Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.
When you buy a backpack or jacket from these seven outdoor gear and apparel brands, you're also supporting programs that clean up the planet, improve access to the outdoors, and improve the environment.
They each have their own models. United by Blue, for example, removes one pound of trash from the world's waterways for every product sold.
Meanwhile, REI donates to more than 400 non-profit organizations and gathers volunteers to impact local outdoor spaces. Read on for more brands.
The theme holds true for outdoor gear and apparel companies, too. Of all the different types of retailers, it makes sense that outdoor companies are among the most socially and environmentally conscious, because their products directly encourage interactions with our earth.
If you're someone who's shopping for hiking clothes, camping gear, and outdoor sports supplies, you probably enjoy being outside, and so you care about preserving and maintaining the planet - both for your own enjoyment and the enjoyment of future generations.
By shopping at the following seven outdoor retailers, you can help give back to the environment. They donate time, money, and resources to clean up our planet; increase educational opportunities about and access to outdoor exploration; support environment-related legislation, and host volunteer events.
Advertisement
Shop these 7 brands that are helping you enjoy the outdoors through more than just their products.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.
Once a hat distributor in the 1930s, the Oregon-based company is now a shopping destination for outdoor clothing and gear, best known for its jackets and boots. Columbia provides annual product and cash donations to a variety of conservation-focused non-profits such as The Conservation Alliance, The Ocean Foundation, and the National Park Foundation. Through these partnerships, Columbia has helped build filtration towers in areas of Vietnam without access to clean water and improved access to outdoor education for children.
Host of the adventurous city scavenger hunt Questival, maker of one of our favorite carry-on bags, certified B Corp that leaves no stone unturned in fighting poverty around the world — that's relative newcomer Cotopaxi in a nutshell.
The company hones in on three pillars that are important for creating a sustainable path out of poverty — health, education, livelihoods — and selects high-impact organizations to collaborate with accordingly. On its website, you'll find clear Impact Reports that delineate how your Cotopaxi purchase helps someone in need.
Love trying different outdoor brands? REI plays host to all the top outdoor gear and clothing companies, as well as its own REI Co-op brand. Its unique co-op model means that more than 70% of its annual profits are given back to the outdoor community, in the form of dividends to more than 18 million members and investments in outdoors-related non-profits. Some more impressive numbers to chew on: In 2018, it invested $8.4 million in 431 non-profit partners and rallied 150,000 volunteers to impact more than 5,000 outdoor spaces nationwide.
Hydro Flask
Shop Hydro Flask bottles and other hydration accessories here: Hydro Flask | Amazon | REI
Hydro Flask specializes in insulated drinkware and coolers that are as useful on hikes and camping trips as in the office or home. Its Parks For All initiative specifically supports non-profits that build, maintain, restore, and provide better access to parks. In 2019, it has provided grants to organizations that empower members of underrepresented communities to pursue outdoor recreation, ensure drinkable and swimmable water in Miami, restore park trails in Pittsburgh while providing workforce development opportunities, and more.
In addition to creating products like jackets and hiking boots from more sustainable materials like bison, United by Blue directly involves its customers and employees by hosting trash clean-ups. The model is simple and effective: for every product sold, it removes one pound of trash from the world's oceans and waterways. Since its founding in 2010, it has removed more than 1.7 million pounds of trash. You can join a cleanup near you here, or order a DIY Cleanup Kit.
An all-around quality clothing and gear manufacturer, Patagonia is also one of the most active and vocal brands in the retail world today — not just among outdoor companies. The activist company donates 1% of sales to support environmental organizations around the world and focuses on providing funding at the grassroots level. It's also pushing shoppers to become more politically involved themselves, providing resources and event information about cause-based groups near you.
The North Face
Shop The North Face outdoor gear and apparel here: Amazon | REI | Macy's
The North Face has dozens of partners participating in its Explore Fund, a program that revolves around the main themes of "Enabling Exploration" and "Loving Wild Places." Cool initiatives include "Walls Are Meant For Climbing," which helps build free, public climbing boulders, and "Protect Our Winters," which connects high school students with athletes to learn about climate change. It also recently created a filmmakers grant for women filmmakers to show their perspectives and experiences of outdoor exploration.
