Guide To UK Sustainable & Ethical Outdoor Clothing Brands
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Enjoy the great outdoors sustainably, with this handy guide to the best sustainable, eco-friendly and ethical outdoor clothing brands.
If you’re looking to upgrade your outdoor clothing for something more sustainable, then you’ve come to the right place. I’ve rounded up seven of my favourite ethical brands.
When it comes to shopping ethically, two of the key things to look out for are sustainable fabrics and fair labour practices. However, when it comes to outdoor clothing, there’s another key thing to look out for. That is per- or polyfluorinated chemicals – PFAS for short.
Most outdoor clothing companies have relied on these chemicals to make their products water-resistant. Yet, PFAS are highly toxic. They’ve been linked to cancer, infertility, and other health problems in humans, and harm wildlife. Plus they don’t degrade easily. So much so they are also known as forever chemicals as they linger in the environment for a long time. They’ve been found everywhere from Mount Everest to Antarctica and the Tibetan Plateau.
Bans in certain states in America are incoming, but the EU has backtracked on its plans to ban PFAS. This means many brands aren’t yet taking action on PFAS. No matter what eco-friendly fabrics a brand uses, or how well it treats its workers, if a brand isn’t taking action on PFAS then it cannot be classed as sustainable.
Guide To Ethical & Sustainable Outdoor Clothing Brands
To help you out, I’ve focused on the PFAS-free brands (or very nearly PFAS-free) so that you tread as lightly as possible on the planet whilst you’re out exploring it. Use the quick links to find out more about a specific brand, or keep scrolling for the full details:
The rough price guide for this post is:
£ = Under £50 | ££ = £50 – 100 | £££ = £100+
Findra
- Budget: ££ – £££
- Caters for: Women (UK sizes 8 – 20)
- Available directly at Findra
Findra is a Scottish-based women’s sustainable outdoor clothing brand, that makes the majority of its clothing here in the UK. With almost everything you need to support an active lifestyle whatever the weather – including gilets, jackets, trail shorts, base layers and more, it’s a great one-stop shop.
Sustainable fabrics are key to Findra. It only works with natural and recycled materials or repurposed leftover fabrics to help minimise its impact on the planet. This includes mulesing-free merino wool and Econyl (recycled nylon).
What I also love is that Findra also offers a low-cost repair service for any item Findra clothing – no matter how old it is. This helps your outdoor gear look good for longer.
I believe that all Findra clothing is PFAS-free, but I have reached out to the brand to confirm this is the case. I’ll update here when I hear back.
Get 20% off your first order when you sign up for the Findra mailing list.
Picture Organic
- Budget: ££ – £££
- Caters for: men (S – XXL) and women (XS – L)
- Available in the UK at Wildbounds
Another great brand to have on your radar is Picture Organic Clothing. This French ethical snow sports brand makes all of its clothing from recycled, organic or responsibly sourced materials, that are all PFAS-free. A zero-waste approach to manufacturing is also employed. Cleverly, any fabric waste is salvaged and used to line its range of performance jackets.
In terms of ethical manufacturing, Picture only works with factories that practice fair labour. As a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, Picture continuously monitors how its factories work. This helps it ensure compliance with the Foundation’s labour standards, and pinpoint ways it can improve its labour practices.
Whilst environmental and social rights are quite rightly given top priority, this doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your sense of style. You’ll find unique designs and bright colours so that you can stand out on the slopes, or wherever you choose to wear your outdoor gear. Yet it’s not style over substance. Designed for active outdoor lifestyles, by snowboarders themselves, its technical clothing will keep you warm and dry despite the conditions.
What’s also to love is that Picture offers a free lifetime repair warranty – available on its technical jackets, trousers, mid layers, technical sweaters and backpacks). It will repair the seams, zippers, buttons and possible loss of accessories (such as patches and cords) during the lifetime of your Picture product, to help beat clothing waste.
Patagonia
- Budget: £££
- Caters for: men (XS – XXL) and women (XS – XL)
- Available in the UK at Ellis Brigham
As one of the original ethical clothing brands, US brand Patagonia makes high-quality outdoor clothing that’s designed to last. All of its clothing – including jackets, fleeces, mid layers, base layers, trousers, shorts and more is designed to be durable, repairable – through its handy free repair service – and re-wearable.
When your Patagonia clothes get beyond the point of repair, you can even send your gear back to be recycled. Simply contact the Customer Service team, and they’ll send you a free shipping label.
It’s not just about durability. Patagonia also prioritises sustainable fabrics, including certified organic cotton, and recycled fabrics such as recycled polyester, nylon, and wool.
What’s also to love is that Patagonia pays workers a premium for their labour, through Fair Trade Certification. Currently, over 80% of items in Patagonia’s range are Fair Trade Certified Sewn.
Do note that not all Patagonia waterproof clothing is currently PFAS-free. Patagonia is in the process of converting all of its water-repellent membranes and finishes to non-fluorinated alternatives by 2025. Do check before you buy.
TenTree
- Budget: £ – £££
- Caters for men and women (sizes XXS – XXL)
- Available in the UK at TenTree UK
TenTree is a Canadian clothing company that focuses on sustainability. As a certified B-Corp, it makes stylish ethically and sustainably produced outdoor and casual wear for men and women, that are all PFAS-free.
Sustainable fabrics are key to TenTree. It’s committed to using only the most sustainable fabrics, which include Tencel, recycled polyester, organic cotton, and hemp. And to help avoid waste, TenTree will take back your old clothes for free, and sort them for recycling or reuse. You’ll even earn store credits by way of helping keep your old clothes out of landfill.
Ethical manufacturing is also key at TenTree. TenTree says it ensures that workers are properly compensated with fair wages and work in safe factories, whilst ensuring they have proper rest days and access to equal employment opportunities for both men and women.
And wondering about the name? It comes from the fact that TenTree plants a whopping 10 trees for every purchase made.
Get 10% off your first order when you sign up for the TenTree mailing list.
BAM
- Budget: ££
- Caters for: Men (sizes S – XXL) and Women (UK sizes 6 – 18)
- Available directly from BAM
BAM makes a wide range of clothing designed for active lifestyles, with bamboo being a key fabric (hence the brand name). From jackets and trousers to cosy base layers and hats, for a range of different outdoor activities, BAM is a brand to look at.
BAM takes sustainability seriously. Whilst bamboo clothing can be environmentally damaging to produce, BAM is committed to only working with textile manufacturers who have responsible chemical management systems and waste treatment practices in place, and who invest in the technology needed to make things better.
BAM has also set ambitious goals that it seeks to achieve by 2030. This includes zero waste to landfill, zero pollution, and zero water waste.
Workers’ rights are also key to BAM. The brand values transparency and shares detailed information about its factories and supply chain and is a member of the Fair Wear Foundation.
I believe BAM are PFAS-free, but I have reached out to the brand to confirm this is the case. I’ll update here when I hear back.
Get 10% off your first order when you sign up for the BAM newsletter.
Vaude
- Budget: ££ – £££
- Caters for men (sizes S – 3XL) and women (UK sizes 6 – 18)
- Available in the UK at Amazon
Vaude is an ethically conscious German outdoor clothing company available in the UK through Amazon. It offers a huge range of ethically made clothing, that’s all made in Germany, for almost every outdoor activity. Whether you like cycling, hiking, trekking, mountaineering, skiing, or just some outdoor gear for walking the dog, Vaude is on it.
Every single Vaude product is characterised by three core principles. These are timeless design, robust materials and simple reparability. In fact, Vaude offers replacement parts and full how-to repair guides. And if that doesn’t work, then its repair service is there to help.
Repairability isn’t the only ethical consideration Vaude make. Vaude also avoids the use of toxic finishes and materials like PFAS.
Vaude has also been independently certified as non-toxic by both OEKO-TEX and bluesign. Bluesign is an independent verification that certifies that only approved chemicals, processes, materials, and products are used. This means these products are safe for the environment, workers, and customers.
Cotopaxi
- Budget: £ – £££
- Caters for: men (sizes S – XL) and women (sizes XS – L)
- Available in the UK at Ann’s Cottage
US outdoor brand Cotopaxi is all about ‘gear for good’. This means it promises to make durable outdoor gear as ethically and sustainably as possible and to help support communities in need. As such, it dedicates at least 1% of its revenue to nonprofits that help communities experiencing poverty, with a focus on empowering communities in Latin America through health care, education, and livelihood.
As well as supporting charities, Cotopaxi considers every phase of a product’s lifecycle. This includes partnering with factories that treat workers right, sourcing sustainably minded materials, and making durable gear that lasts.
What’s to also love about Cotopaxi is that it prioritises the use of recycled, reclaimed and repurposed fabrics. It often makes use of leftover fabrics discarded by other manufacturers for a zero-waste approach to manufacturing. The result is a vibrant patchwork-style design. By 2025, it plans to use recycled, repurposed, or responsibly sourced materials in all of its products.
When it comes to PFAS, the picture is complicated. Many Cotopaxi products are PFAS-free, but as Cotopaxi uses remnant fabric sourced from other manufacturers, some lines do contain PFAS. Whilst the team is working to make all products PFAS-free by 2025, it’s best to check before you buy.
Go Further
Looking for more recommendations?
- Try my guide to sustainable camping gear, which also covers ethical outdoor gear, including eco-friendly tents, sleeping bags, and more.
- My guide to ethical coats and jackets covers all the brands you need to know to keep you cosy and dry.
- Finally, my guide to ethical and sustainable backpacks has heaps of recommendations to carry all your gear in sustainable style.
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