The North Face is one of the most successful hiking and outdoor brands in the world, posting $1.4 billion in 2022, a 21 percent increase over 2021. The brand's popularity among outdoors enthusiasts can be attributed, in part, to the company's commitment to environmentally friendly practices.
Many North Face products are envisioned and created within the scope of circular design. The circular design is a process that allows for products that can last for several lifetimes. By adhering to circular design principles, North Face decreases the percentage of products that end up in landfills, the fate of about 70 percent of shoes and clothing in America. To achieve an ideal design state, North Face product teams consider four pillars of circularity.
To start, designers strive to source the best materials available. This does not just mean finding and using materials that are high in quality, but materials that have been responsibly sourced, such as materials that have been regeneratively grown with the express purpose of reducing the use of finite resources. Many materials used during the circularity design process have already been recycled.
Recycled, responsibly sourced materials are of little use if hikers are constantly looking to replace them. This is why the North Face circularity design process places a premium on durability. The design team goes to great lengths to conceive products that are resistant to the wear and tear of the trail. Designers operate with the idea that while recyclability is important, the most sustainable piece of equipment never needs to be thrown away in the first place.
Waste minimization is the third pillar of the North Face's approach to circular design. Waste reduction primarily occurs during production, though the company strives to minimize waste during product use. North Face uses any textile remnants and other leftover materials following production.
Champion cyclability is the fourth and final pillar. While durability is important for some products, others lean more toward champion cyclability. Through this process, hiking equipment and related products are designed to be broken down eventually. This makes recycling old products into new gear easier, greatly extending their lifetime.
The company further supports circularity through the North Face Renewed Take-Back program. Through this offer, hiking enthusiasts can recycle North Face products directly from the company. North Face provides customers who take advantage of the program with shopping credits. Some Renewed Take-Back items are cleaned, refurbished, and resold, while others are donated or recycled.
In addition to the North Face brand's dedication to a circular design, the company has developed and maintained an actionable commitment to sustainability, defined as products or processes that do not deplete the planet of finite natural resources or otherwise disturb the ecological balance. The company utilizes science-based targets to grade environmental activities effectively. The North Face anticipates 100 percent of apparel will be recyclable and responsibly sourced by 2025, with footwear following in 20230.
Additional aspects of the North Face brand's commitment to sustainability can be seen in the company's efforts to eliminate single-use plastic packaging and partnerships with organizations working to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. More information about North Face's sustainability can be found online at thenorthface.com.
