We’re proud of what we’ve done from a sustainability perspective. But it’s what we haven’t figured out yet that keeps us honest — and keeps us going. We've significant shortcomings in some areas and face challenges in others.
This isn’t a disclaimer. It’s a declaration. We believe progress comes from naming the gaps — not greenwashing over them.
If we’re not honest, we can’t improve. And if we stop improving, we stop deserving your trust.
That’s why we’re still fixing things. Especially the hard ones.
Move Away Oppressive Regimes
Let’s start with this: we make kit in countries with troubling human rights records. China. Vietnam. Indonesia. There’s no easy way to say it, and no simple way out. But we’re not sweeping it under a sleeping mat. We’re selective. We visit factories. We build long-term partnerships with suppliers who share our values with good working conditions. We push for better, and we’re actively moving production away from authoritarian regimes — not overnight, but definitely on purpose.
People we believe in.
And then there’s who we work with. Our world runs on systems built by tech giants, banks, industrial conglomerates, and agri-businesses — many of whom have funded arms, polluted ecosystems, or profited from exploitation. It’s hard to untangle from that without living in a shed and whittling your own gear. So we make tough choices. Sometimes we have to use tools built by companies we don’t fully align with. But we never stop asking: who’s behind this, and who’s affected? We seek out better partners where we can. And where we can’t, we stay alert — questioning, not coasting. Because our supply chain isn’t just fabric and zips — it’s relationships, choices, and ethics all the way down.
Free From PFCs
Then there’s PFAS. Our clothing is made from fabrics and DWR that are free from PFCs. But complete eradication? Across every zip, every patch, every label? Still a work in progress. These “forever chemicals” are built into the modern supply chain like a bad habit, and unpicking them completely takes relentless effort. We’re on it. But we won’t call it done until it’s really done.
Offsetting
And yes — we offset. We invest in genuine renewable energy projects. But we don’t do it with pride. We do it with the uncomfortable knowledge that we’ve measured our impact, and can’t un-know it. Offset last, reduce first. That’s still the mantra.
Financial Sustainability? It’s been a ride. Doing things the right way isn’t always the cheapest or fastest route. But it’s what we believe in. That means pricing fairly, paying properly, and growing steadily — even if that means staying small.
Making closer to home
We’ve also found it surprisingly challenging to resource production in the UK and EU. Even when we want to make closer to home, supply chains aren’t always geared for it. But we’re making progress — over 30% of our kit is now made in Britain.
Airfreight
And then there’s freight. We avoid air shipping wherever possible. But the global shipping industry is still carbon-intensive, and unavoidable for some of our materials.