Altra Lone Peak 9 Sustainability Report

The Lone Peak 9 features a thin suede upper with minimal reinforcement. The outsole is fairly low profile, and the exposed foam is quick to scuff. Unlike more durable trail running shoes, it’s not built to last more than a few hundred miles.

Choosing durable outdoor gear is perhaps the most effective way to reduce environmental impact—the longer it lasts, the less it needs to be produced. Our proprietary longevity rating evaluates overall build quality based on factors such as materials, fabric denier, component durability (including zippers and toggles), real-world performance as reported by our field testers, and our experiences with the brand. Overall, we feel strongly that reducing overall consumption is a cornerstone of sustainability.

The Altra Lone Peak 9 features an upper made from 100% recycled polyester. Only a few of the Altra products that Better Trail has reviewed incorporate recycled materials. However, VF Corporation, Altra’s parent company, set a goal of sourcing 50% of its polyester from recycled sources across its subsidiary brands by 2026, and by the end of 2023, 48% of the polyester it used was made of recycled materials.

Outdoor gear can be made partly or entirely from recycled materials, the most common being nylon, polyester, wool, and down. Some products include a single recycled component or a partially recycled fabric, while others are 100% recycled (generally excluding accessories like zippers, Velcro, toggles, etc.). For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate the amount of recycled materials in a particular product and assign points accordingly.

The Lone Peak 9 does not contain Bluesign-approved materials, and Altra is not a Bluesign System Partner.

Bluesign Technologies, based in Switzerland, operates a third-party textile certification system that ensures materials are manufactured to strict environmental, chemical, and worker safety standards. A Bluesign-approved material indicates that it has undergone a rigorous vetting process based on the criteria above. A Bluesign Product goes the next mile, containing at least 90% Bluesign-approved fabrics and at least 30% Bluesign-approved accessories.

Altra’s parent company, VF Corporation, has its own set of manufacturing principles that it requires its more than 1,000 suppliers to comply with. VF Corporation conducts its own audits of manufacturing facilities or engages third-party auditors such as the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to conduct audits of its factories, which does not meet our standards. To meet our responsible manufacturing criteria, we require brands to be part of a third-party program that provides certification and/or annual audits of factories to ensure safe working conditions, fair wages, and a decreased environmental impact.

This criterion evaluates a brand's commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing its environmental impact throughout the production process. Responsible manufacturing is most commonly demonstrated through certifications and membership in programs such as Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accreditation of Production, and the Fair Labor Association. We also recognize brands that prioritize local production, such as those that manufacture primarily in the United States or Europe, to reduce carbon emissions, maintain better oversight of working conditions, and comply with strict social and environmental regulations.

Altra's shoeboxes contain 85% recycled materials made from post-consumer waste and are 100% recyclable. VF Corporation, Altra’s parent company, is working to reduce its packaging, but does not mention Altra’s specific efforts in its impact report or website.

Packaging can add significant waste to an outdoor gear purchase and often ends up in landfills. Many brands are using recycled packaging and/or making efforts to reduce packaging altogether. For example, they may use a certain percentage of recycled cardboard or make efforts to use less plastic or paper across their packaging operation. In some cases, brands also use Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, which helps to ensure sustainable sourcing of forest materials.

Altra does not offer resale or recycling services.

Resale and recycling programs help keep outdoor gear in circulation for longer and out of landfills. The most common form is a trade-in program, where consumers can exchange items for store credit, which is then resold. Some brands accept products back for recycling at the end of their life, thereby reducing waste. Occasionally, some do both.

Altra’s parent company, VF Corporation, tracks its emissions. It has set a science-based target of reducing its absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 55% and Scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030. As of 2024, VF Corporation had reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 46% from its baseline year. VF Corporation’s Scope 3 emissions rose 17% above its baseline by 2023, meaning VF has made no net progress in reducing its Scope 3 emissions, which typically represent the largest share of a company’s overall footprint. It did not report on its Scope 3 emissions in 2024.

This criterion evaluates whether this brand measures its greenhouse gas emissions, along with its commitment to reduction and transparency in reporting. Typically, we require brands to follow established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. Most companies use the widely recognized scope categorization system for measuring brand emissions. Those who earn the most points in this category have emissions reduction goals verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a global organization that helps companies set greenhouse gas reduction targets in line with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C. To verify their goals through SBTi, companies undergo a rigorous assessment process and continual follow-up to ensure consistent progress towards achieving their targets.

VF Corporation has published an annual impact report since 2018. In the 2023 report, Altra is mentioned a handful of times, with most mentions discussing its social justice partnerships rather than sustainability initiatives. However, the company is not explicitly mentioned in VF's 2024 report.

An impact report is an important step toward transparency and accountability on the sustainability front. These reports vary in form but generally cover topics such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions tracking, waste and water usage, supply chain analysis, and packaging efforts. For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate this criterion based on the depth and quality of the information provided in the report, and how often it is produced. Some brands produce their own impact report, while others are published by their parent company. In practice, we’ve found that reports produced by individual brands include more detailed information about their sustainability efforts.