Who says high-altitude adventures can’t be low-impact? There’s no better way to enjoy the great outdoors than with sustainable outdoor clothing brands that put people and planet first.
Before you grab you air out that old tent and squeeze everything into your sustainable backpack, consider what you’re bringing into Momma Earth’s house. From eco-friendly hiking pants to sweatshirts that won’t sweat the planet, we’ve collected together our favorite sustainable outdoor clothes for responsible adventuring.
And thanks to our new Brand Rating System, we can get the whole panoramic picture of these brands and how they impact people and the planet as we roll it out like a sleeping bad in coming months. This systems uses 22 criteria to assess their sustainability and ethics from every angle. You can learn about it here.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
The Top Sustainable Outdoor Brands For Adventure-Ready Clothing
tentree gets an (alpen)glowing review for its supply chain transparency, eco-friendly materials, and stellar tree planting efforts.
We’ve always been a big fan of Patagonia, who sticks to regenerative organic cotton and mostly recycled synthetics instead of virgin ones in their more technical garments.
Index: Eco-Friendly Outdoor Clothing Brands
- Outerknown Jump to brand
- tentree Jump to brand
- Toad&Co Jump to brand
- Patagonia Jump to brand
- Arms Of Andes Jump to brand
- Coalatree Jump to brand
- prAna Jump to brand
Outerknown
About Outerknown
Price Range: $14–$348
Outerknown is certainly known to us. Founded by World Surf League champion Kelly Slater, swimwear is obviously in range, but they cover all your ethical outdoor gear needs with outerwear, sweatpants, tanks, tees, sweaters, shirts, and shorts, too.
We love the super soft and warm Shelter Waffle Henley made from merino wool and recycled cashmere. Wear it as a top layer or on really chilly adventures underneath one of Outerknown’s 100% organic cotton Blanket Shirts—whose durable and thick weave also make it the perfect campfire flannel.
Outerknown’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
You can sweat sustainably in tees and shirts made from organic and/or Regenerative Organic Certified®️ cotton, sweatshirts made from a hemp blend, sweaters made with recycled cashmere, and winter jackets filled with RDS-certified down.
You’ll find recycled polyester in their sustainable swimwear, and some styles use spandex for added stretch.
Supply chain & labor practices:
As a Fair Trade USA partner, Outerknown supports workers with Fairtrade Premiums.
They share the details of their suppliers, all of which adhere to the brand’s Code of Conduct based on Fair Labor Association (FLA) standards.
Factories and mills are also bluesign®-approved, ensuring responsible chemical use across the supply chain.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
From developing circular models to switching to renewable energy, Outerknown walks the talk with its sustainable actions. Their preloved platform, Outerworn, helps keep items in circulation longer, and orders ship in USA-made recycled paper packaging.
Inclusivity:
Sizes vary but are generally XS-XL for women and S-XXL for men.
Community & charitable giving:
Outerknown regularly gives back to nonprofits that share its values, including Ocean Conservancy, Surfrider Foundation, and Brother Benno.
tentree
About tentree
Price Range: $30–$328
tentree is one of our favorite organic clothing brands thanks to its luxury-feeling loungewear and “earth-first apparel”.
They’re also one of the best sustainable outdoor clothing brands for adventure-ready clothing with tops, tees, tanks, shirts, sweaters, hoodies, outerwear, joggers, shorts, and pants for all the family—mini adventurers included.
Made from 100% regeneratively grown organic cotton, the Regenerative Extended Shoulder Tank is ideal for staying cool on sweaty summer hikes. It features a relaxed-fit boxy body and extended shoulders for sun protection.
tentree’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
tentree gets ten thumbs up for its use of eco-friendly materials like recycled synthetics, lyocell, hemp, and organic cotton. Some garments have a small amount of elastane for added stretch.
Water-resistant fabrics are non-toxic thanks to a bluesign®-approved and PFC-free DWR finish.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Certified B Corp tentree’s transparency (try saying that five times fast) is undeniable.
Their factory ledger lists where all the products are made and what certifications pertain to each location (i.e., SA8000, BSCI, Fair Wear Foundation, Fair Trade, WRAP).
Carbon commitments & green practices:
tentree is Carbon Neutral-certified, and customers can purchase carbon offset packages via their website. Their roll-and-tie packaging method reduces the need for polybags, and orders ship in biodegradable and recyclable mailers.
Helping to keep sustainable outdoor wear out of landfills, tentree offers a recycling program and a secondhand buy/sell platform.
Inclusivity:
For women, XS-XL is available for most garments, and for men, S-XXL.
Community & charitable giving:
Ten trees are planted for every purchase, totaling over 100 million and counting.
Toad&Co
About Toad&Co
Price Range: $35–$325
We’re toad-ally obsessed with Toad&Co. They make clothing both stylish-enough-for-the-streets and technical-enough-for-the-peaks. Choose between men’s and women’s shirts, pants, t-shirts, shorts, jackets, layers, and underwear.
The Moonwake 1/4 Zip Pullover is made from 80% organic cotton and 20% recycled polyester, it gets the best of both fabrics, making it lightweight, warm, and moisture-wicking—you know, when you go to the brewery for that post-send organic beer! We own it and especially love the versatility in its stylish appearance, making it an ideal trail-to-town layer.
Toad&Co’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Toad&Co Uses a range of SJ-approved fabrics, including organic cotton, lyocell, hemp, RWS-certified wool, recycled cotton, recycled polyester, and Lenzing modal. Many of their fabrics are bluesign® approved and OEKO-TEX-certified.
While avoidable, expect some virgin polyester and elastane added for stretch in some garments.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Manufacturing partners are chosen for their ethics and sustainable practices and must abide by the brand’s code of conduct. Toad&Co visits their partners annually. Outside Magazine ranks them as one of the best places to work.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Toad&Co’s Santa Barbara headquarters purchases carbon offsets in the form of Renewable Energy Certificates, uses energy-efficient LED bulbs, and is part of a composting program.
As a founding member of the Responsible Packaging Movement, they’re committed to removing plastic from product packaging by 2026. Products ship in 50% post-consumer recycled poly bags and reusable LimeLoop shipping bags.
Inclusivity:
Men, expect sizes S-XXL. Women, XS-XL.
Community & charitable giving:
Toad&Co gives back to environmental nonprofits through their 1% for the Planet membership and regularly participates in volunteer work days to support conservation efforts like those by the Yosemite Climbing Association. Having co-founded Search For Adventure, they also provide travel opportunities for adults with disabilities.
Patagonia
About Patagonia
Price Range: $19–$699
Would we even be talking about sustainable outdoor clothing if we didn’t mention Patagonia?
Whether it’s a new t-shirt, sweater, sustainable rain jacket, pair of leggings, quintessential Synchilla fleece, or backpack, you can expect quality, durability, practicality, and unmatched ethics from this OG ethical clothing brand.
Of the many Patagonia pieces we own and have been wearing for years, the Nano Puff® Hoody is one of our absolute wardrobe favorites, no matter the season. Not only is this fully recycled synthetic puffer warm and wind-resistent, but it’s also super lightweight, packs into its own chest pocket, and the hood fits under a cycling or climbing helmet, making it the ideal outer or mid layer, no matter your outdoor pursuit.
Patagonia’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
You’ll find natural fibers like hemp, linen, and USA-grown organic cotton; ethical animal fibers like RWS-certified merino wool and RDS-certified down; and recycled materials like nylon, polyester, and cashmere. In fact, Patagonia is one of the best brands for recycled outdoor clothing.
They’re replacing fluorinated DWR membranes and finishes with non-fluorinated alternatives, and many fabrics are bluesign® approved.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Over 75,000 workers are supported in Patagonia’s Fair Trade Certified factories. They’re a Certified B Corp and an accredited member of the Fair Labor Association.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Patagonia helped develop the Regenerative Organic Certified® program and aims to reach net zero by 2040 thanks to ambitious climate goals.
Their circular-minded Worn Wear resale program helps keep adventure clothes out of landfill, and orders are packaged and shipped using post-consumer waste or FSC and SFI-certified recycled materials.
Inclusivity:
All styles are available in XS-XXL and some in XXS-XXXL.
Community & charitable giving:
Patagonia co-founded 1% for the Planet, and 98% of the company’s shares are held by the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit focused on tackling the climate crisis. They also created Patagonia Action Works, helping everyone to connect with local community events and organizations.
Arms Of Andes
About Arms of Andes
Price Range: $20–$340
Sibling-operated brand Arms of Andes tells microplastics to take a hike by using Peruvian alpaca wool, an efficient material for all types of adventures—hot, cold, or something in between. Between hoodies, bottoms, underwear, socks, sustainable leggings, and shirts, they fulfill all outdoor sustainable activewear needs.
The Women’s Alpaca Wool Shirt is lightweight, temperature-regulating, moisture-wicking, and 100% plastic-free down to the cotton threads and labels.
Arms of Andes’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
We want sustainable hiking clothes made of a material that is ethically sourced, temperature regulating, and can be composted at the end of its life. One of the softest, lightest, and most breathable fabrics, alpaca wool can do all this and more Add the antibacterial, odor-resistant, high sweat-wicking, and UV-resistant properties, and you have a material that screams ‘wilderness backpacking adventure’.
Garments are dyed using natural (plant and insect) or OEKO-TEX-certified dyes.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Wool comes from free-roaming Andean alpacas, and every step of the supply chain takes place in Peru.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Sourced from family-run farms, Alpaca wool is biodegradable and has a super low carbon footprint. Keeping all the production in one country also helps keep emissions low.
Orders are packed in biodegradable polyethylene and shipped in compostable mailers.
Inclusivity:
S-XL sizes are available for men and XS-L for women.
Coalatree
About Coalatree
Price Range: $29–$159
Coalatree is committed to providing adventurers (like you) with something appropriate and ethical to wear.
The brand started as an organic farm in Colorado and now brings sustainable practices to its clothing line, including jackets, hoodies, sweatshirts, shorts, pants, tops, and eco-friendly camping gear like blankets and hammocks.
Made from recycled coffee grounds and plastic bottles, the Baseline Midlayer is versatile, lightweight, antimicrobial, stain resistant, and packs into its own pocket. We love its slick, layerable outer and fuzzy grid fleece lining, which makes it warm without the bulk, as well as breathable for high-output activities.
Coalatree’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Most garments are made from recycled materials like recycled nylon, recycled spandex, recycled organic cotton, and recycled coffee. Recycled coffee?!
In a super cool process, they gather recycled coffee grounds from local coffee shops, grind them into nano-sized particles, and mix them with recycled plastic water bottles. Voila—you get morning brew turned into an odor-resistant fiber.
Most clothes are also coated in a non-toxic DWR (AKA Durable Water Repellent) finish.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Garments are designed in Salt Lake City, Utah before being made in ethical and eco-friendly factories around the globe. All of Coalatree’s overseas partners are bluesign® approved.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Their factory partners are progressing towards zero emissions by using renewables, efficient machinery, and low-impact ventilation.
Coalatree uses tree-friendly packaging (made from post-consumer recycled paper) and waterless dyeing for many of their garments, which saves thousands of gallons.
Inclusivity:
Sizes XS-XXL are available in most styles.
Community & charitable giving:
From turning surplus fabric into warm blankets for people experiencing homelessness to helping maintain local hiking and biking trails, Coalatree gives back locally. They also partner with local and global organizations like the Adopt-A-Native-Elder Program and the Anasazi Foundation youth wilderness therapy program.
prAna
About prAna
Price Range: $16–$370
prAna puts the… well, prana in our daily yoga routines.
While they carry sustainable yoga clothes galore (leggings, yoga pants, sports bras, and tanks), they also offer plenty of clothing for off the yoga mat, including swimwear, hiking clothes, climbing clothes, and travel wear.
We tried the Chakara™ Crop Top and love that it’s supportive and performance-minded (even for higher impact activities like running) while also remaining shaping and super flattering. Plus, with a buttery soft fabric and simple design, it’s the perfect understated layering piece for yoga classes, hikes, or just day to day wear!
prAna’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
You’ll find organic cotton, recycled polyester, TENCEL lyocell, hemp, sustainably sourced wool, RDS-certified down, recycled synthetics, and some virgin synthetics, which can be avoided.
35% of styles use bluesign® approved fabrics, and they’re aiming for 80% by 2030. Their DWR coating is PFAS-free.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This Textile Exchange and Fair Labor Association (FLA) member prioritizes Fair Trade factories, supporting more than 26,000 workers with Fairtrade Premiums.
They’ve helped 11 factories become Fair Trade Certified and share details of all manufacturing partners on their Transparency Map. All partners are audited against the brand’s Code Of Conduct.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
prAna is a founding member of OIA Climate Action Corps, aims to cut their manufacturing emissions by 30% before 2030, co-founded the Responsible Packaging Movement, use plastic-free packaging, and divert clothing from landfill via the Renewal Workshop.
Inclusivity:
XS-XXL is available in some garments, and they also have a (very small) plus size range. Men’s sizes run XS–XXL.
Community & charitable giving:
prAna partners with The Venture Out Project and Outdoor Outreach to help everyone access outdoor adventures.
