Sustainability
The mission of The North Face is to create high-performance apparel and equipment to meet customers' expectations and desires, with the added concept of preserving the environment. Although it is a challenge to balance these two notions, The North Face has concentrated efforts during the manufacturing process in terms of conservation.
The North Face has partnered with different industry leading experts like BLUESIGN TECHNOLOGIES, to help reduce water and energy usage efficiently and decrease the amount of chemicals used during production. The aim is to reduce the influences to the supply chain in five key areas: resource productivity; air emissions; worker health and safety; water emissions; and consumer safety.
Being a leading outdoor company with a strong sustainable image, The North Face expects facilities to meet all applicable laws and regulations and to employ procedures that minimize air emissions, waste, energy and water use, and other significant environmental risks. The large investment in conservation enhances the brand image because only industry leading companies are able to do this. Thinking for the future environment, it will stabilise the brand position in the industry too.
"The North Face is committed to reducing its carbon footprint. From the solar installations at our facilities to the energy saving practices in our textile mills, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our impact. It is more than ‘doing the right thing’ – it is our brand heritage.”
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Conrad Anker, Alpinist and The North Face Athlete
Fleece Innovation
The North Face provides a market solution for a growing polyester fabric problem- used water and soda bottles.
This video shows how the fleece jacket is innovatively created in order to reduce chemical pollution and the usage of water and energy, compared to general production.
RECYCLE
The North Face has a recycle programme that allows consumers to drop off their unwanted clothing and footwear at their shops. It doesn’t matter what condition the clothes are in or what brand they are. The items dropped in the collection bins are sent to a recycling centre for different repurposes, like reuse to extend their life or recycled into raw materials.
Goose Down
The North Face uses goose down in outerwear, sleeping bags, footwear and accessories. It is committed to improving animal welfare and traceability in the goose down and feather supply chain. The created RESPONSIBLE DOWN STANDARD works with a partnership with Textile Exchange and Control Union Certifications, which offer the expert information in agriculture and farm systems, as well as improving the treatment and welfare of the animals.
Manufacturing industry in China
The manufacturing process turns raw materials into useful goods. But the mass manufacturing of products in an improper way may harmful the environment as it causes air and water pollution. As the Chinese textile industry is one of the biggest manufacturing sectors in the country, the lack of supervision and regulations by the government has caused many health and environment problems already. The Chinese are starting to be aware of these harmful issues nowadays.
Using resources efficiently is both a responsible business practice and a means of reducing our environmental impact. The North Face is promoting renewable technologies and reducing energy, water and chemical used during production.
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Some of the Chinese factories are participating in an innovative program about energy efficiency audits, tools and energy service company financing. Chinese factories are willing to self-finance this programme by learning proper training and tools. The Chinese National Textile and Apparel Council is also cooperating with this, in order to replicate the programs' successes broadly in the market.​ It shows that China is more aware of the pollution problems; therefore sustainability is also a good topic to attract Chinese consumers.​