Even the best outdoor gear is susceptible to wear and tear. And while fixing a ripped backpack sounds simple enough, not everyone has the time or patience for a DIY project. Fortunately, more brands are stepping up with repair and trade-in programs, making it easier to keep your beloved gear in play and your environmental footprint in check.
These circularity initiatives couldn’t come at a better time. The average US resident now generates more than 100 pounds of textile waste annually, but only 15% of that gets donated or recycled. If the fast fashion cycle stays on its current path, apparel could consume a quarter of the world’s annual carbon budget by 2050. Below, we’ve rounded up brands with repair and resale programs designed to extend the lifespan of gear—and help protect the places we love to explore.
This story is part of April’s sustainability package, highlighting travel brands that are prioritizing environmental and social responsibilities in a meaningful way.
For Swedish brand Fjällräven, practicality and longevity go hand in hand. To help outdoor enthusiasts double their gear’s lifespan, the brand makes it straightforward to care for and repair items—even while on the go. To keep gear in top shape, the company offers free DIY care guides for everything from its Eco-Shell jackets to its waxed canvas pieces. It also sells a Samlaren Field Repair kit with all the essentials for quick fixes. If your pieces need expert resuscitation, its comprehensive repair program (including in-store services) is the way to go. And when you’re ready to part with an item for good, the Pre-Loved platform helps keep it in circulation, so your old Skule backpack or Kånken tote can live on with a new owner.
The North Face backs its gear with a limited lifetime warranty, covering any manufacturing defect in materials or workmanship; for normal wear and tear, the brand offers affordable repairs. The North Face Renewed program also encourages circular fashion. Customers trade in old gear for store credit, and items are refurbished and resold with a Circular Design hangtag. Looking ahead, The North Face aims for 100% of its top materials (polyester, cotton, and nylon) to be recycled, responsibly sourced, or regeneratively grown by the end of 2025 for apparel and 2030 for footwear and equipment, with beloved pieces like the Antora Jacket and Aconcagua 3 Hoodie now featuring 100% recycled polyester.
Patagonia has offered repair services for clothing since the 1970s, but its Worn Wear program, which was launched in 2013, has inspired a broader circularity movement—encouraging customers to trade in and repair used gear. Boasting more than 70 global repair centers, the outdoor gear titan offers free repairs on select items, including jackets and alpine pants that need a hole mended or a zipper fixed. The California-based company is also continuing to make its beloved pieces more eco-friendly. In addition to removing PFAS (human-made perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from its products, its Baggies Shorts are made entirely of discarded fishing nets to help reduce ocean plastic. Its spring line features even more pieces made with the innovative NetPlus fabric, including the lightweight and waterproof Outdoor Everyday Rain Jacket, lined with moisture-wicking recycled polyester tricot mesh for climate-friendly comfort.
After building a cult following for its technical jackets like the all-weather Beta AR, Arc’teryx is now making gear care as cool as its Gore-Tex shells. The Canadian outerwear brand’s trade-in program has fueled a range of coveted upcycled products (case in point: its bespoke totes sold out in less than a week). In 2021, it launched ReBird, a circularity platform and hub for its waste-reducing initiatives. With 17 service centers around the world, the brand is making it even easier for people to get their gear assessed, washed, re-waterproofed, and repaired. Its most extensive repair services are available at its Alpha Stores in New York City and Toronto, where customers can also shop ReGear—pre-owned and refurbished pieces, including vintage styles and colorways. “Arcy” loyalists can trade in used gear products in-store and online to receive a 20% credit toward future purchases, such as the new Kragg Cotton pants with four-way stretch for avid hikers and climbers.
Icelanders have a saying that “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” When it comes to dressing for extreme conditions, the Nordic island’s homegrown outerwear brand 66°North delivers. Whether it’s the windproof Laugardalur Jacket or the Dyngja Down Jacket insulated with recycled down, each piece is crafted with nature in mind. To extend their lifespan, the company offers expert repair services at its headquarters near Reykjavik. Customers have to cover shipping, and items must be cleaned first, but it’s well worth the effort. Sustainability is central to the brand’s ethos, as seen in the Kría collection, which repurposes deadstock fabric to reduce waste.
Through its ReChaco repair program, Chaco has kept more than 300,000 pairs of its adventure-ready sandals on the trail and out of landfills. Born from the needs of a rafting guide, the brand’s grippy, waterproof Z-strap sandals are built to last. But when they do wear down, Chaco offers lifetime repairs, from resoling to buckle replacement, for a fraction of the cost of a new pair. Whether you’re sporting the Rapid Pro Vibram classics on your next canyoning or rafting trip or the cushioned Cloud sandals for urban explorations, you can count on keeping them in action for years.
Heritage apparel brand Filson stands behind its products with a solid product guarantee. Customers can send back select items for repairs, whether it’s an Alaskan Guide flannel shirt that’s missing a button or a decades-old Rugged Twill Original Briefcase in need of some TLC. (Some products like socks, gloves, and T-shirts don’t qualify and if the product is no longer under warranty, the repair will be at your own expense.) Filson’s craftsmanship is best showcased at the workshop in the brand’s Seattle flagship store, where full-time artisans create one-of-a-kind small-batch products from deadstock materials like old military bags and tarps, fabric end rolls, and scraps from returned or unrepairable products, which are then sold on-site.
Functional apparel brand Stio sources its inspiration from the trails, rivers, and summits in its backyard of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It works to protect these spaces with Stio Second Turn, a circular commerce program that enables customers to buy and trade in used Stio products that are recycled back into circulation. Customers who trade in their gently worn gear are rewarded 25% of each item’s current retail value. The launch follows Stio’s other initiatives, like becoming 100% climate-neutral, and prioritizing recycled, responsibly sourced, and organic materials. That means the highly-reviewed Wilcox Fleece Hoodie isn’t just the perfect cozy mid-layer, it’s also made with 100% recycled Lofton fleece. As of 2024, the brand is also PFAS-free so you can enjoy waterproof pieces like the Ender Hooded Jacket without the forever chemicals.
A backpack isn’t just a few pieces of fabric—it can have up to 250 individual parts. Sourcing responsibly isn’t easy, but Deuter is making strides: 82% of its main materials are Bluesign-certified, reducing its packs’ footprint. Through the Deuter Promise, the brand repairs any Deuter pack free of charge, no matter its age or the reason for damage. Its sustainability initiatives shine in the new Speed Lite Pro series. Not only are these featherweight packs like the Speed Lite Pro 19 made with 100% recycled Bluesign-certified fabric, but they’re also ClimatePartner-certified. Hikers will love the LiteAir back system, a removable back panel that boosts ventilation and weight distribution. Pair it with sleek toiletry Wash Bags, and you’re set for your next trek.
Mitigating textile waste has always been integral to Cotopaxi’s mission. Even scraps from its signature color-blocked nylon windbreakers are used to create the one-of-a-kind Bataan fanny packs. Today, more than 96% of the Salt Lake City–based brand’s products contain repurposed, recycled, or responsible materials. Pieces like the buttery soft and lightweight Impermeo Hooded Shell Jacket are designed to withstand the elements, but they also come backed by a robust repair and warranty program. If your gear needs fixing, the Rugged Thread repair partnership and Mama Llama program are there to help. Sometimes, you’ll even receive a handwritten note from Mama Marge, Cotopaxi’s in-house DIY queen. The brand also recently launched Mas Vida, a resale platform extending the life of well-loved pieces.
Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee covers repairs for any pack—whether it’s from 1974 or today’s Talon series. If it’s past the point of mending, they’ll replace it completely. This outdoor gear repair program is just one of the ways the Colorado-based brand is extending the life cycle of its products. All of its new fabrics are made of 100% recycled content (except where wear-resistant plastic was used for added durability), which adds to its existing eco measures—from buckles made out of renewable bio-based materials to durable water-repellent (DWR) finishes without PFAS. Osprey’s new Poco Soft Child Carrier makes it easier than ever to travel with little ones, while the upcoming Arcane Earth series—its most sustainable collection yet—features ReComp fabric made from repurposed manufacturing scraps and recycled materials.
Every pair of hiking boots has a story, which is exactly why Danner encourages customers to preserve that history through its recrafting program. The brand has an entire team in Portland, Oregon dedicated to restoring worn boots—whether it be restitching, resoling, or reconditioning. Most Danner boots qualify for repairs, from basic hardware fixes to full rebuilds ranging from $90 to $250. For reference, a new pair of Mountain Light boots runs about $440. Even its lightweight models, like its new recraftable N45 breathable hikers can be resoled by the team. According to the company’s craft experts, some boots have been repaired three or four times, proving that styles like the Acadia boots are built for a lifetime of adventures.
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