Brooks Cascadia Elite Sustainability Report

The Cascadia Elite is built to handle anything you throw at it, with a Matryx upper that resists tearing. Its full-coverage Vibram Megagrip Elite outsole should outlast designs with exposed foam, though the relatively shallow 3.5-millimeter lugs will wear down more quickly than deeper designs.

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 Brooks Cascadia Elite doesn’t contain recycled materials. In 2025, 36% of Brooks’ total materials by weight were recycled or bio-based, and 94% of its products contained recycled or bio-based content. The brand aims to source only materials with at least 50% recycled or bio-based content by 2030.

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.

There aren’t any Bluesign-approved materials in the Cascadia Elite. Brooks isn’t a Bluesign System Partner, but it uses Bluesign-approved materials in its apparel. Nearly three-quarters of its fall 2025 styles featured Bluesign-approved fabrics, while 64% of its spring 2026 styles did.

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.

Brooks is a member of the Fair Labor Association (FLA), which promotes and protects workers’ rights by establishing standards for fair wages and safe working conditions. In 2025, Brooks began its journey toward FLA accreditation, a process that takes five years and assesses brands’ supply chains through rigorous social compliance audits. Until Brooks achieves accreditation, it doesn’t meet our responsible manufacturing standards. However, we admire the brand’s commitment to the process and look forward to its results.

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.

Brooks uses 100% recycled shoeboxes and 30% recycled hangtags. The brand has also removed shoe stuffing from most of its styles.

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.

Brooks runs a resale program called “ReStart,” which sold over 90,000 used shoes in 2025. While the brand doesn’t operate a recycling service, it aims to launch circular footwear and apparel, as well as a product take-back initiative, by 2030.

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.

Brooks tracks its greenhouse gas emissions and aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. The brand is also working towards a 50% reduction in direct emissions (Scope 1 and 2) and a 52% reduction in indirect emissions (Scope 3) per unit of production by 2030, compared to its 2021 baseline. Additionally, the Science Based Targets Initiative has approved these goals. In 2025, Brooks reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions 32% and its Scope 3 emissions 17% from its baseline.

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.

Brooks publishes a thorough annual impact report that details its greenhouse gas emissions, manufacturing practices, and preferred material use.

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.