Baptist World Aid Australia (BWAA) is one of the organisations that track working conditions and sustainability in clothing brands. They have just released their report for 2020. It provides great information on how many brands are going – including key outdoor companies.
BWAA say:
Every time you purchase a piece of clothing, YOU have the power to pass on opportunity and dignity to workers, and sustainability to our planet.
These 2020 special editions of the Ethical Fashion Report and Ethical Fashion Guide are all about empowering you to be a more thoughtful and ethical fashion consumer.
Your first step is the decision to become more connected and conscious of the impact of the clothes you buy.
Given 2020 has been the year of the pandemic, BWAA also say:
‘And amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the people who make your clothes are experiencing new and unprecedented risks.
Infection, shortages of PPE and health care, along with a rapidly changing global fashion industry have devastated garment workers… making them even more vulnerable to unsafe working conditions, forced labour, child labour and human exploitation’.
There is a ‘brand finder’ that allows you to check how companies are going.
Some key outdoor companies are included below (including their rating). Smaller and some local brands are not included in the assessments. You can find some basic information here about how the brands are assessed.
Patagonia A
Kathmandu A
Explorer A
Lululemon Athletica A
Ripcurl B+
Eagle Creek B
Icebreaker B
Jansport B
Smartwool B
The North Face B
Timberland B
Crane Snow Extreme (Aldi snow brand) B-
Macpac B-
Berghaus C+
Billabong C-
Quiksilver C-
green & sustainable outdoor gear 