Our Favourite Brands Trying To Make A Difference

We all want to protect the outdoors that we love, but often don’t know where to start. You’ve ditched the plastic bottles and left the wet wipes on the supermarket shelf, but another great way to look after the planet is to think consciously about your clothing purchases. But with so many different brands doing different things it can be hard to know where to start so, here’s a round-up of how some of our favoruite our brands are trying to do their bit to look after Mother Nature.

Founded by a group of climbers, Patagonia's mission is simple: "They're in business to save our home planet". Their business is founded upon core values of producing the best products, causing as little harm to the planet as possible doing so and using their profits to help protect nature and people. But it doesn't stop there, their Worn Wear scheme enables people to recycle their old garments, while their support for gassroots climate action and self-imposed "1% Earth tax" ensure they consistently live up to their name, The Activist Company, and set an example for other businesses to follow.

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Rooted to the belief that we have a responsibility to protect and preserve the world we live in, Tentree plant ten trees for every item sold. Their ultimate goal is to plant 1 billion trees by 2030. But they know that they can do more which is why they're also committed to being transparent about the materials they use and their impact, setting an industry standard along the way.

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It's fair to say you're unlikely to spend any length of time outdoors without seeing at least one piece of Rab kit. The Mountain People are synonymous with unrivalled insulation and quality, built-to-last kit - but they're also trying to do more to reduce the impact their kit has on the environment. They've been certified Climate Neutral by South Pole and are committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030, as well as working towards 100% recycled plastic in their orders and introducing more recycled materials in their kit.

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Adventure kit with a purpose, Sherpa is a small brand committed to making a big impact to the lives of children in Nepal. Every item of clothing purchased provides a day in school for a child in Nepal by training teachers, developing and distributing learning materials, and renovating schools and libraries. Sherpa's mission is to provide 10 million school days by 2030.

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Jack Wolfskin believe that to keep exploring the world they have a responsibility to do everything they can to preserve and protect it. They have set themselves high standards when it comes materials and try to use recycled products, organic materials and ethically-sourced animal products in their garments. In addition, they've committed to not using PFCs, fur, nanno particles, PVC or Angora wool in any of their products. 

They're also looking to reduce their carbon emissions within their business by looking at everything from transport to packaging. 

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Osprey are on a mission to be one of the most progressive, transparent and sustainable outdoor hardgoods brand's worldwide by producing packs that are built to last. They have set themselve a target to use 60% recycled content in the main body materials and 65% of those main body materials to be bluesign® approved. What's more, they've diverted over 9000kg of waste through Renewal Workshop partnership from ending up in a landfill and they are committed to continue to innovating and evolving their processes.

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Cotswold Outdoor works together with Solid, a private foundation that sets up projects to combat global poverty. Since 2000, Solid has been investing in sustainable community development and in the intensive training and supervision of vulnerable groups – initially with a focus on the Peruvian Ayacucho region, but later also in Kenya and India. Ayacucho® clothing and equipment is designed with a focus on responsible, careful sourcing and modern-day technological advancement, giving your adventure the welcome combination of responsibility, comfort and style. Since 2009, every product sold from the Ayacucho® collection generates new funds for their existing projects and for new initiatives.

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Keen describe themselves as social and environmental justice action-takers who make shoes to make a difference. From access and inclusion to creating a lighter footprint on the planet they're on a mission to make a difference.

After four years work and significant time and investment they've replaced the use of all PFCs in their footwear. In addition, they source all of their leather from tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group – the gold standard in responsible leather. And they've eliminated the use of pesticides as an anti-odour treatment; instead using probiotics to achieve the anti-odour effect – avoiding the use of nearly 7,000kg of pesticides every year.

But Keen also want to make a difference to communities too. After a horrific tsunami in Indonesia in 2004, Keen made the decision to divert their entire marketing budget to provide support to those affected and since then they've continued to offer support to victims of natural and humanitarian crises.

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Icebreaker is well-known for minimalist, high-performance base layers, but their garments do much more than keep you warm in the mountains. Pioneering the concept of natural performance with roots landed in the Merino sheep, Icebreaker’s design principles are focused around creating timeless, versatile and long-lasting garments that will remain in your wardrobe for seasons to come. They believe in the power of natural alternatives to synthetic materials, and using renewable materials like wool for a more sustainable future.

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Inspired by the true story of Millican Dalton, a maverick spirit who left the city to return to a simpler life in a cave in the Lake District, Millican still make their packs on a farm in the iconic Lake District National Park. Crafted from recycled or natural materials, Millican packs capture the simplistic spirit of travel and the environmental impact of a well-made product.

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Smartwool’s landmark partnership with ZQ Merino ensures that the Merino sheep are treated humanely, and that the farmers are treated fairly, whilst working to reduce their impact on the environment. They also use scraps from the production of their base layers as insulation in their SmartLoft products, and use recycled wool fibre in their fleeces to minimise waste.

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Pioneers of vegan climbing shoes, and proudly offering a resole service here in the UK and in their homeland of Italy, Scarpa are leading the way on keeping shoes on your feet - and out of landfill.

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Inspired by the environment and passionate about protecting it, Fjӓllrӓven’s rugged and timeless designs are instantly recognisable and loved the world over. Fjӓllrӓven is probably best known for its innovative and adaptable G-1000® fabric, a hardwearing blend of polyester and cotton which can be adapted and life-extended almost indefinitely with the brand’s own Greenland Wax. But that’s not all. Fjӓllrӓven is always looking for new ways to reduce its environmental impact; from its innovative, PFC-free Eco-Shell fabric to its highly ethical and fully traceable down-sourcing programme.

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