Topic/Keyword: Climate

How Outdoor Brands Are Reducing Textile Emissions with Smarter Energy Solutions

Reducing emissions in textile production isn’t just an environmental responsibility—it’s a business necessity. Consumers expect brands to take meaningful action on sustainability, and regulations are pushing companies to reduce their carbon footprints. One of the biggest challenges? The fossil fuel-based heating systems used in textile manufacturing.

Traditional heating methods rely on coal, gas, or oil, making them a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. The textile and apparel industry alone contributes about 2% of global emissions, and with demand increasing, that number will only grow. If your brand is committed to lowering emissions, tackling the energy sources used in textile mills is a critical step.

A Practical Solution to Help You Reduce Emissions

To support this transition, Outdoor Industry Association, in partnership with Global Efficiency Intelligence and OIA member brands like Cotopaxi, L.L. Bean, New Balance, Patagonia, REI Co-op, and W.L. Gore & Associates, have launched the Textile Heating Electrification Tool. This open-source resource helps mills and brands transition from fossil fuels to electric heating by providing data on energy use, cost savings, and emissions reduction. It supports sustainability goals, regulatory compliance, and long-term efficiency.

Why This Matters for Your Brand

Sustainability goals can’t be met without action at the manufacturing level. The heating systems used in textile mills account for a significant share of supply chain emissions, and electrification is one of the most effective ways to lower them.

This tool provides clear, actionable insights to help businesses:

Understand their current heating systems and identify where fossil fuel use can be reduced.

Evaluate electric alternatives that work for different textile processes.

Make informed investment decisions with data on costs, feasibility, and emissions reductions.

Andrew Dempsey, Director of Climate at REI Co-op, explained the importance of this issue:

“At REI, we believe progress on climate solutions happens through collaboration. Our goal is to cut emissions in half by 2030, but we can’t get there without working closely with our brand and manufacturing partners. Electric heat technologies are essential for decarbonizing textile manufacturing, and this tool gives us the data we need to move forward with confidence.”

Collaboration Makes Sustainability More Achievable

Developed under OIA’s Clean Heat CoLab, this tool embodies a collaborative approach to tackling industry challenges. OIA Impact CoLabs help brands and suppliers work closely, advancing sustainability goals more efficiently while lowering costs.

Julie Brown, Director of Sustainable Business Innovation at Outdoor Industry Association, highlighted the significance of this initiative:

“The launch of the Textile Heating Electrification Tool marks a major step in our industry’s collective effort to cut emissions in textile manufacturing. This tool combines expertise from across the outdoor industry to provide mills with the insights they need to transition to cleaner, more sustainable heating technologies.”

How to Get Started

This tool is designed to help businesses like yours take meaningful steps toward emissions reductions. If your brand works with textile suppliers, this is a resource that can drive real change.

Watch the webinar recording below and download our one-pager to start using this tool for smarter decision-making in your business.

Want to go further? Contact sustainability@outdoorindustry.org to get involved in OIA’s sustainability programs and work toward a lower-carbon future.

Collaboration: The Key to Impactful Climate Action

A Letter from Greg Gausewitz, REI Co-Op Senior Manager of Product Sustainability and OIA Sustainability Advisory Council Co-Chair

Happy New Year! As we cross the mid-point of this decade, we’re offered an opportunity to reflect on the current moment and set our sights on the path ahead. Many of our organizations have set multi-year, science-aligned climate targets that come due in or near 2030. That means many of us are near the half-way mark in pursuing our near-term climate goals. What have we learned? What might we change to accelerate and deepen our impact going forward?

In my role at REI, I have the privilege of working with the world’s leading outdoor brands, many of which are also global leaders in sustainability. Yet, no one organization has all the answers about how to solve climate change. Overcoming this challenge will require a deep commitment to collaboration – and action.

We’ve seen effective climate collaboration become increasingly commonplace. We need look no further than the OIA’s Climate Action Corps CoLabs to observe this in our industry, and many collaborative initiatives have emerged outside our industry. I encourage any brand looking to build momentum in their sustainability efforts to consider how they can participate in collaborative initiatives with other organizations.

I’ve been inspired to see so many brands, big and small, rise to the occasion in taking climate action. REI recently partnered with OIA and Change Climate to host climate workshops to provide guidance to brand partners. Some of the most engaged brands were also the smallest. Several mom-and-pop brands, some with only a handful of employees, made massive progress in their climate efforts: measuring their emissions, setting reduction targets, and putting in place action plans to reduce their emissions. It was a powerful reminder that taking action is simply a choice. No brand is too small to have an impact.

As we look to the latter half of the decade, we have more tools than ever to make meaningful progress in our fight against climate change. We’re seeing the rapid emergence of next-generation materials that offer significant carbon savings. We’re seeing more opportunities to collaborate with our suppliers to transition away from high-emitting manufacturing processes and bring more clean energy online in our supply chains. And we’re seeing new tools like The Climate Label emerge that promise to spur climate action and enable brands to connect with our customers in new ways.

I’m excited for what’s ahead, and I look forward to collaborating with this community to steward the outdoors we all love for generations to come.

Greg Gausewitz

Sr. Manager, Product Sustainability at REI

Co-Chair, Climate Action Corps Advisory Council

4 Ways Your Outdoor Business Can Advocate for Climate in 2025

2025 will bring a host of changes to the United States’ climate policy landscape. A new presidential administration will enter the White House, with more conservative views on climate than the current Biden administration. The 119th Congress will be sworn in on January 3, with Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives. These transitions portend some changes for federal climate policy. It is likely that the Trump administration will be less supportive of climate policies than the Biden administration. The Trump administration has also threatened to roll back federal climate and environmental policies, including the landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The unknowns: How successful will the Trump administration be in rolling back said climate policies? Will the Trump administration be able to effectively gut the IRA? Despite these dynamics, there are still many opportunities for the outdoor industry to advocate on behalf of climate policies to protect the areas we all depend on for outdoor recreation. These include:

Focus on the States

While it is unlikely that the Trump administration will support federal climate policies, many states are pursuing aggressive climate agendas. California has enacted some of the country’s most progressive climate policies, including the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253), the Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (SB 261), and the Responsible Textile Recovery Act (SB 707). Other states like New York and Washington are expected to introduce climate bills in 2025. New York will likely reintroduce the New York Fashion Act (A4333), and Washington State will likely reintroduce its own version: the Washington State Fashion Sustainability Accountability Act (HB 2068). While both acts failed to gain momentum in either state’s legislature in 2024, proponents of the bills hope that they will gain more traction in 2025. OIA Members have the opportunity to advocate on behalf of policies at the state level that will advance the industry’s broader climate goals, and to ensure that the legislation that’s introduced is realistic and attainable for industry compliance.

Defend Federal Policies

While it’s unlikely that new federal climate policies will be enacted, the industry can coalesce around protecting existing policies. An example of this is advocating on behalf of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Outdoor businesses – particularly those located in red states – can testify on behalf of their local communities on the benefits received from the IRA, and stress the bipartisan and infrastructure benefits of the IRA.

Look Abroad

Like the States, foreign nations continue to advance climate policies that impact American businesses. Europe’s Green New Deal has far-reaching impacts on global business operations. Other countries such as Canada and Australia have also been ramping up their climate policies.

Recognize and Leverage the Industry's Power

The outdoor industry is a 1.2 trillion-dollar force. Despite partisan politics, the outdoor industry has a strong voice and can leverage our market share to continue to advocate for policies that protect our outdoor spaces for generations to come. We can and must stress to all legislators: our business vitality depends on climate action.

The Outdoor Industry’s Responsibility to Lead on PFAS

An Open Letter from Alex Lauver, OIA’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Committee Co-Chair

Helly Hansen, Columbia Sportswear, and L.L. Bean Collaborate to Reduce Supply Chain Emissions and Protect the Planet

These outdoor brands came together, in partnership with their suppliers, to reduce emissions across the outdoor industry value chain.

To reach a more sustainable future, we must take bold, collective action against climate change. Helly Hansen, Columbia Sportswear, and L.L. Bean came together through  Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) Carbon Leadership Project CoLab to cut carbon emissions across the industry’s supply chain. This collaboration, supported by the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), focused on jointly reducing emissions across shared member supply chains. The OIA spearheaded the project and identified common suppliers among members, while Aii provided the framework of the Carbon Leadership Project to drive emission reduction efforts.

“The Carbon Leadership Project guided our manufacturing partners in initiating their decarbonization journey. Brand peers co-nominated suppliers to participate in the project, maximizing resources and driving momentum in carbon reduction. Furthermore, the action plans were customized for participants based on their climate target maturity. As long as the risk of climate change is not mitigated, we will continue to advocate for the Carbon Leadership Project” Ian Lee, Sustainable Manufacturing Program Manager at Columbia Sportswear.

Aii’s Carbon Leadership Project framework assists suppliers in measuring GHG emissions at the facility level, setting targets, and effectively reducing GHG emissions. This program not only aids members in achieving their climate objectives but also aligns with OIA’s mission to lead the charge in sustainable business innovation so that all people can thrive outside, today, and in future generations. Learn more about the Carbon Leadership Project here.

Bryant LaPres, senior director of industry engagement at Apparel Impact Institute, adds “Through our work with the OIA, we demonstrated the value of collaboration between brands and suppliers. The OIA played a critical role in bringing this work from concept to action. Their member brands played an equally critical role, emphasizing alliance with shared suppliers rather than going alone. We are excited to move into implementation activities to achieve direct emissions reductions and look forward to the results”.

The primary goals of the Carbon Leadership Project CoLab were to support shared suppliers across the outdoor industry in measuring their emissions and setting carbon reduction targets. Helly Hansen, Columbia Sportswear, and L.L. Bean nominated two shared suppliers to participate in the CoLab. OIA’s Impact CoLabs are collaborative, pre-competitive emissions reduction initiatives led by OIA and service providers. These initiatives help members meet their sustainability goals more efficiently and cost-effectively by working together.

Carbon Leadership Project CoLab Steps + Impact

Launched in 2022, the Carbon Leadership Project aimed to work with shared suppliers on setting science-aligned reduction targets and creating reduction action plans to achieve their targets.

CoLab Milestones

1. Supplier nomination and overlap assessment: Members submitted facilities of interest, OIA completed an overlap mapping exercise to seek shared suppliers to maximize impact

2. Carbon tech assessment: Aii and their service provider partner, RESET Carbon, completed benchmarking for the nominated facilities to identify carbon saving potential and define next steps

3. Carbon Target Setting: RESET Carbon collaborated with suppliers to identify their carbon reduction potential and set reduction targets

4. Reduction Action Plan: A carbon reduction plan tailored to each facility was created

5. Brand engagement with suppliers to implement reduction action plan (in progress)

The Carbon Leadership Project CoLab supported facilities in completing a carbon tech assessments to benchmark their emissions and set reduction targets. The final product was a tailored carbon reduction plan for each facility to reach its target. Member brands are engaging with their suppliers to implement these reduction action plans.

“The Carbon Leadership Project CoLab provided organizations with skills and tools to measure, monitor and report on their partnered facility’s carbon emissions. It allowed the organization to establish a clear baseline and achievable targets”, Grace Wong, Senior Sustainability Specialist Traceability, Helly Hansen.

The decarbonization opportunities identified in the reduction action plans were prioritized based on their total emissions reduction potential and expected implementation timeline. The roadmaps were delivered via an Excel-based tool, where suppliers could input their intent and prioritization for implementing solutions. The tool also provided estimates of costs, return on investment, and tailored considerations to address before implementation to reduce risks.

Pre-Competitive Collaboration: OIA’s Impact CoLabs  

Climate change is one of, if not the most, crucial issues the outdoor industry faces today. If there is not a thriving environment to recreate in, outdoor businesses do not have a future. Collaboration is necessary to significantly reduce climate impacts in the outdoor industry; the problem is too large for individual companies to solve on their own. Companies must work together to decarbonize the global supply chain, and OIA provides an avenue with a clear path to do just that. OIA’s Impact CoLabs are collaborative, pre-competitive, emissions reduction initiatives led by OIA and service providers to help members meet their sustainability goals in less time and with less cost by working together. Through OIA’s six Impact CoLabs, 19 OIA members have invested in collaborative emissions reduction projects across their supply chains – working collectively to maximize impact and protect our planet.

 “The Carbon Leadership Project CoLab empowered members to take bold, collective climate action. OIA understands that tackling climate goals and reducing emissions can be daunting for individual companies, but we believe in the power of working together. By uniting to create shared solutions, we can accelerate progress and achieve significant emissions reductions. Through initiatives like the CLP CoLab, OIA supports members in reducing emissions across their supply chains”, said Breana Nehls, OIA Sustainable Business Innovation Manager. “Together, we are catalysts for sustainable growth.”

Learn more about OIA’s CoLabs and how you can catalyze meaningful change with us at outdoorindustry.org/sustainablebusiness.

MiiR, Stanley, and YETI’s Bold Collaboration to Reduce Supply Chain Emissions

Three drinkware brands, one mission: protect the planet

Making a significant move to create a more sustainable future, three drinkware brands came together in a first-of-its-kind effort to reduce carbon emissions across the drinkware supply chain. Deemed the Drinkware CoLab,  MiiR, Stanley, and YETI, facilitated by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), spearheaded this collaboration to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing. The brands invited four shared third-party suppliers to participate in the project and all parties provided financial and human resources to support the project. The scoped work of the CoLab launched in 2022 and was completed in early 2024.

The primary goals of the project were to move industry suppliers to 100% renewable electricity and develop facility emissions reduction plans. The project supports OIA’s goal to take bold, collective action against climate change by reducing and removing greenhouse gas emissions across the outdoor industry, carving a new, bold path for others to follow. MiiR, Stanley, and YETI participated in the Drinkware CoLab through OIA’s Climate Action Corps, the outdoor industry’s collaborative model to lead on climate action.

“It was a remarkable experience to work with YETI and Stanley to identify key strategies in reducing our collective footprints. The OIA team did a phenomenal job leading us through this process and we’re excited to get to work on the things we learned. Our hope is that this collaboration inspires other groups in the outdoor space to set aside competition for the sake of sustainability,” said Josh Stinger, Vice President of Supply Chain & Sustainability at MiiR.

Reduction Roadmaps: Drinkware CoLab Impact

MiiR, Stanley, and YETI collectively nominated four factories and each of the facilities received management training, detailed greenhouse gas measurements of their facility, assistance in setting science-aligned emissions reduction targets, and a customized plan outlining steps to reduce their emissions. The group identified a global service provider, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), to lead the assessment with each supplier.

The emissions reduction action plans, or “roadmaps,” provide detailed information on sustainable actions that will improve energy management and reduce emissions. All opportunities were assessed and prioritized based on environmental impact and cost implications for each facility.

“We know that deep engagement with our suppliers and other stakeholders is critical to ensure that our collective emissions reduction goals are in reach, said Emily Cichy, Senior Director, Corporate Responsibility at Stanley. By collaborating with Outdoor Industry Association, our suppliers, and these esteemed brands, we can help create a more sustainable world.”

The Trail Ahead

MiiR, Stanley, and YETI are partnering with all four suppliers to ensure these roadmaps are implemented, and are planning to touch base with each other quarterly through OIA to share progress. They are also considering replicating the CoLab process with other strategic suppliers in their networks. Interested in participating or learning more about CoLabs? Contact OIA at sustainability@outdoorindustry.org

“The Drinkware CoLab gave YETI the chance to join an industry-wide initiative that aligns with our ongoing sustainability priorities to help keep the wild, wild,” Said Marty Duff, SVP, Supply Chain and Operations at YETI. “We are honored to help drive meaningful progress and help impact broad-based change.”

Pre-Competitive Collaboration: OIA’s Impact CoLabs

Collaboration is necessary to significantly reduce climate impacts in the outdoor industry; the problem is too large for individual companies to solve on their own. Companies must work together to decarbonize the global supply chain. OIA’s Impact CoLabs are collaborative, pre-competitive, emissions reduction initiatives led by OIA and service providers to help members meet their sustainability goals in less time and with less cost by working together. Learn more about OIA’s Impact CoLabs here.

 “The Drinkware CoLab provides members the opportunity to take bold, collective climate action. We know that individual companies cannot solve the climate crisis alone, they must come together to create shared solutions to reduce emissions across the supply chain”, said Breana Nehls, OIA Sustainable Business Innovation Manager. “OIA provides this invaluable collaboration space for members to make lasting impacts across their supply chains.”

Sustainable Growth Strategies for Your Outdoor Brand this Earth Day

Picture this: a path where every step forward leads toward a sustainable future. That’s the trail the outdoor industry is blazing—one where the outdoor experience is protected, and our products resonate with purpose.

New EPA Reporting Rule to Require 12 Years of PFAS Data from Manufacturers and Importers

By James Pollack, OIA Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition Legislative Advisor, Attorney at Marten Law

In October 2023, EPA finalized a rule that will require reporting on PFAS in all articles manufactured or imported into the United States from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2022. You can view the rule here.

The final rule, adopted under the Toxic Substances Control Act, establishes this one-time reporting requirement. Manufacturers and importers of any articles containing PFAS must investigate and certify to EPA the amount of PFAS that they have manufactured or imported into the United States during the reporting period. The specific content of the report for each year will include the following information:

1). Chemical information such as:

a). Chemical identity of the PFAS in the article (the specific chemical name, if known, or otherwise a generic name or description of the PFAS if the specific chemical name is confidential business information or unknown)

b). Chemical identification number

c). Trade name or common name, if applicable, of the chemical

d). Representative molecular structure for any PFAS not in Class 1 of the Toxics Release Inventory

2). Import production volume of the imported article (in units or weight)

3). Industrial processing and use of the article, if any

4). Consumer and commercial use of the article, if any (e.g., product category, functional use of category, maximum PFAS concentration in product, whether children are intended users)

The above information reflects a more streamlined form available to article importers. Domestic manufacturers have a more detailed reporting obligation.

Who is covered under the new PFAS Reporting Rule?

The PFAS Reporting Rule covers nearly all importers and manufacturers. It only offers a narrow set of exemptions for products like pesticides, food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, as well as municipal waste importers. Otherwise, reporting is required.

How hard do you have to work to collect this information?

The due diligence standard for collecting information is “to the extent it is known or reasonable ascertainable.” That includes “all information in a person’s possession or control, plus all information that a reasonable person similarly situated might be expected to possess, control, or know.” Manufacturers and importers may also make reasonable estimates based on other information in their possession. EPA has issued several guidance documents further elaborating the standard.

What can I do about it?

Build a team with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in this search. Appoint a team leader who can coordinate the search. Include a cross-section of business functions that may have knowledge of where to find relevant information—that may include product designers, supply chain relationship managers, marketers, and IT department members. Bring in outside expertise, including legal support, to help engage in this record search as well as to support in the documentation of the search. Make a comprehensive search plan, and document the search and conclusions in case that information is needed in the future.

What if my suppliers have the information?

It may be the case that your brand does not know the chemical content of your product, even if you know (or suspect) that the product contains PFAS. This can particularly be true for article importers, or those who work with specialized chemical suppliers that use proprietary chemistries. The PFAS Reporting Rule provides an entirely new process for joint reporting where a reporter can identify a relevant supplier that would be better positioned to provide EPA with information on the chemical content of the relevant product. Depending on the results of your due diligence efforts, joint submission may be the best path forward to provide responsive information to the agency.

Will my reported information be made public?

EPA plans to make portions of the information public so that state and federal agencies may set priorities for regulation and to help consumers avoid specific products. Whether or not EPA makes records public on its own, submissions may become subject to public records requests. EPA expects that the PFAS data it collects could potentially be used by the public, including consumers wishing to know more about the products they purchase, communities with environmental justice concerns, and government agencies to take appropriate steps to reduce potential risk. As a result, your brand may consider whether to submit a confidential business information (CBI) claim to protect submitted information.

What is the timeline for complying with this rule?

Overall, about 18 months. The submission period opens on November 12, 2024, with the general submission deadline on May 8,2025. Certain small manufacturers and importers will receive an additional six months to comply.

How can OIA support me?

We at OIA are committed to supporting members as they engage in this reporting process. OIA will keep its membership up to date on any developments and is looking to develop a guide to help brands understand their reporting obligations. Look out for that guide in the coming months.

Need support keeping up with chemical reporting rules and evolving sustainability legislation? Join OIA’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition to access advice from legislative and chemicals experts along with a community of other outdoor brands, manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers working to eliminate and replace harmful chemicals from their supply chains.

About James Pollack

James Pollack is an attorney at Marten Law based in Seattle, WA, whose practice focuses on consumer product regulatory compliance, emerging contaminants, and environmental review. James leads the firm’s consumer products regulatory practice and helps consumer product manufacturers in a wide array of industries that are working to understand the complicated and shifting regulatory and litigation environments surrounding emerging contaminants. He has extensive knowledge on PFAS regulatory compliance at the federal and state level. James’s clients include textile and apparel manufacturers, outdoor recreational product manufacturers, food product manufacturers, and retailers. He also works with industry associations to update membership on regulatory developments.