Buy less, repair more

As the anticipation of a trip builds, consider what’s the best kit or clothing to take that has the least impact on the environment. It’s easy to be seduced into buying the latest great deal, but before you click on ‘go to checkout’, ask yourself whether you actually need new gear, or could your old belongings be repaired or refreshed? The most sustainable products are often those you already own. Prolonging the lifespan of what you have, keeping it out of landfill and doing what it was designed to do for as long as possible until it’s finally worn out, will preserve resources, reduce chemical pollution, and save unnecessary carbon emissions.

Sometimes there are simple patches and fixes you can make yourself to rips and tears (see ifixit.com for tips on how to repair everyday items), but if you’re unable to, several well-known outdoor brands now offer to repair and reproof damaged outdoor clothing and equipment you’ve brought from them, such as Alpkit, Berghaus, Cotswold Outdoor and Patagonia (just make sure you keep your proof of purchase).

There are also specialist repairers that can make good any outdoor clothing and equipment, from footwear to waterproof jackets, trousers and fleeces to sleeping bags, backpacks and even tents. Lancashire Sports Repairs (lancashiresportsrepairs.co.uk) fixes boots, outdoor clothing, sleeping bags and tents; Feet First (resoles.co.uk) mends outdoor footwear; Scottish Mountain Gear (scottishmountaingear.com) repairs clothing, tents and rucksacks; and Mountaineering Designs (mountaineeringdesigns.co.uk) specialises in repairing down-filled clothing and sleeping bags.

Buying Responsibly

For cruelty-free gear and clothing, there are many ‘PETA-approved vegan’ labels that highlight clothing, accessories, furniture, and home décor items made of vegan alternatives to animal-derived materials, such as leather, fur, silk, feathers or bone. PFC-free means products that are free from man-made per- or poly-fluorinated chemicals. These accumulate in soil, rivers, drinking water, and in the bodies of humans and wildlife, and can lead to adverse human health effects.

Responsible Down Standard (RDS) is a standard created by North Face in partnership new, such as safety equipment, or nearly new, such as waterproof outer garments, but there are lots of items of clothing and equipment that you can buy second-hand that will prolong the life of those items and save you money. Places to find second-hand outdoor gear include the Outdoor Gear Exchange Group on Facebook Marketplace and from brands that sell refurbished kit, such as Vango’s Camping Recycled, North Face Renewed, and Arc’teryx Used Gear, as well as Freecycle, eBay and Amazon. Once you’ve decided you no longer have need for particular items of clothing or equipment, it’s great to recycle your own kit via Freecycle. Alternatively, donate it directly to a homeless charity (especially warm jackets and sleeping bags); give it to Gift Your Gear (giftyourgear.com), which supports community organisations, youth groups and charities working with young people in the outdoors; or to the Continuum Project, which accepts outdoor clothing and wet suits that it gives to people who need them, from homeless people to outdoor education establishments.