Sustainability - an often overused word, but the biggest challenge of our time. Although the sporting goods industry only contributes a fraction to global warming, it is constantly setting standards for a sustainable economy. Circular economy, transparent supply chains, innovative materials - find out which strategies leading sports brands use to make sustainability measurable - and what you can learn from this for your own business, your purchasing decisions or your industry.
What we know for sure today: Much more wood has been felled than can grow back. The 1.5-degree target was exceeded for the first time in 2024 and resolutions, such as the recent one at the COP29 climate conference, appear insufficient to slow down global warming. Where politicians fail to take action, others must take responsibility, especially the textile industry, which is responsible for around ten percent of global emissions.
However, there are also companies that have been taking on this responsibility for years. First and foremost Patagonia: "Companies have a moral responsibility to protect the planet," says founder Yvon Chouinard. Since 2022, the company has been owned by the earth and therefore does not serve the interests of individual investors, but rather the planet and the fight against climate change. Patagonia hosted the Sustainability Hub at ISPO Munich to promote the exchange of knowledge.
Contrary to political developments around the world, countless studies show that consumers expect brands to do more to protect the environment. The younger generations have become more aware. They are willing to spend more money on truly sustainable brands and are actively looking for business models that improve the world.
Beth Thoren (Patagonia), Hunter Lovins (Natural Capitalism Solutions) and Laura Santucci (Future Economy Forum) are certain that the power of community in action is particularly effective in reaching this group. Lovins calls for a change of perspective:
In this context, Beth Thoren from Patagonia talked about the exemplary support of a small Croatian NGO that is committed to protecting wild rivers: Brand was involved for over eight years in the form of donations and letters to the government. "Our highest value is to protect nature," says Thoren. Patagonia repeatedly draws attention to grievances and supports the protest movement. In Croatia, employees and customers took part in campaigns: "Together, we were actually able to ensure that the rivers remain untouched to this day!"
Perseverance and a clear stance on environmental issues are part of Patagonia's recipe for success, explained Thoren. "Especially in America, people love the Brand for this fighting spirit." Environmental activist Hunter Lovins underlined this impression: "Nothing is more effective than the power of the community. It takes years to build a loyal community. You have to be one hundred percent honest, talk openly about challenges and always emphasize your values."
Transparency is not only the top priority of a sustainable economy in terms of customer loyalty. It is also literally becoming the law along the supply chain. A strict duty of care has been in force in the EU since last year and will be extended to the entire textile industry in the coming years. And Australia already has corresponding legislation in place.
But how do you get an overview? "We need to help suppliers overcome their fear of sharing all information," said Nick Allen, Transparency Director at Patagonia. Bettina Roth from VAUDE also confirmed that long-term, trustworthy relationships are the key to a sustainable circular economy. As Head of Quality Management & CSR Supply Chain, she is aware of the challenges of examining supply chains. "We want to share our knowledge with the industry and hope for technical solutions to collect, collate and evaluate data. Preferably standardized."
Because this is not so easy as a commercial enterprise - keyword: antitrust law - good partnerships are needed. Institutions such as bluesign technologies do not have their hands tied when it comes to combining data sets in order to gain and disclose new insights.
"Material processing has the greatest impact," says bluesign CCO Barbara Oswald, using her data sets. At bluesign, textiles are assessed in terms of energy consumption, raw materials, water consumption, chemicals, water pollution and waste. The label is intended to help the (sports) industry make better material decisions and ultimately change design processes, supply chains and recycling measures in a sustainable way.
Although recycling is generally seen as a great source of hope, only 15-20 percent of all textiles are currently recycled - and at the same time more is being produced than ever before. If things continue like this, the amount of plastic (waste) on the planet will triple in the next 50 years. There will then be more plastic floating in our oceans than fish.
In the above-mentioned Netflix documentary "Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy" (2024) mentioned above, the disaster becomes particularly clear. With the help of AI, the film visualizes the absurdity of global overproduction, especially in the textile industry, for which ex-Adidas President Eric Liedtke has his say: "We can no longer ignore the fact that a large proportion of clothing is made of plastic - plastic that ultimately ends up in our oceans and our food. We need to rethink the system from the ground up."
Even though Patagonia no longer uses plastic, material production still accounts for 90 percent of the brand's carbon footprint. Many good suggestions on how to change this were presented at the Material Hub at ISPO Munich - in the form of bio-based materials made from algae or mushrooms.
"We are still at the very beginning of the development of bio-based materials for the textile industry," says François Delaunoy from Gecko Components. But it is very likely that high-performance sportswear could also be made from algae, mushrooms or flax in the future. A trend researcher reported that biomaterials are already acceptable in the automotive industry and showed examples from BMW and Peugeot; flax can be as robust as carbon.
In contrast, the start-up Kuori from Zurich opened up completely different possibilities with its elastic biomaterial; it comes in the form of pellets and is suitable for shoe soles, tires or handles, for example - naturally BPA-free.
Jean Marc Dijan from The North Face once said in an ISPO guest article that nothing contributes more powerfully to a conscious, sustainable lifestyle than (sporting) nature experiences. Anyone who experiences how much nature gives you wants to preserve it, it's as simple as that.
Can sporting events do the same? UEFA sustainability officer Charles Frémont reported on the sustainability concept of the Olympic Games in Paris last year. The venues in the middle of the city had led to more people taking part and a significant increase in sports participation. Measures such as cleaning up the Seine, vegetarian food trucks and recycled packaging material also helped to raise visitors' awareness of a sustainable lifestyle. And the fact that the sports and outdoor industry per se makes a special contribution to environmental protection and sustainable economic development reinforces the positive effect.
Frémont sees the future of sporting events in smaller, urban events: "Transportation, i.e. the arrival and departure of athletes and spectators, is the most climate-damaging factor." The awarding of the 2034 FIFA World Cup to Saudi Arabia proves that there is still a long way to go. But neither FIFA, Donald Trump nor Elon Musk can dampen the motivation of a predominantly young, active generation of entrepreneurs who are happy to give their all to protect Croatian wild rivers. They will certainly be a little further ahead at the next Outdoor.
In this interview about sustainable challenges, Patagonia’s Wendy Savage explains why quality is not only a matter of long-lasting products but has to do with the impact of products when they are made. She also expresses how crucial communication is and how far Patagonia and parts of the textile industry already have come in terms of being more sustainable.
What does quality mean to you and to Patagonia?
Do you think that garment quality has lost its value in recent years or even decades?
Why is it often hard for consumers to distinguish between good and bad quality?
What role does marketing play in this?
How can we, as a society, overcome overconsumption?
What role does legislation play from both a brand and consumer perspective?
What are Patagonia’s key focuses for 2025 in terms of quality?
If you had one wish for the sporting goods and apparel industry, what would it be?
Wendy Savage is Senior Director of Social Impact and Transparency at Patagonia. On the social side she looks after all impacts when it comes to labor and human rights. The transparency part focuses on knowing where products come from. Her job is to ensure that everything Patagonia tells their customers about fibers and how products are made, is backed up with reliable information.
Watch the full interview on YouTube:
Wendy: Quality for us is not just about durability, though that’s important. It’s also about the environmental and social impacts of our products. For example, we carefully consider the impact of the fibers we use. Additionally, we focus on transparency, making sure we know where our materials come from and that our partnerships with suppliers are based on openness. It takes time to create such a holistic product, but the result is something that lasts a lifetime, can be repaired, and even given a second life—keeping it out of landfills.
Yes. When products are designed without considering how they can be repaired or are made with fibers that have a significant environmental impact, it’s a problem. Unfortunately, this has worsened over the years. At Patagonia, we’re doubling down on our responsibility to deliver high-quality products.
We have so much information at our fingertips—sometimes too much. Consumers can start by looking at labels, certifications, and the types of fibers used. There are also organizations that rate brands based on various standards. It’s challenging, but as brands, we must communicate clearly and provide the information consumers need to make informed decisions.
Marketing plays a critical role, especially in education. At Patagonia, our philosophy isn’t about selling more products but rather informing customers so they can decide if they even need to buy a product. For instance, on our website, we offer both new and pre-loved products to highlight the importance of quality and mindful choices. Our marketing team is incredibly creative and works hard to translate technical information about quality, environmental efforts, and social impact into stories that customers can connect with.
That’s a big challenge and something we’re actively addressing. For example, Patagonia creates educational content to engage consumers on this topic. One of our recent videos explores the psychological triggers behind the “buy, buy, buy” mindset. We’ve been hosting panels on overconsumption and its connection to environmentalism. There’s a lot of work to be done, especially with the sheer volume of disposable products out there, but education and awareness are key.
Legislation is very important. When I started in this field over two decades ago, there wasn’t much interest in how products were made. Patagonia has always held itself to high voluntary standards, even when competing with brands that weren’t doing anything similar. It’s great to see that many of these voluntary efforts are now becoming part of legislation. While it will be challenging for brands that are just starting their journey, it’s necessary to scale good practices. Collaboration and sharing knowledge will help everyone move forward.
We’re doubling down on our existing efforts, especially scaling up our Worn Wear program. The goal is to get repaired and pre-loved goods into more homes. There’s still work to be done in educating consumers about choosing pre-loved products over new ones. We’re also hosting pop-up stores to showcase unique, repaired items. Beyond that, we’re focusing on living wages, decarbonization, regenerative organics, and more. Scaling circularity is especially exciting, and we’re looking at how legislation and brand collaboration can support that.
On the topic of circularity—let’s collaborate. If you don’t know where to start, knock on our door. We’re happy to share tools and ideas. Sometimes brands are hesitant, worrying that customers won’t embrace change. But you don’t have to overhaul everything at once. Start small—maybe with one product or one color—and see how it goes. Legislation will push us all further, but collaboration and small steps can make a big difference.
Thank you. It was a pleasure.
US President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order entitled "Keeping Men out of Women's Sport". According to LGBTQ+ activists such as Chris Mosier, the argument that women's sport should be protected is just a pretext for establishing further bans in the future: for example, restricting access to healthcare and rewriting school curricula with transgender themes. One thing is already clear: it is not only in the USA that the US president is fueling further division in society - you can find out what the sports industry thinks about this here.
Back in March 2023, the World Athletics Association excluded female athletes who had gone through "male puberty" from world ranking competitions. A certain testosterone level is also stipulated for women who have DSD (Differences of Sex Development). A prominent example of this is Caster Semenya, who was born intersex and classified as a woman. The track and field athlete is no longer allowed to compete in women's competitions - this ban was confirmed in 2020 by two courts before which the athlete had filed a lawsuit. However, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) came to a different decision: The International Court of Arbitration for Sport and the Swiss Federal Court had violated Semenya's rights. The requirement to take testosterone-lowering medication in order to compete in the women's event was a serious interference. The court also found that there were far too few studies confirming a physical advantage for women with higher testosterone levels on the middle distance.
This is the problem with all debates - while various world federations such as the World Swimming Federation have introduced regulations, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is hesitant to act. Trump therefore wants to go one step further and put pressure on the IOC to tighten the rules for trans athletes. He also quickly changed the participation rules for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles: according to him, "men" who "fraudulently pose as female athletes" will not receive a visa.
ISPO.com portrayed transgender role model Anneline Knauf, known as "Freeride Anne", a year ago. Also in the sportingWOMEN podcast, Anneline Knauf talks to Marie-Therese Riml, Bine Herzog and Chris Beaufils about her rousing story, the MTB community and transgender in professional sports. Symbolically, she stands for many athletes who are looking for guidance in the current discourse between sport and identity.
The US president's ban affects all opportunities for transgender women to play sports among their peers - from schools to colleges and universities. Schools that allow trans people into changing rooms that do not correspond to the gender "assigned by birth" must also fear sanctions. Where should transgender women be allowed to practice their sport in the future? That remains an open question.
Climate risks are no longer abstract challenges for the outdoor sports industry—they're reshaping how we operate, innovate, and thrive. As unpredictable weather, resource scarcity, and shifting consumer demands redefine the playing field, leaders like Amer Sports and organizations like The Carbon Trust are turning these risks into transformative opportunities. By embedding sustainability into their core strategies, outdoor brands can move from mere survival to setting the benchmark for innovation and resilience.
How are key players navigating climate risks, leveraging sustainability, and embracing the chance to lead the outdoor sports sector toward a more sustainable future?
Being deeply connected to the outdoors reveals how profoundly climate risks are impacting experiences. Extreme weather events disrupt supply chains, while water scarcity and rising temperatures make certain activities less accessible. These challenges are not isolated—they have a cascading effect on the industry, from manufacturing to consumer engagement.
Supply Chain Vulnerabilities from Extreme Weather
Floods and droughts threaten the availability of raw materials like cotton, a staple in apparel production. Studies predict that exports from countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Cambodia could decline by 22% by 2030 due to climate-related challenges.
Increased Costs of Raw Materials Due to Climate Impacts
Resource scarcity drives up the cost of materials, forcing companies to rethink their sourcing strategies. The ripple effect? Higher production costs, which can either be absorbed or passed on to consumers—a tough decision in a competitive market.
Heatwaves, sudden onsets of winter and other consequences of climate change have a direct impact on outdoor sports. The outdoortdoor sports industry is aware of this, which is why many brands are facing up to these challenges.
Amer Sports is a pioneer when it comes to when it comes to tackling climate risks. Its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its comprehensive risk management set standards for the industry. Anne Larilahti, Vice President of Sustainability at Amer Sports, explains:
With 11,000 employees and $4.37 billion in sales in 2023, Amer Sports is uniquely positioned to lead by example.
This leadership is evident in the concrete actions they have taken to embed sustainability into their business model. Among their most impactful initiatives are the following:
Just like Amer Sports, another brand has come up significantly in its efforts to mitigate climate risk challenges and has been collaborating with outdoor sports giants in a way hardly seen or known before.
The Carbon Trust has been instrumental in guiding companies like Amer Sports. With expertise in decarbonization, the organization offers a roadmap for businesses navigating climate challenges. Anna Raffaelli, Regional Manager for Carbon Trust’s DACH region, described their role perfectly:
The Carbon Trust collaborates with outdoor sports brands in various impactful ways, employing strategies that address the underlying causes of climate risks and challenges.
One of their key efforts lies in carbon footprinting and reduction initiatives, where they help brands measure and reduce their carbon emissions to ensure sustainability efforts are both data-driven and effective.
Beyond individual actions, the Carbon Trust emphasizes the importance of industry partnerships to drive collective action. By fostering collaboration on projects ranging from footprinting to circularity strategies, they inspire innovation and create momentum for systemic change across the outdoor sports sector.
The examples above show how two brands are successfully addressing climate risks while working with others to make the outdoor sports industry more sustainable. But how can climate risks actually lead to competitive advantages? And how can outdoor sports brands use these opportunities to grow and improve?
But it’s not just about repairing and reselling. The real win comes from creating a culture of sustainability among consumers. When customers see brands taking the lead in reducing waste and promoting conscious consumption, they’re more likely to form emotional connections with those brands. These connections translate into repeat business and strong word-of-mouth marketing.
The experts highlighted that the outdoor sports industry must look beyond short-term profits and focus on building ecosystems that prioritize sustainability at every stage—from design to distribution. This approach ensures long-term growth while addressing the urgent need for climate action.
Transparency is the foundation of trust in a climate-conscious world. It is not enough to implement sustainability practices - it is equally important to communicate these efforts effectively. Brands that share their goals, challenges and progress in an authentic and understandable way gain consumer trust.
A prime example is Patagonia which has been using transparency as a competitive advantage for years. They openly publish their environmental reports, sourcing decisions and even areas where they have not yet achieved their goals. This level of openness humanizes the brand and creates trust with the audience.
During discussions with experts, it became clear that storytelling is a key success factor. Brands should go beyond technical jargon and create compelling stories that inspire their audience. Whether through social media campaigns, documentary videos or interactive web experiences, the message must resonate emotionally.
Additionally, the value of certification seals and partnerships with recognized environmental organizations was highlighted. These not only validate a brand's sustainability claims, but also serve as powerful marketing tools that communicate the brand's authenticity to customers. Ultimately, trust is built when brands are consistent in their communication and actions.
Modern consumers are not just aware of climate risks—they demand action. The outdoor sports industry is uniquely positioned to align with these values and lead the way in climate-conscious business practices. Brands that recognize this shift and adapt their strategies accordingly will find themselves better positioned in the marketplace.
The key lies in understanding the modern consumer psyche. Today’s buyers prioritize brands that share their values, particularly those related to sustainability and social responsibility. This means that outdoor sports brands must actively listen to their audience and incorporate their feedback into product design, marketing campaigns, and business operations.
One example of aligning with climate-conscious trends is through product innovation. Brands that develop eco-friendly alternatives to traditional products, such as biodegradable gear or carbon-neutral apparel, will stand out in a crowded market. Beyond products, offering eco-conscious experiences, such as workshops on sustainable outdoor practices or guided eco-tours, can further strengthen consumer relationships.
It’s not just about meeting consumer expectations but exceeding them. By taking bold and innovative steps, brands can transform climate-conscious trends into a competitive edge.
Patagonia, Vaude and co. are known for their sustainable supply chains - find out how you too can make your company more sustainable. Since 2024, new EU laws on due diligence in supply chains have made sustainable business practices mandatory for companies. Currently, these regulations mainly affect large companies, but in the coming years all supply chains will have to be more transparent and responsible. The new guidelines are causing a lot of discussion - especially with regard to their impact on supply chain management. What needs to change? What uncertainties exist? And what opportunities will arise if companies optimize their supply chain management sustainably?
Brands such as Patagonia and Vaude feel vindicated by the new legislation. Clear rules have long been needed to force the entire textile industry to take more responsibility, says Nick Allen, Director of Transparency at Patagonia. The sad fact is that, with up to 1.7 billion tons of CO₂ emissions per year, they cause more than the aviation and shipping industries combined.
Reducing CO₂ emissions requires greater transparency in supply chains, which starts with accurate data collection. "Reporting is becoming the most important requirement. You have to ask yourself: What data do I need?" says Chiara Mingozzi from the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI).
Patagonia has been working hard for eight years to make the entire supply chain transparent by collecting, analyzing and evaluating data. "The outdoor industry has already come a long way," says Allen. However, according to Philipp Mayer, founder of the supply chain compliance platform Retraced, less than 40 percent of all textile companies know what their supply chain looks like after Tier 1. And less than 20 percent have insight into the processes downstream of Tier 2. The key to greater transparency is data, data and more data, says Mayer.
In addition to Retraced, other good partners also provide assistance with data collection. Amer Sports has been relying on the support of Carbon Trust's experts for years. With the help of detailed supply chain analyses, they sound out the greatest impacts, conduct risk management taking into account the climate crisis and make the opportunities of sustainable business visible - and ultimately an attractive business case.
Bettina Roth, Head of Quality Management & CSR Supply Chain at VAUDE, underlines the need for standardized solutions for data collection:
"Better technical solutions will come, now that the laws are in place," says David Ekelund from Icebug. Transparency has always been at the top of the agenda for his company. Following the analysis, the energy supply along the entire supply chain was converted to solar energy together with the production facilities - the most important measure for his company to become climate-positive. The partnerships that have emerged from this are fundamental to his sustainable company, reports Ekelund.
Patagonia is also proud of its stable relationships with its suppliers: according to Matt Dwyer (Product Impact & Innovation), Patagonia's top 20 suppliers are the same as they were ten years ago. "It's not enough to rely on data reports from suppliers. You have to build stable relationships along the entire supply chain," says his colleague Nick Allen. This is the only way to convince everyone to share detailed information and see sustainability as a business advantage.
"In order to have more influence, we need to cooperate," says Julie Gretton from Gore-Tex. Here, too, the company has set itself the goal of eliminating fossil fuels along the entire supply chain and has teamed up with Patagonia to achieve this - an open source tool has been developed as part of the joint Sustainable Apparel Coalition initiative: The Higg Index enables companies to share supply chain transparency tools and data and measure the social impact of products.
Other NGOs and associations also help with networking and exchange. The bluesign textile label, for example, allows better conclusions to be drawn thanks to the large pool of data from all partners. CCO Barbara Oswald illustrated the benefits of regular and automated data collection in order to maintain and expand the sustainability standard: Bluesign is continuously working on the comprehensive database, in which the resource consumption can also be viewed for every listed material of its partners - for the entire industry.
Third parties are particularly important for this exchange of knowledge within the industry, as European antitrust law and national regulations to prevent anti-competitive behavior regulate discussions about supply chain law between companies. External moderation is needed to avoid taking any legal risks in the process of clarifying supply chain due diligence obligations - for example from the European Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) or the WFSGI at a global level.
The economic success of companies such as Patagonia, VAUDE and Co. proves the point: sustainability along the entire supply chain pays off. No industry has done a better job of committing to meeting climate targets than the outdoor and sporting goods industry. Those who understand the new EU regulations as guidelines for improvement and implement them innovatively can strengthen their brand image, forge new partnerships and achieve more stable business in the long term. The tools and ideas are there and the pioneers are ready to share them.