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Outerknown Sustainability Report: A Deep Dive
Outerknown, founded by professional surfer Kelly Slater and designer John Moore, launched with a commitment to radically change the fashion industry. The brand is a certified B Corp and focuses its operations around three pillars: materials, ethical labor, and circularity. Overall, it receives a "Good" rating from major ethical reviewing bodies.
1. Materials and Environmental Impact (Planet)
Outerknown places a significant emphasis on using preferred fibers to reduce its environmental footprint, setting an industry-leading standard for material composition.
Key Material Practices:
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Preferred Fiber Usage: As of 2022, Outerknown stated that 95% of its fibers are classified as preferred, meaning they are organic, recycled, or regenerated. This is a substantial increase from previous years.
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Organic Cotton: The brand heavily utilizes Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton for popular items like their signature Blanket Shirts. Organic cotton eliminates the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, protecting soil health and water quality.
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Recycled/Regenerated Materials:
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ECONYL: They use regenerated nylon made from salvaged fishing nets and other waste materials (a process known as Aquafil's ECONYL). This is a core material for their performance and swimwear lines, contributing to ocean clean-up efforts.
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Recycled Denim and Cotton: They partner with organizations like The New Denim Project to turn pre-consumer denim scraps and post-consumer waste into new fibers, significantly reducing water usage compared to conventional or virgin cotton production.
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Regenerative Agriculture: Outerknown is investing in Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) cotton farming practices, which aim to improve soil fertility and carbon sequestration beyond simple organic certification.
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Packaging: The brand commits to using 100% plastic-free packaging for all its products.
2. Circularity and End-of-Life Initiatives
A major goal for Outerknown is to achieve full circularity by 2030, ensuring their products never end up in a landfill.
Key Circularity Initiatives:
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Outerworn Resale Platform: Launched in 2021, the "Outerworn" platform allows customers to buy and sell pre-loved Outerknown items. This initiative keeps clothing in circulation longer and is a key measurable step toward their circular goal, having saved thousands of garments from landfill.
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Product Durability: The brand designs clothes to be durable and long-lasting, viewing this as the most fundamental step toward sustainability. They offer a lifetime warranty on certain items.
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Tracking: Collections like their "Second Spin" sweats utilize CircularID technology (QR codes) to track the full lifecycle of the garment, theoretically enabling easier sorting and recycling at the end of its usable life.
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Recycling Partnerships: They actively recycle materials like wool sweaters into new products (e.g., mittens and blankets) and repurpose damaged denim through partners like Project Vermont.
3. Labor and Ethical Sourcing (People)
Outerknown prioritizes ethical labor practices and transparency in its supply chain, particularly for its Tier 1 (final assembly) facilities.
Key Labor Practices:
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Fair Labor Accreditation: Outerknown was one of the first brands to achieve full accreditation from the Fair Labor Association (FLA), demonstrating a commitment to respecting workers' rights and conditions across its supply chain.
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Supplier Transparency: The company publishes its Tier 1 production partners on the Open Apparel Registry (OAR) and aims for full transparency of Tiers 1-4 by 2025.
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Renewable Energy in Production: They work with B Corp certified suppliers, and several of their facilities are at least partially powered by renewable energy.
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Worker Well-being: Their supplier Code of Conduct protects the right to collective bargaining and prohibits forced and child labor.
4. Criticisms and Areas for Improvement
While highly rated, Outerknown faces challenges common to brands aiming for high standards:
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Living Wages: The brand has a stated commitment to improve wages and livelihoods, but independent reviews note a lack of clear, public evidence that workers are paid a guaranteed living wage across the majority of their supply chain.
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Supply Chain Opacity: While Tier 1 (final production) is highly transparent, information on Tiers 2 (fabric) and Tiers 3/4 (yarn/raw materials) is still being mapped and remains less clear.
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Emissions and Waste: The brand provides limited public reporting on its overall greenhouse gas emissions tracking or verifiable reduction targets. They also do not have clear evidence of minimizing textile waste within their supply chain beyond their circular products.
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Repair Services: They do not currently offer a dedicated repair service for damaged goods, which would close the loop on product care.
Summary
Outerknown stands out as a leader in sustainable materials and circularity initiatives (especially Outerworn and ECONYL/Recycled Denim use). Its B Corp status and FLA accreditation provide a strong foundation for ethical practices. The primary gaps for the brand to address are ensuring living wages across the full supply chain and providing more extensive public reporting on climate targets and emissions.