Our Earth Day Commitments
Stabio, Switzerland, 22nd April – For more than 50 years The North Face has dared to lead the world forward through exploration, yet we know the very places we all love to explore are under threat. That’s why today we’re announcing new commitments to help reduce our impact on the planet and protect exploration for future generations.
We understand more than half of our carbon footprint is generated from product creation. By focusing on how we make our products we can have the largest environmental reduction for our brand.
The North Face is committed to creating the best performing products for exploration, leading with recycled, renewable and regenerative materials that leave an ever-smaller footprint on the planet we must protect. We call this Exploration Without Compromise.
To make this vision a reality, 100% of the top materials we use for The North Face apparel will be recycled, regenerative or renewable by 2025. In addition to this goal, our circular recommerce platform The North Face Renewed will be launching in Germany on May 4th.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 85 percent of textiles produced go to landfills every year. Clothing, shoes, and gear are often part of this. The North Face Renewed is evolving a traditional, linear business model into a circular model where clothing can be resold, repaired and recycled to keep it out of landfill.
Renewed will not only keep products in the value chain but also offer a collection of refurbished products for consumers who want to access affordable gear and reduce their environmental impact.
“We take a holistic approach to sustainability,” said Michael Horsch, VP Product and Marketing, EMEA at The North Face. “By analyzing the impact of our products over their entire lifecycle, we’ve been able to focus on key areas to make the biggest chance to our environmental footprint. The North Face Renewed and our new brand commitments are important next steps as we continually seek to minimize our impact on the planet without sacrificing durability or technical standards’.
Landing first as a pilot program in Germany, the Renewed platform will eventually be rolled out to other markets, allowing consumers ever greater choice with their purchasing decisions.
This product strategy will also help us achieve the science-based targets laid out by our parent company, VF Corporation. These targets ensure we can take actionable internal steps that back up our public call for addressing climate change and protect exploration for all.
To read more about Exploration Without Compromise visit, https://www.thenorthface.co.uk/innovation/sustainability.html. To keep up to date on future announcements follow @thenorthfaceuk on Instagram, and @thenorthface on Facebook.
