Understanding Outdoor Gear Sustainability Certifications — and What They Really Mean
JUMP TO: WHY SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS ARE IMPORTANT | DO SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATIONS REALLY WORK? | SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATIONS TO KNOW | SUMMARY
Author: Steve Edgerton | Updated: May 27, 2023
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Most outdoor adventurers value the well-being of our planet, and those values are increasingly reflected when purchasing gear. Brands are listening, and these days you would be hard-pressed to find a single outdoor gear manufacturer not actively championing their commitment to sustainability.
Unfortunately, words do not always translate into action. More often than we’d like, brand sustainability commitments amount to little more than greenwashing: their product descriptions are awash with terms like “eco-friendly” or “green” but offer no data to back up those claims.
Sustainability certifications are one way to ensure that the gear you’re investing in is walking the talk. They can demonstrate that a brand’s materials, production processes, and distribution processes adhere to explicit ethical and sustainable standards.
But just like outdoor brands, not all sustainability certifications are made equal. Some are little more than tepid industry marketing ploys. But the best ones are data-driven, rigorous, and transparent: they can play a vital role in driving environmental accountability in the outdoor industry and beyond.
This article will explore what sustainability certifications really mean, and highlight the ones worth looking out for when researching a new purchase.
Sustainability certifications are no silver bullet, but knowing which ones are genuine can help you make more informed choices when shopping for outdoor gear.
WHY SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS ARE IMPORTANT
Sustainability certifications are a way for brands to indicate that their environmental values are authentic. Companies volunteer, and often even pay significant sums, for their products and processes to be put under the microscope. Any worthwhile certification involves regular inspections, supply chain audits, and rigorous impact reporting.
This extra scrutiny from a third party necessitates transparency and accountability. Any company can tout their products as “eco-friendly” or “non-toxic” in their marketing, but getting certified by a program like bluesign — one of the most rigorous and effective sustainability certifications — carries a lot more weight.
Effective third-party sustainability certifications hold brands accountable while helping them connect with their customers. Simultaneously, certifications make it easier for consumers to cut through the greenwashing BS and support brands that are genuinely striving for sustainability.
DO SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATIONS REALLY WORK?
Assessing whether or not sustainability certifications make a difference is a complex question. In some ways, their effectiveness is proven: they can help keep microplastics out of the oceans, incentivize rainforest conservation, and shift consumer behavior.
But certifications are not a silver bullet. At their worst, certification programs are just a different flavor of greenwashing, merely creating an illusion of credibility while doing little to advance sustainability targets.
Even the ones we highlight here have their fair share of critics — as they should. Like the companies they are assessing, certification programs should always be striving to improve their sustainability targets and reporting processes as well.
Although assessing their effectiveness isn’t easy, some sustainability certifications have been shown to make a difference, e.g. keeping microplastics out of the oceans or incentivizing rainforest conservation.
SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATIONS TO KNOW
JUMP TO: CERTIFIED B CORPORATION / FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL / CLIMATE NEUTRAL CERTIFIED / BLUESIGN APPROVED / GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD / OEKO-TEX / 1% FOR THE PLANET / RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL PRODUCT CERTIFICATIONS
The best sustainability certifications are administered by a third-party organization and include regular reporting and assessments — of both the companies seeking certification and the certification-granting organization itself. Many products and companies have more than one of these certifications, as all serve different but often complementary purposes.
When administered effectively, certification programs can help the outdoor industry in eliminating toxic materials, unsustainable growing practices, carbon-intensive production methods, and unnecessary waste.
Here are the top sustainability certifications you are sure to come across in outdoor gear and apparel. None are perfect, but understanding their impact and their limitations will help you make more informed gear purchases.
CERTIFIED B CORPORATION
B Corporation certification is reserved for businesses that demonstrate outstanding commitments to both social and environmental responsibility. B (for “benefit”) Corp certification includes rigorous accountability and transparency from companies. The performance of every B Corp in every B Lab metric is publicly available.
The certification also requires a legal commitment: B Corps have social and environmental responsibility written right into their corporate governance structure. B Corps don’t exist solely to benefit shareholders (like most corporations), they exist to benefit people and the planet as well. This represents a profound shift in doing business.
B Corp-certified outdoor companies include Patagonia, Cotopaxi, and AlpKit.
FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) created a set of standards that all work to support the sustainable management and conservation of the planet’s forests.
Products bearing an FSC-certified label have been audited and confirmed to contain materials that are either recycled or produced from FSC-certified forests. You’re more likely to see it on books or wooden furniture, but it applies to outdoor gear as well. Look out for FSC certification when buying things like wetsuits containing natural rubber or apparel made with bio-based fibers like bamboo and eucalyptus.
CLIMATE NEUTRAL CERTIFIED
The Climate Neutral Certified label indicates that a company is working to sequester as much or more carbon than they emit through their production and operational processes.
The certification involves three steps: companies first undergo a comprehensive assessment of their carbon footprint. Then they work to offset those emissions by investing in verified carbon credits. But because credits don’t stop the flood of ongoing carbon emissions, brands must also develop a “realistic and achievable” carbon reduction plan, eliminating pollution at the source through renewable energy generation, LEED-certified facilities, and other means.
Many outdoor brands are Climate Neutral certified, including Biolite, Cotopaxi, Klean Kanteen, and REI Co-op.
BLUESIGN APPROVED
bluesign is one of the most respected sustainability certifications in the textile industry. The program seeks to eliminate toxic or harmful substances in consumer products and their manufacture.
Achieving bluesign approved status requires meeting bluesign criteria that consider a product’s carbon emissions, waste products, chemical and dye use, and the work environments in which it is produced.
Some products may mix bluesign approved materials with others that are not approved, but they must say so in the product material specifications. A bluesign PRODUCT label guarantees that all materials in the product meet the bluesign standards for safety and sustainability.
Mammut, prAna, and deuter stand out as outdoor brands with substantial bluesign approved product lines.
GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD
Organic growing practices can have significant environmental benefits. Natural fibers like cotton and hemp use less water, fertilizer, and pesticides when produced organically.
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) strives to ensure that the benefits of organic fibers stay intact as they move throughout the entire supply chain. Products carrying the GOTS logo guarantee not just the organic production of its materials, but that it was processed, manufactured, and transported in environmentally and socially responsible ways. For example, GOTS prohibits all use of toxic chemical pesticides, synthetic dyes, and unethical labor practices.
The strict guidelines and rigorous oversight make GOTS one of the most respected sustainability certifications in the organic textile industry.
OEKO-TEX®
OEKO-TEX® is a set of standards devoted to sustainable, safe, and ethical resource management in the textile and leather industries.
OEKO-TEX®-certified products are tested for harmful substances and adhere to full supply chain transparency. A unique QR code accompanies each product, allowing you to see how and where it was produced and manufactured.
1% FOR THE PLANET
By joining the 1% For The Planet network, businesses commit to investing 1% of their gross sales in the work of approved environmental partners. Co-founded by Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard in 2002, the program has directed more than $435 million in corporate profits to vital environmental initiatives: from organic agriculture to wildlife conservation to community solar projects.
Prioritizing gear boasting the 1% For The Planet label is an easy way to ensure some of your hard-earned cash is going directly to causes that you value, as thousands of companies are now part of the 1% For The Planet Movement. Notable outdoor brands include Patagonia, La Sportiva, Cotopaxi, and Toad&Co.
Unlike many certifications, the program doesn’t involve costly administrative expenses that often discourage small local businesses from getting on board. That means there is a good chance one of your local outdoor stores participates in 1% For The Planet.
RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL PRODUCT CERTIFICATIONS
Certifications have played a key role in moving the wool, down, and leather industries away from inhumane farming practices that were once commonplace. These standards prohibit horrifying procedures like live plucking and mulesing, making them less acceptable industry-wide.
In addition to a legacy of animal abuse, these industries are also among the most environmentally damaging on the planet. If there is only one place you are prioritizing certifications, it is animal-derived gear: things like down sleeping bags, merino wool base layers, and mohair ski skins.
Look for products carrying these standards from the Textile Exchange, which consider land use, soil health, biodiversity, and preservation of native species alongside strict animal welfare standards:
If you’d prefer to avoid animal products entirely, look out for Certified Vegan gear. This ensures a product is free from animal products or byproducts that have not been tested on animals. A lot of gear and apparel without certification will still be free from animal products and testing, but some companies like Merrell are really putting in the work, featuring an entire footwear line that is officially Certified Vegan.
SUMMARY
While no single sustainability certification is a perfect solution, they do have an important role to play in enforcing brand transparency and helping consumers make informed decisions.
But whatever certifications a product bears, the most sustainable choice is not buying it at all, or at least buying less gear overall. Investing in durable, versatile pieces — and learning how to care for and repair them — will reduce your impact far more than any certification ever will.
MORE INFORMATION
For more discussion on sustainability and how it relates to the outdoor industry then check out the rest of our Sustainability 101 series:
Looking for more information on hiking and backpacking? Be sure to check out some of our other tips and gear reviews:
Or check out our entire Gear Reviews Page, our Knowledge Base Articles, or Destination Guides for more hiking, backpacking, and outdoors related content.
Happy hiking and take care out there in the wild!