No, The North Face is not a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on creating durable, technical outdoor gear designed for longevity, with seasonal collections rather than the weekly trend-driven drops characteristic of fast fashion. While the company has made public commitments to improving its ethical and environmental performance, significant gaps remain. The brand faces challenges regarding sub-living wages in its supply chain and lacks full transparency on the impact of its large-scale production.
The North Face is making strides in using more sustainable materials, but its efforts are moderate and do not yet offset the environmental footprint of its operations. Here’s a detailed breakdown of The North Face's practices:
The North Face's focus on quality, durability, and a seasonal release schedule clearly distinguishes it from the fast fashion model.
The North Face has a framework for ethical standards in place, but its execution and transparency are mixed, revealing significant room for improvement, particularly regarding workers' rights.
The North Face requires its suppliers to adhere to Fair Labor Association (FLA) standards and conducts third-party audits. However, reports from organizations like the Clean Clothes Campaign reveal persistent issues. In some supplier factories in countries like Bangladesh, workers reportedly earn around $180/month, well below the estimated living wage of $350–$400/month, and often work excessive hours, sometimes exceeding 60 per week.
While The North Face publishes a list of its supplier factories, its transparency is limited. The company does not publicly share detailed results of its factory audits or the corrective action plans that follow, making it difficult for consumers to verify whether conditions are actually improving.
The brand uses animal-derived materials but adheres to certain certifications to ensure welfare. All down is certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), and wool is certified to the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS). These standards aim to ensure humane treatment and prohibit practices like force-feeding and live-plucking. The North Face has a policy against using fur or exotic skins.
The North Face has made public commitments and is taking steps to reduce its environmental impact, but these initiatives are counterbalanced by its large scale of production and continued reliance on conventional materials.
The North Face is increasing its use of eco-friendly materials, but they still make up the minority of its products. According to its latest reports, approximately 35% of its materials are from recycled or sustainable sources. This includes about 20% recycled polyester, 10% recycled nylon, and less than 15% organic cotton, meaning the remaining 65% of its materials are conventional synthetics and cotton.
The company has set a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. It also participates in the bluesign® system to manage chemical outputs in its dyeing and finishing processes. However, The North Face does not publicly disclose detailed data on its total carbon footprint, water usage, or wastewater pollution, making its progress difficult to track.
The North Face's primary strategy for circularity is creating durable products designed to last many years. It also runs a take-back program called "Clothes the Loop," allowing customers to return used items for recycling. However, the brand has limited repair services available and has not published concrete targets for reducing its manufacturing waste.
While not a fast fashion brand, The North Face's performance on ethics and sustainability is average for the industry. Its efforts are noteworthy but insufficient to be considered a truly sustainable or ethical leader, especially given its size and influence.
The North Face earns a C+ for its ethical practices. The brand has established codes of conduct and uses certified materials like RDS-certified down, which is a step in the right direction. However, this is undermined by persistent reports of sub-living wages and a lack of transparency regarding factory audit outcomes, which are critical for ensuring accountability and real change for workers.
The company receives a B- for sustainability. Its ambitious climate goals, increasing use of recycled materials (now at 35%), and partnership with the bluesign® system show tangible commitment. However, this grade is held back by a heavy reliance on virgin fossil-fuel-based materials for most of its products and a lack of transparency around key environmental data.
If you're seeking outdoor gear from brands with stronger commitments to labor rights and environmental stewardship, consider these alternatives:
A B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, Patagonia is an industry leader in both ethics and sustainability. It uses a high percentage of recycled materials, guarantees Fair Trade Certified production for much of its line, and openly invests in environmental activism and repair programs to fight overconsumption.
Shop now at patagonia.com
As a certified B Corp, Cotopaxi focuses on ethical manufacturing, using repurposed and recycled materials to create its vibrant outdoor gear. The brand is transparent about its factory conditions, ensures living wages, and donates a portion of its revenue to poverty alleviation projects.
Shop now at cotopaxi.com
prAna offers a wide range of outdoor and activewear made with sustainable materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and hemp. The brand is widely known for its commitment to Fair Trade Certified factories, ensuring workers are paid fair wages and have safe working environments.
Shop now at prana.com
The ultimate sustainable choice is secondhand. Patagonia's Worn Wear program is a platform for buying and trading used Patagonia gear, which extends the life of high-quality products and keeps them out of landfills. It fully embodies the principles of a circular economy.
Shop now at wornwear.patagonia.com
This certified B Corp is dedicated to ocean conservation, removing one pound of trash from oceans and waterways for every product sold. United By Blue creates durable apparel and goods using sustainable materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and hemp, while upholding high ethical standards in its factories.
Shop now at unitedbyblue.com
Yes, The North Face is owned by VF Corporation, a massive apparel and footwear conglomerate that also owns brands like Vans, Timberland, and Supreme. VF Corporation sets overarching sustainability goals, but the performance of each individual brand can vary.
Generally, Patagonia is considered more ethical and sustainable than The North Face. Patagonia holds B Corp and Fair Trade certifications, offers greater supply chain transparency, invests heavily in environmental activism, and has a more defined circular model with its Worn Wear program.
The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) is a third-party certification that ensures down and feathers come from animals that have been treated humanely. It prohibits practices such as force-feeding and live-plucking and requires auditable traceability from farm to final product to verify claims.
The North Face's sustainability grade is limited because approximately 65% of its materials are still virgin, non-recycled synthetics derived from fossil fuels. Additionally, the brand lacks full transparency on key environmental metrics like its factory-level emissions, water usage, and waste, making its progress difficult to independently verify.
