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35. Tips for Making More Ethical Gear Purchases with Marie Wilson

Writer's picture: Meg CarneyMeg Carney


In episode 35 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss what constitutes an ethical gear purchase and how consumers can make those decisions easier.


One of my earliest episodes featured Mary Swanson of Lava Linens, and she shed light on identifying sustainable product materials. Although this is a stand-alone episode, I recommend listening to episode 3: how to identify sustainable product materials, for even more tips on being a conscious consumer.


To help break down how we as consumers can make more ethical purchases in every area of our life, but outdoor recreation, in particular, I am excited to introduce Marie Wilson.


Marie Wilson is an outdoor and environmental writer. Her writing focuses on the intersectionality of sustainability, climate action, and the outdoor industry. She works to make sustainability in the outdoors more accessible while also highlighting the environmental responsibility that comes with exploring outdoor spaces.


Marie Wilson


Episode Resources

Patagonia Worn Wear: https://wornwear.patagonia.com/

Textile Exchange: https://textileexchange.org/

Outdoor Industry Association: https://outdoorindustry.org/



 

This transcript was edited to remove some filler words and phrases and is not verbatim according to what is spoken in the audio recording.



Meg: Thank you for joining me today, Marie. I am excited that we connected, especially since you are a fellow writer in the sustainability and outdoor industry space. But before we get into the episode topic, can you tell us a little more about yourself, how you got into outdoor recreation, and how it fits into your life today?


Marie: Yes! Hello, everyone. I'm Marie Wilson, and outdoor recreation has kind of been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was very fortunate to grow up in the Pacific Northwest, outside of Seattle, near Mount Rainier. I spent a lot of my summers hiking in that area or trail running, and a lot of my winters skiing. So, it’s just something that has blossomed into a lifelong passion of mine.


It was when I was in college that I began learning more about sustainability and realizing just how many aspects of our lives were harming the planet. Through that, I started a blog and began writing just for fun.


Over time, I started noticing that many of these unsustainable practices that felt so jarring to me were also present within the outdoor industry. That kind of led me down a rabbit hole, and here I am today—continuing to write, bringing awareness, and educating people so we can try to make the industry a little bit more sustainable.


Meg: That's awesome! I feel like my start to writing sounds really similar. I noticed a lot of those same discrepancies and thought, “Why don’t we care more about this in the outdoor industry?” So, I’m glad you’re focusing on those topics.


This episode will be all about discussing some of the issues that probably drew you to writing in the first place—like how our gear is actually being produced, the general sustainability of that gear, and how people can make their gear last longer, which tends to be a more sustainable route.


So, let’s just start with the topic of how gear is produced. What would you say is the standard trajectory and impact of gear production?


Marie: Yeah, so when we talk about the impact of our gear, I like to break it down into both environmental and social impacts. It’s really easy to focus on questions like, “How is our gear being produced? What is it made of? Is it made of synthetic fabrics?” and how that pertains to the outdoors.


But it’s also important to understand that practices like fast fashion are still present within the outdoor industry. So, what social impacts does that have?


The impact of gear can range so greatly depending on the company producing it, the textiles being used, the means of production, how it’s shipped, and how it’s sold and marketed.


But really, the impact starts from the moment the idea is conceptualized—how it’s produced—until the item is deemed no longer usable, which usually means it’s thrown away. So, it’s much more than just how it’s made; it’s about the entire life cycle, from start to finish.


Meg: So, would that kind of fall into a life cycle analysis realm, you would say?


Marie: Yeah, definitely. All stages of a product’s life cycle play a role in the overall impact it’s going to have on the outdoors.


Meg: I know that’s kind of a broad question—asking, “What is the impact of gear production?” But if you were to take a really broad view of the outdoor industry, and even compare it to other industries, like you mentioned fast fashion, how would you compare those impacts in terms of gear production or product production in general?


Marie: I think gear production—whether it’s clothing or a tent—can often be lumped into the fashion industry, which is one of the leading contributors to climate change. Obviously, some things, like an ice ax or other technical gear, aren’t made from textiles that we normally think of as part of the fashion industry.


But generally speaking, a lot of our gear, clothing, and the majority of things we purchase fall under the umbrella of the fashion industry, even if outdoor gear isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when we think of fashion.


So, in that regard, it definitely has a massive impact. That said, the outdoor industry often has more organization and awareness around sustainability compared to mainstream fashion because a lot of people in the outdoor space do care about the planet and are trying to minimize that impact. It’s tough to quantify, but I would say the overall impact of outdoor gear production is much larger than people think, especially when you include it within the larger context of the fashion industry.


Meg: Yeah, I don’t think I realized how much the outdoor industry really ties in with fast fashion until I started doing more research. I’m really glad you brought that up. And since we’re talking about materials, are there any specific types of materials that you would say have a higher impact than others?


Marie: Yeah, I would say, generally speaking, synthetic materials have a much higher environmental impact. Some materials, like polyester and nylon, are super common within the outdoor industry. These materials are made from fibers that don’t grow naturally—they’re often created by humans using petroleum or gas. In the outdoor industry, they’re found in everything from running attire to shoes, backpacks, jackets, and tents. So much of the gear we use is made from synthetic materials.


On the other hand, natural fibers tend to have less of an impact. These include materials like bamboo, wool, and cotton. Wool, in particular, is pretty common in the outdoor industry. But the materials with the largest environmental impact are virgin synthetic materials—those produced solely for a specific item.


One way to minimize that impact, at least in terms of synthetic materials, is to use recycled synthetic materials. This approach spreads out the production impact over the course of multiple garments, especially when one item is repurposed into a new product. But unfortunately, most of the gear on the market today is still made from virgin synthetic materials.


Meg: Yeah, and I actually plan on doing an episode about synthetic fabrics specifically, including recycled polyester and similar materials. For anyone listening who’s interested in natural fibers, I also have an episode dedicated to natural fibers in the outdoor industry. You can go back and check that out for more details about the available options.


If you can’t answer this, that’s totally fine, but what do you know about recycled polyester? I’ve heard really mixed opinions about it. Some say using natural materials is always better, while others point out that some companies produce plastic bottles solely to turn them into recycled polyester. It feels like there’s a lot going on behind the scenes.


Marie: Definitely. I think it’s always good to have an air of caution when we see anything marketed as a “green” or “sustainable” option. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of greenwashing in the outdoor industry, where brands capitalize on consumers’ desire to minimize their environmental impact.


Like you mentioned, with recycled polyester, there are cases where a brand or a company they own might produce plastic water bottles just to convert them into recycled polyester. In those cases, the bottles were manufactured solely for that purpose, which doesn’t really make it any better than using virgin synthetic materials.


That said, there are brands working to repurpose old gear. For example, companies like Patagonia are taking old down or synthetic down and combining it with other recycled materials to use in new garments. Unfortunately, efforts like that represent only a fraction of the synthetic materials being used.


As we’ll probably discuss later in the episode, it’s important to determine which recycled synthetic materials are truly sustainable and which are just another form of greenwashing.


Meg: Yeah, and that’s asking a lot of consumers—to navigate all of that information. If we could get more standardized regulations for verbiage, terminology, and rules, that would be so helpful.


Marie: Absolutely.


Meg: So, moving away from materials for a moment, what part of the product life cycle do you think creates the most waste or environmental damage? As consumers, we tend to think about the gear when we have it in our possession and then its afterlife. But what do you think is the biggest contributor to environmental impact?


Marie: I definitely think the way it’s marketed focuses on what happens when the gear is in consumers’ hands, and I don’t think that’s an accident. It shifts a lot of the responsibility onto consumers for the environmental impact. While we do hold some responsibility, it’s important to remember that the companies producing these items also have a massive role to play in reducing their impact.


I’d say the biggest contributor is the means of production—especially manufacturing the materials, like the synthetic ones we talked about. If you think about what goes into creating a single rain jacket, it’s a lot. There’s the energy used to drill for oil, the process of creating the synthetic fiber, producing the garment, running the factory, and then shipping it—often to the other side of the globe. All of that adds up pretty quickly.


While there’s still an environmental impact once we own the item—how we take care of it, wash it, and eventually dispose of it—the vast majority of the environmental impact comes from the means of production.


Meg: Yeah, I mean, I agree. And like you said, maybe it depends a little bit on the type of material that is being produced and the method of production—like those things can potentially be reduced. But I do think that it’s often pushed onto the consumer as, like, “This is your problem to deal with, and you have an impact,” when we should also be looking at the bigger-picture impacts along the way.


Marie: Yeah, something interesting that I learned from one of the guests I had previously—he is the CEO of Climate Neutral Certified, that certification—and he was saying that there are some studies where they tried to measure the carbon emissions and the general greenhouse gases produced when a consumer owned a product, but it was too variable, and they couldn’t really measure it.


He was saying how it doesn’t really matter unless you own that item for years and years and years because the producer will always be producing more, unless you have it your entire life. Which is a good reminder—at least it was for me.


Meg: Definitely. It does not all fall on our shoulders, for sure.


Marie: Yeah, I know we’re focusing a lot on synthetics, but I do think it’s a really important topic. And you mentioned earlier that it is just really, really integrated into a lot of our outdoor gear. So why do you think synthetics are kind of the go-to in the outdoor industry? And are there ways to curb the impact of those synthetics?


Meg: Yeah, I mean, put simply, synthetic material works really well. You know, it’s great at keeping us dry, it’s good at keeping us warm, and it’s often easier and cheaper for brands to produce. If you think about drilling—it might be hard to comprehend—but somehow that is cheaper than, you know, harvesting cotton or wool or down and things like that. But these conveniences definitely have their drawbacks.


I mean, first and foremost, I think, like we’ve talked about, as consumers we have to understand that the weight of this responsibility does not solely lie on our shoulders. One way that we can try and curb the impact of synthetic materials as consumers is by really putting pressure on companies about how they’re producing these items.


Like we said, so much of the recycled synthetic material is just sort of greenwashing. So, putting the pressure on them, pressing them on their claims, and letting them know that we won’t stand for further greenwashing and capitalizing on our desire to do right by the planet is critical.


And while we do have some responsibility once the item is in our hands, as you were saying, it is quite minimal. So, we can still care for it in a way that hopefully will release less microplastics—whether that’s washing it in a microplastic-catching bag or just caring for it properly. And also holding on to it for longer—patching, sewing, making sure that the item is going to last longer—will help keep it out of the landfill.


But the monumental changes are going to come from taking action and voicing our concerns to those who are producing these synthetic products. Kind of voting with our dollar and forcing them to change the way that they’re producing these garments.


Meg: Yeah, and I know that I didn't send you this question beforehand, but what do you think is the best approach for a consumer to push for that type of collective action or industry change? Do you think it’s just a simple boycott or refusal to buy those items, or are there other ways to go about that?


Marie: Yeah, I mean, I think first and foremost, voting with our dollar—whether that's not purchasing from a company because we really don't align with the actions they're taking, or supporting companies that we feel are moving in the right direction.


And honestly, just emailing customer service and pressing them on the claims they make. Sometimes, you get a response more often than you'd think, especially if you already own a piece of gear from that company. Just asking for specifics can go a long way.


A lot of companies nowadays have a sustainability page, which, on the surface, seems like a step in the right direction. But if it's just full of vague claims, like "we're reducing our synthetic materials," that doesn’t really give us much to work with. So, really pressing them on specifics can help. It may feel like you're making a small impact as an individual, but when multiple people do this—when we take collective action—companies are forced to reevaluate and start making changes.


There are also petitions, sometimes on platforms like Change.org, which is a large website for that sort of thing. I’ve seen quite a few petitions related to environmental issues and the outdoor industry. If you search for terms like “environment” or “outdoor industry,” you’ll likely find petitions fighting for better terminology or better practices. Checking in on those and adding your name to the ones you align with is another way to contribute.


Meg: Yeah, that's a great tip. I’ll add the link to that website in the show notes. So, if you’ve never heard of it before, you can check it out. They have a lot of different types of petitions on there, like you said, and you can just search for what you're looking for.


Marie: Definitely. Even though individual action has its pros and cons, collective action can make a difference. A lot of times—at least in my opinion—the longevity of your gear matters a lot.


Meg: Yeah, I do want to talk a little bit about gear and textile repair. And we can touch on recycling as well. What are the current options for those types of things in the outdoor industry? And how do you think those aspects can be better integrated from the company perspective?


Marie: I would say in recent years, there’s been a huge surge in gear repair options in the outdoor industry, which is awesome. Big-name companies like Patagonia offer gear repair for their items, and I believe they’ll also repair items from other brands. So, if you have something from Columbia or North Face, you can send it in to them as well.


As consumers, many of us are capable of repairing our gear on our own. I think sometimes we hesitate because outdoor gear feels intimidating to repair, or we don’t want to mess it up since it’s usually expensive. But oftentimes, small rips or tears can be fixed with a simple patch or a few stitches. You don’t need to be a professional seamstress to sew something.


That said, there are some materials or issues we might not know how to repair, or we may feel unsure about. Thankfully, there are plenty of companies that specialize in gear-specific repairs within the outdoor industry. Some of them include Rugged Thread, Rainy Pass Repair, Repair Layer, and Mountain Soles. Often, your local gear shop will either have its own repair service or be able to point you to someone local who specializes in gear repair.


In terms of integrating repair more into the industry, I’d love to see more brands offering repair services for their items. Currently, most outdoor brands just send you a replacement item if something is damaged under warranty.


While that’s helpful because you get a functioning piece of gear, it perpetuates the idea that gear is disposable—like any minor inconvenience means you should just toss it and get something new. I’d love to see brands focus on repairing gear to make it last longer, rather than continuing the cycle of replacing items and pushing the idea that we need new gear every season.


Meg: Yeah, I agree. I’ve noticed a larger push for repairability among producers, but I do think certain companies are doing it more effectively or aggressively than others. Then you have gear that’s no longer functional—it’s lived out its life completely, and you can’t even donate it or give it to someone else to use.


I’ve heard a bit about textile recycling or material recycling in these cases. I know some brands do this for specific gear, like Sterling ropes for climbing ropes. At least, I think it’s Sterling—I could be wrong, but I know one of the big rope companies recycles their ropes. What do you know about recycling, specifically for synthetic textiles?


Marie: Yeah, that can be really difficult. Like you said, if it’s past the point of repair, you can’t donate it to a local shelter or pass it on to someone else. One option is a company called Ridwell—they specialize in recycling hard-to-recycle items.


They’re great at separating materials and ensuring that things like clothing and other difficult-to-recycle items are processed properly. They also handle things like batteries and other household items.


Ridwell is based in Seattle, but I’m not sure how far their service area extends. I know they’re well-established in the Pacific Northwest, but I’m not sure if they’re available along the entire West Coast or throughout the U.S. Either way, they’re a great resource because we can’t just toss these items in curbside recycling. And if we throw them in the trash, they end up in a landfill.


There are also some artists out there who repurpose old gear and turn it into art or other small items. For example, one artist makes small bags or purses from salvageable synthetic gear, and another uses old ropes to create beautiful rugs.


Additionally, some local gear shops have recycling programs. I know ours has a program for old shoes that are no longer usable. They make sure the shoes are sent off and disposed of in a more sustainable way than simply tossing them in the trash.


Meg: Yeah, and I think we can push, obviously, for production changes and for improvements in the steps of the life cycle of products before they get to us. But then, putting more of your efforts into the afterlife of gear—after you’ve tried to maintain and repair it as best as you can—is really important because that is something that is somewhat in your control.


Like you said, sometimes there are a lot of local options that maybe you weren’t aware of before. So, finding things within your community to keep things more locally based, I think, is really cool.


I’ve heard of a couple of companies that accept donations of different types of gear. For example, there’s one where you can send your bike tubes—Green Guru, I think they’re in Colorado—and they make little bike bags out of those, which I thought was really awesome. I think they might also make things out of old sails from sailboats.


Marie: That’s awesome!


Meg: Yeah, and there’s a climbing rope one as well that I’ve heard of called CragDog. They make dog gear out of ropes, and I think they’re starting to branch into harnesses, like sledding harnesses made from old climbing harnesses, since those don’t need to meet the same safety standards anymore. I thought that was really innovative and cool.


Marie: Yeah, that’s awesome!


Meg: Okay, so kind of shifting gears to something that I think is maybe the most impactful thing any consumer can do: reducing consumption. How do we move into that?


You’ve mentioned a couple of times that, in the outdoor industry, we sometimes have this belief that we need new gear for a new season or a new sport. Sometimes that’s relevant, but how do you think we can start moving toward a reduction in consumption?


Marie: I think, first and foremost, just taking a step back and asking ourselves, “Why? Why do we want this piece of gear? Is it because we actually need it, or are we just being tricked by all these clever marketing tactics to feel like we need a new ski jacket every season?”


Sometimes, like you said, it’s totally necessary—our old jacket is no longer useful, and we do need a new one. But if we just take a step back and take our time when purchasing an item, I think it’s a great way to begin reducing our consumption.


Especially if you’re in a place right now where you’re constantly purchasing new gear, taking that step back and thinking about it, rather than making impulse buys, is the simplest way to start noticing how often you’re purchasing gear. It also helps you ask those difficult questions about why you want that gear in the first place.


Meg: Yeah, that interruption of purchasing is really important—rethinking your purchases to correlate with reduction. Let’s say we’ve gotten to a point where we’ve deemed a piece of gear necessary, or maybe some gear we’ve had for a really long time has reached the end of its life with us, and we need to replace it. How do you recommend people go about making a more ethical choice in their upcoming purchase?


Marie: I think the biggest thing we can do—and something I’m a huge supporter of—is trying to find the gear used first. Obviously, there are some items we’d rather not buy used. For me, as a big runner, I buy new running shoes—that’s one thing I’m okay with buying brand new. But for the most part, I try to find my other gear used.


Places like REI’s Good & Used program, Patagonia Worn Wear, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or even just your local thrift store or gear shop often have what you’re looking for. Usually, it’s cheaper too. One way that buying used gear can be helpful is, as we said, being a little more patient. Maybe you won’t find it the first time you look for it, but if you can afford to wait a few weeks, you can set alerts.


For example, Patagonia Worn Wear and REI Good & Used will notify you when an item comes in. Then you’ll be able to purchase it, knowing it’s still high-quality and not deemed unusable. Plus, it’s often cheaper, which makes it more accessible for people to get outdoors.


If we can’t find an item used, or if we really want a new item, there are a few things we can be conscious of as consumers. One is looking for those sustainability claims we were talking about—looking for very clear and concise goals rather than vague greenwashing buzzwords. Anyone can say “we’re sustainable,” but there’s no company or organization verifying a lot of the claims brands make.


Look for clear and concise goals, as well as third-party certifications like Fair Trade or, as you mentioned, Climate Neutral Certified. Repurposed or recycled materials are also important to look for. But again, we need to dig into those claims and figure out if it’s truly recycled material or just more greenwashing.


And, like we said, don’t rush into the purchase if you can. Make sure you’re buying an item that really aligns with what you want to put your money toward, and get one that you truly want. The more we think about an item before purchasing it, the more likely we are to make a quality purchase and take care of that gear for years to come.


Meg: Yeah, that transparency piece is really key, and I love that you're putting a big focus on taking your time. I've been in that position before where I feel like I really need something, and then I dwell on it for a while, maybe shop around here and there, but eventually realize that I didn't really need it—I just kind of wanted it in that moment.


Marie: Yeah, that can definitely happen, which is great.


Meg: Since we're kind of talking about ethical gear purchases—not necessarily just sustainable ones—because you also mentioned that there’s a social aspect, I feel like a lot of times in previous episodes when I’ve talked about gear and making these types of choices, we’ve mentioned certifications specific to environmental sustainability. Are there any third-party certifications that people can look out for that tie more into social responsibility?


Marie: The largest one is going to be Fair Trade Certified. They're really leading the way in terms of clothing and textile production, ensuring that workers are being paid and treated fairly and justly. A lot of brands will say that they pay their employees in other countries minimum wage, which, on the surface, sounds great—at least they're paying minimum wage.


But in reality, that could mean something absolutely dismal in another country where the minimum wage isn’t a livable wage. Fair Trade ensures that workers are receiving livable and just wages.


There’s also a website called Good On You. It’s third-party and analyzes all clothing brands. For any major brand, you should be able to find it on there. They look into sustainability, ethical practices, and animal welfare claims—like whether a company is using down or wool.


They examine environmental, human, and animal responsibility claims and lay it all out in a really accessible way so consumers can make the most educated purchases possible.


Meg: Since you’ve mentioned the animal aspect, I’d say that I’m a relatively outspoken vegan, so I’ve really pushed myself to learn more about those types of certifications. Just for the sake of sharing, what are some of the most relevant animal rights or animal protection certifications?


I know there are things like the PETA-Approved logos on certain brands, and I think there are terms like "ethical down" or "ethical wool" that are used, as well as the vegan trademark for people looking to avoid animal-based products in their gear.


Marie: Yeah, those are great examples. I can’t think of many other major ones off the top of my head, which is why I really love pointing people to Good On You. They go in and do much more research than the average consumer would be able to do.


Even if a company doesn’t list specific claims on their website, Good On You will interview people at the company to ask, for example, "How are you harvesting this wool? How are you sourcing this down?" Then they publish those findings for consumers to see, so we can make more informed choices.


Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of certifications specific to animal welfare, especially for companies using wool or down. There are more certifications for leather, but since outdoor brands don’t use leather as much, they don’t often bother with those certifications.


Meg: That makes sense. Like you’re saying, leather isn’t as common in the outdoor industry, but wool and down are probably the most relevant materials in this space. The Good On You website is such a great resource, especially because there are so many smaller companies in the outdoor industry that are being responsible but aren’t yet at a point where they can afford third-party certifications. It’s cool that Good On You exists to give insight into their practices.


Marie: Yeah, it’s definitely a great resource.


Meg: Beyond Good On You, are there other resources you’d recommend for people who want to learn more about gear production or the environmental impact of their gear?


Marie: Yeah, I would say that the Textile Exchange is another great resource. They really dive into the environmental impacts of clothing and take a deeper look into topics like how synthetic materials affect the planet, and how the clothes and gear we wear impact the wild spaces we explore. They cover everything within the fashion industry, which obviously includes a lot of the gear that we use.


Another resource I’d recommend is the Outdoor Industry Association. They have a plethora of information centered around climate action in the outdoor industry. They discuss means of production for gear and what those processes look like, and their focus is very specific to the outdoor industry. So, if you’re looking for something more gear-specific, I’d say the Outdoor Industry Association would probably be your best bet for learning more.


Meg: Okay, awesome! I’ll make sure to link to all of those resources in the show notes. If any of these sound interesting to you, you can check them out later. But with that, how can people learn more about you and your work, and how can they contact you?


Marie: The best way to contact me or keep up with my work and the pieces I publish would be through my website, which is mindfulpeaks.com. There’s a contact form on the site, or you can simply send an email to marie@mindfulpeaks.com.


Meg: Cool! Well, thank you so much for being here, Marie, and I hope everyone else found this information as valuable as I did.


Marie: Thank you so much for having me, Meg. I really appreciate it!




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