Sustainability

Over the past couple of decades, outdoor adventure enthusiasts have developed a growing obsession with speed — fastest climber (ascent/descent), fastest cyclist, fastest downhill skier or snowboarder, fastest BASE jumper. Fastest, fastest, fastest. 

Whether you actively compete in one or more of these categories or prefer a less competitive approach to human-powered outdoor activities, you’re at risk of getting swept up in the accelerating pace of everything in the world outdoor adventure, including fashion. Specifically, fast fashion.

Yes, fast fashion and stylish outdoor gear is a thing, and it’s creeping into the world of technical outdoor apparel, threatening the values of the outdoor education and adventure programming community’s Leave No Trace (LNT) culture. It’s a trend we must resist, and dare I suggest, reverse.

What Is Fast Fashion?

Fast fashion is the mass production of inexpensive clothing, aggressively marketed and pushed out to consumers as quickly as possible to capitalize on ever-changing trends. Sometimes, a simple change in color, texture, or cut is enough to trigger a new trend. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Often, products that hit store shelves or online retailers appear well-made, with quality and longevity in mind. But when put to even the most basic tests, their flaws quickly become apparent. Since many consumers are willing to overlook poor quality in their pursuit of trendy, bargain-priced clothing, the cycle continues.

What most people don’t see are the hidden costs to the environment, to the workers making these products, and to the communities where they’re manufactured. According to the report Style That’s Sustainable: A New Fast-Fashion Formula (PDF):

• 100 billion garments are produced each year.
• Three-fifths of all clothing produced ends up in incinerators or landfills within a few years of being made.
• The average person buys 60 percent more clothing than they did just 15 years ago.

As suggested in the award-winning documentary The True Cost, the real price of cheap fast fashion is paid by factory workers. Many garment workers in the Global South earn less than minimum wage, which is nowhere near a living wage.

Skewing Needs and Desires

Around the most recent year-end holidays, my email inbox was flooded with marketing emails from nearly every major outdoor gear brand, all telling me what I need. They clearly haven’t looked inside my boxes of gear and gear closet. My jackets, pants, packs, and accessories are all patched — personally sewn and repaired to keep them functional. These companies are trying to blur the line between needs and desires.

Technical outdoor gear has long been a status symbol. How you dress in the backcountry projects an image.

• Technical wear status: Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), we choose our clothing based on survival, comfort, and protection against the elements. That’s because we prioritize the experience over appearance.
• Outdoor fashion status: People without our outdoor industry knowledge or experience want to look the part of an explorer. They buy the latest puffy jacket,  even if the one hanging on their office chair is still in perfect condition. They may even own two nearly identical puffies, just in different colors from last year’s and this year’s trends.

Wanting quality, affordable gear that looks good isn’t a crime. We need outdoor gear for safety and enjoyment, and we want it to be reasonably priced. And yes, we like when it looks good and doesn’t feel outdated.

But, like many of you, I’m not the target customer for new and shiny. I’d rather spend less on clothing and more on actual adventures.

Fighting Fast Fashion

So, what can you do to stop fast fashion from creeping into our LNT culture? Here are seven steps to help reverse the trend:

1. Take stock of what you already own.

You likely have everything you need for your next trip. If you’re trying a new activity, see what gear you can repurpose, borrow, or rent before making any purchases. 

If you’re traveling with us here at NCOAE, we offer packing lists and guidance for our wilderness trips and expeditions, and even make some of our own equipment available for rent when participating in one of our backcountry courses. 

2. Buy secondhand.

Thrift stores, consignment shops, and online marketplaces offer quality used gear. My wife, Christine, is famous for scoring $200 technical clothing for just $10 or $15. She wears it until it’s in tatters—her fashion scars tell stories of real adventures.

Fast Fashion Meets Marie Kondo and Swedish Death Cleansing: If you’re wondering whether there are truly good deals in the secondhand market, look no further than the growing popularity of decluttering. Chances are, you know someone who has tried the KonMari Method™ or engaged in döstädning (Swedish death cleaning). These movements have fueled the resurgence of thrift stores. According to Capital One, nearly 20 percent of Americans now shop at brick-and-mortar thrift and consignment stores, while 93 percent shop online for secondhand items.

3. Choose natural fabrics.

Fast fashion thrives on synthetics, which release plastic microfibers when washed and degrade over time. Natural fibers last longer and often provide better insulation. Look for materials like:

• Bamboo
• Cotton
• Hemp
• Linen (flax)
• Wool
• Silk

4. Stop shopping as entertainment.

Before heading to the store, shop in your own home. Check your gear, your closet, and maybe even your friends’ gear stashes. Buy only what you truly need.

5. Be wary of advertising and greenwashing.

Technical outdoor brands like the ones who exhibit at Sea Otter Classic, the GoPro Mountain Games, Outdoor Retailer, Surf Expo, and The Big Gear Show, spend millions crafting aspirational marketing campaigns. They sell you an image, not just a jacket.

Take The North Face’s recent Skims collaboration, for example. They promise “full head-to-toe all-day looks that go from the mountains to après-ski and beyond.” But does a reality TV-inspired fashion collab align with human-powered outdoor adventure? You be the judge of that!

Many brands greenwash — using misleading claims about sustainability. Do your research. Buy from companies that genuinely align with your values.

6. Borrow, rent, and repair your own clothing and gear.

Swap gear with friends. Rent from local outfitters. And when your stuff breaks, fix it yourself or bring it to someone who can. Learning to sew could save your gear and keep it out of a landfill. Gear Aid is among the many companies that sell sewing and repair kits for technical outdoor clothing and gear. My own stitches are ugly, but they work. 

If DYI isn’t your thing, check out these options for repairing your well-used technical outdoor clothing and gear: 

• REI Repair Services
• Rainy Pass Repair
• Rugged Thread
• Mountain Soles & Outdoor Threads
• Boulder Mountain Repair 

7. Wear your stories of adventure with pride.

When I walk into a room full of outdoor people, I look for the ones wearing patched, weathered clothing that smells faintly of campfire. Those are my people. The ones in pristine, this-season’s colors? They’re often more interested in the idea of adventure than in actual dirt, sweat, and survival. Harsh? Maybe. True? Absolutely.

LNT: Beyond the Backcountry

LNT isn’t just about staying on trails, properly disposing of waste, and keeping fires small. It extends to every aspect of life, including what we buy, how we travel, where we live, and what we give.

I encourage you to be mindful of your consumption. Find ways to use less, repair more, and leave a smaller footprint in everything you do.

We are fortunate to live on a beautiful planet filled with diverse and incredible creatures. Let’s keep it that way, no matter how much fast fashion we’re subjected to.

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About the Author: Stephen Mullaney is the Director of School Partnerships and Staff Development at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE).