care and Repair’ website has some of the most comprehensive articles on the web on gear care. The iFixit website is also a good source.

Here are our top tips for increasing the life span of clothes:

1. Buy gear built to last. Cheap tents from bargain retailers which are then abandoned after festivals says a lot about throw away culture in this industry.
2. Wash it regularly as per the manufacturer's instructions – it will perform better and last longer.
3. Re-waterproof jackets, coats and tents: all waterproofing fades over time. This is especially true in the case of PFC-free gear. We recommend using Nikwax’s products to re-proof your kit. Nikwax is the sister company of Páramo, and their cleaning and waterproofing products do not contain any toxic PFCs, parabens, phthalates or triclosan.
4. Dry your gear after use and store in a cool place (no one likes a mouldy tent!)
5. If you own leather boots they need to be regularly treated to stop the material from cracking and eventually splitting. Nikwax offers a range of products, but you can also use beeswax.
6. Don’t compress your down/insulated gear for long periods of time – it will reduce its insulating properties. Several companies in this guide offer professional outdoor gear cleaning and care services: Alpkit, Rab/Lowe Alpine (only for own-branded products) and Páramo.

Recycling outdoor clothing and equipment

For gear that is beyond use or repair, recycling may be an option.

Unfortunately, the Wear and Care survey found that in the UK we are much more likely to throw our outdoor clothing out than recycle it. However, there are lots of options for recycling many of these items. We list some ideas below.

Options for recycling outdoor gear

Clothes and shoes – The Recycle Now website allows you to check local options for donating or recycling shoes and clothing by entering your postcode. Unfortunately, blended fabrics (e.g. 50% cotton, 50% polyester), so often used in outdoor clothing, are harder to recycle.

Camping pans – Recycle Now lists local Household Waste Recycling Centres, as well as charity shops, accepting pots and pans.

Gas canisters – Some manufacturers accept empty canisters for recycling. If not, check your local council website, as some Household Waste Recycling Centres take them. Make sure to burn off any remaining gas and mark them as empty before recycling them.

Other gear – It’s worth checking whether your gear manufacturer can recycle your item for you. There are also a couple of great independent initiatives in the UK.

Green Peak Gear accepts old climbing gear for reuse and recycling via a number of climbing centres in the north of England. Upcycled products from dog collars to hanging planters are sold by sister company Scavenger, based in Sheffield. Profits are donated to BMC Access and Conservation Trusts.

Dirtbags accept items such as tents, rucksacks, jackets and harnesses via post. It makes them into new products such as laptop cases, bum bags and frame bags for bikes.

You can also make things like water-resistant sacks from old tent panels.

Workers' rights in outdoor clothing brands

All the brands in this guide outsourced the production of all or most of their products, as is the norm in the clothing sector. To get full marks brands were required to have policies in place to uphold workers’ rights throughout their supply chains. We paid particular attention to whether a brand had good purchasing practices (poor purchasing practices can cause suppliers to cut wages or demand excessive overtime), and what they were doing to ensure living wages were paid by their suppliers. Marks were deducted for any third-party evidence of workers’ rights abuses.

Five brands scored full marks: Alpkit, Lowe Alpine, Páramo, Rab, and Vaude, while Mammut received 90/100.

Of particular note is Páramo, which partnered with the Miquelina Foundation in Bogotá, Colombia in 1992, which gives “valuable opportunities to vulnerable women at risk of prostitution and drugs by providing them with training and employment.” All the garments manufactured at this site (80% of its annual production) carry the World Fair Trade Organisation Fair Trade label.

Alpkit is also worth mentioning because 30% of what they sell is manufactured by them in the UK, which is relatively rare in this sector. According to its website, the items that are manufactured in the UK are its wetsuits and Sonder bikes.

How do outdoor clothing companies score for their company ethos?

Most companies scored poorly for Company Ethos, but a few scored notably well:

Páramo (90/100) – As of 2022 the company, including sister company Nikwax and the Miquelina factory in Bogotá, Colombia, became an employee owned business. It also was considered to be offering an environmental and social alternative because it didn’t use PFAS and most of its products were produced in a Fair Trade-certified factory in Colombia which gave opportunities to vulnerable women.

Finisterre (80/100) – Finisterre was considered to be offering an environmental alternative because it was PFAS free, had a clear focus on the durability of its products and used a significant proportion of sustainable materials. It was also a B-Corp and a certified living wage company.

Patagonia (60/100) – In 2022, the company restructured so that it is now owned by the Patagonia Purpose Trust and the Holdfast Collective. The company states: “every dollar that is not reinvested back into Patagonia will be distributed as dividends to protect the planet.” The company expects the annual dividend to be roughly $100m, which will be distributed to the Holdfast Collective, "to fight the environmental crisis, protect nature and biodiversity, and support thriving communities, as quickly as possible”. Corporate restructures should be treated with suspicion, in part because they can be for self-serving reasons such as tax avoidance, but it appears that Patagonia’s restructure is genuinely a good thing. The company also remains a B-Corp.

Alpkit (40/100) – Alpkit was a certified living wage supplier and a B-Corp.

Ethical head to head: Berghaus vs North Face

Which is more ethical and sustainable, North Face or Berghaus?

We pitched Berghaus against North Face in a head to head of big outdoor clothing brands. The results are below:

Who owns what brands?

Have you ever weighed up buying an outdoor jacket from Blacks versus Peter Storm? Did you know they owned by the same brand? We untangle ownership of some of the big brands. 

The North Face is owned by US clothing and footwear company VF Corporation which also owns Timberland and Vans. VF Corp has still not signed the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile Garment Industry, which is continuing the life-saving work of the Bangladesh Accord to make factories safe after the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013, which killed 1,134 people. 179 other major clothing companies have signed the Accord, including other outdoor gear companies.

Berghaus, is owned by the Pentland Group, which also owns the Ellesse sports brand, Kickers shoes, and Speedo swimwear. Pentland Group is a British privately owned, family business registered in Jersey, a tax haven – hence its score of 0/100 for Tax Conduct. 

Pentland also owns 51% of JD Sports, a sports retailer which owns lots of outdoor gear brands – Brasher, Eurohike, Freedom Trail, Hi-Gear, North Ridge, and Peter Storm – brands which are exclusively sold in JD’s outdoor gear shops: Blacks, Go Outdoors and Millets. In June 2021, JD Sports faced an investor backlash after handing its boss a £4.3m bonus despite taking tens of millions of pounds in government support during the pandemic.

Is there a trade-off between outdoor clothing performance and its ethics?

There is a long-held belief in the outdoor world that brands have to make a trade-off between performance and ethics.

In the table below, we’ve tried to make a performance comparison for some common purchasing decisions, looking at a more and less ethical option. (For many outdoors items, a truly ethical option doesn’t yet exist, so you may not agree with our call on what is more ethical.)

The drive for performance may, in fact, be one reason why outdoors companies have been slow to prioritise ethics. If a company knows that its customers are likely to opt for the best-recognised performance option, they are unlikely to stray far from existing technologies. The best companies then, are those which have committed to investing in the development of new, more ethical options despite potential cost or inconvenience.

Waterproofs are a good example. For years, the outdoor industry has continued to use PFCs for their coating. Many companies say that they have not yet been able to adequately replace PFCs for high-performance gear.

Yet, Best Buy company Páramo has not used PFCs since 2016. The company has been praised by Greenpeace for showing that it’s “absolutely possible” to make high-performance gear without toxic chemicals. In fact, Páramo came top of Which?’s survey of waterproof jackets, based on ratings from 2770 members, in December 2023. 

The price of our Best Buy outdoor clothing brands

We found the average price of a waterproof jacket for all our Best Buy companies.

The two best selling outdoor clothing brands, Berghaus and North Face, are presented for comparison.

Remember that with our Best Buys you are paying the real cost for a company that respects the environment, animal and human rights, hence their higher ethiscores on our score tables. Plus, they either don’t use any PFAS or are well on the way to being PFAS free.

PFAS are a global contamination issue which is affecting the health of humans and wildlife.

Look out for second-hand versions of our Best Buys - see our suggestions above.