Beyond Coffee: Fair Trade Certified in Outdoor Gear
Long associated with coffee and chocolate, this certification has made its way into outdoor gear. Here’s why it matters.
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If you’re an avid chocolate or coffee consumer, you’re probably familiar with the Fair Trade Certified logo. The symbol—a vibrant green circle surrounding a figure holding a large bowl— signifies that a product meets Fair Trade USA standards. While more common at Whole Foods than at REI, outdoor gear can be Fair Trade Certified, too. Of the 30+ clothing brands licensed to sell Fair Trade Certified products, only a handful are outdoor retailers, but the certification is quickly gaining traction thanks to brands like REI, Patagonia, and Arc’teryx. Here, we explore what the certification means and why brands are choosing it to foster more ethical supply chains.
The History Behind Fair Trade
Before going any further, let’s make a few necessary clarifications about “fair trade.” The term refers to a global movement focused on promoting more equitable trade practices between wealthier and lower-income regions, including creating safe working conditions for producers and setting fair prices for goods. Numerous organizations offer fair trade certification programs, but you’re most likely to encounter certifications from Fairtrade International and Fair Trade USA. Fair Trade USA was a member of Fairtrade International until 2012, when it split off to pursue its own approach to the certification.
Headquartered in Oakland, California, Fair Trade USA (formerly TransFair USA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 to promote fair trade practices and improve working conditions at producer farms and factories by connecting them with importing brands. The organization and its namesake certification focus on safe working conditions, environmental protection, fair wages, and community development (facilitated through Fair Trade Community Development Funds—more below), primarily in low- and middle-income countries. Fair Trade Certification assures buyers that certified products are made in factories with fair working conditions, and Fair Trade USA conducts producer audits, educates workers on their rights, and regularly measures progress toward its goals.
For more than 20 years, Fair Trade USA had certified only food and beverage products, but in 2010, it partnered with Prana to expand Fair Trade certification to outdoor apparel. By 2026, over 30 clothing brands were licensed by Fair Trade USA to sell Fair Trade Certified (FTC) apparel. To date, more chocolates and coffee beans are certified as Fair Trade products than outdoor products, but the number is rising quickly.
The Basics: What is Fair Trade Certified Outdoor Gear?
Fair Trade Certified outdoor gear is made in Fair Trade Certified factories and sold by Fair Trade licensed brands. Certified factories undergo a rigorous certification process and earn the Fair Trade seal only if they meet over 100 criteria spanning workers’ safety, fair wages, and social and environmental responsibility. Just a handful of outdoor brands have obtained Fair Trade USA licensing, which allows them to market their products as “Fair Trade Certified.” Licensed brands pay a premium on every product they manufacture in Fair Trade factories, which goes to a Community Development Fund at the factory where the product is made. These funds can be used for whatever needs a community chooses to address, including childcare facilities, health clinics, emergency funds for disaster relief, job training, and more.
Fair Trade Certified in the Outdoor Industry
Despite being a well-recognized third-party certification that many consumers are willing to pay a premium for, only a few outdoor brands make Fair Trade Certified gear. Still, industry leaders like Arc’teryx are working quickly to certify their supplier factories to Fair Trade Standards. Below, we detail industry leaders’ journey to Fair Trade certification.
Prana was the first outdoor brand to join the Fair Trade system. Since 2010, it has converted 11 of its factories to Fair Trade Certified status, impacting more than 26,000 factory workers worldwide. Prana produced its first piece of FTC apparel in 2011 and aims to manufacture 100% of its products in Fair Trade Certified factories by 2028 (although it has yet to publish an update on its progress).
Patagonia has worked with Fair Trade USA since 2014. It joined the certification program to enhance traceability and control over its supplier factories (which the brand doesn’t own), citing that apparel workers are among the lowest-paid workers in the world. According to the most recent available data, over 90% of Patagonia’s products are made in Fair Trade Certified factories, impacting more than 90,000 workers worldwide. Since partnering with Fair Trade, Patagonia has contributed over $37 million to Fair Trade Community Development Funds (in 2025 alone, these premiums totaled $5.9 million).
Arc’teryx announced its focus on Fair Trade certification in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted garment workers’ lack of social protections. Since then, it has committed to certifying 80% of its products by 2025. Although it has added many Fair Trade Certified styles since then, it has yet to publish an update on its progress toward this goal. Still, in its first year with Fair Trade USA, it produced 20% products in Fair Trade factories. Additionally, it has supported over 20 manufacturing facilities in achieving Fair Trade Certification, including one of the first Fair Trade footwear factories.
REI sells over 1,000 Fair Trade Certified products from its own REI Co-op line, Arc’teryx, Jones, Patagonia, Peak Design, Cotopaxi, and others. Of these, there are over 100 REI-branded Fair Trade Certified products in its online catalog. Notably, REI has made a broader impact on the adoption of Fair Trade in the industry through its product impact standards—the criteria it uses to determine which products to carry in its stores. Fair Trade certification is one of its preferred attributes, meaning that REI prioritizes sourcing certified products.
In 2024/2025, Jones became the first ski or snowboard hardgoods brand to produce Fair Trade Certified snowboards, marking a key expansion in Fair Trade-certified outdoor gear. The brand’s supplier, SWS Board Technology, became a Fair Trade Certified factory in 2023, and since then, Jones has certified all of its snowboards and splitboards as Fair Trade Certified products. Like other Fair Trade products, Jones pays a premium on each product made at SWS, which goes to the factory’s community development fund.
Cotopaxi was licensed by Fair Trade USA in 2018 and now produces nearly 35% of its products (which include hats, vests, puffy jackets, and more) in certified factories. As of 2025, the brand uses 5 Fair Trade Certified suppliers. It plans to increase the percentage of products made in Fair Trade Certified facilities by 3% per year, aiming to have half of its products produced in such facilities by 2035. Notably, it plans to expand Fair Trade certification to Tier 2, or fabric suppliers, in an effort to extend Fair Trade standards deeper into its supply chain.
Other Fair Trade USA licensed outdoor brands include Topo Designs, Athleta, Mountain Equipment Co-op, and Peak Design. Although the list remains small, major players in the outdoor industry have set lofty goals to certify their supplier factories to Fair Trade Standards and increase the number of Fair Trade products in their collections. In the future, we expect more brands to adopt the certification. it plans to expand Fair Trade certification to Tier 2, or fabric suppliers, in an effort to extend Fair Trade standards deeper into its supply chain.
The Nuts and Bolts: Making Fair Trade Certified Outdoor Gear
Now, we’ve covered the basics: what Fair Trade certification is, which brands offer Fair Trade gear, and how well the system works. If you want to dive deeper into the nuts and bolts, we’ll walk you through how Fair Trade Certified outdoor products come to be—from Tier 2 factory to final distribution.
What Factories Can Be Fair Trade Certified
Tier 2 factories make materials (like fabrics and yarns), which are then assembled into products at Tier 1 factories. As of 2026, only Tier 1, or final production facilities, can earn Fair Trade Certification (marking a significant gap in the system). Why? Brands typically have strong relationships with their Tier 1 suppliers, but often have no or only limited relationships with Tier 2 suppliers. As a result, the journey of a Fair Trade product begins in the final stages of manufacturing (during product assembly). Certified Tier 1 factories meet Fair Trade USA’s Factory Production Standards, which include an extensive list of criteria. Often, brands help their supplier factories get certified, but in some cases, a brand may find and partner with a factory that is already certified.
Note: not every product made in a Fair Trade Certified factory is a Fair Trade Product. To market a product as “Fair Trade Certified,” the brand selling it must be licensed by Fair Trade USA. Brands that are not licensed but manufacture products in Fair Trade Certified factories don’t pay Fair Trade Premiums for products, and cannot market their products as Fair Trade Certified.
Features of a Fair Trade Factory
All Fair Trade Certified factories meet Fair Trade USA’s Factory Production Standard criteria. These criteria are divided into seven categories: empowerment, fundamental rights at work, worker employment conditions, occupational health and safety, environmental responsibility and management, traceability and transparency, and internal management system. Environmental responsibility and management criteria include efforts to reduce raw material use, ensure proper wastewater disposal, and properly dispose of hazardous chemicals. Additionally, all Fair Trade Certified factories must comply with local and national environmental laws.
Fair Trade Certified Brand Licensing
A brand itself cannot be Fair Trade Certified; instead, Fair Trade USA offers brand licensing and individual product certification. For a brand to become licensed to sell Fair Trade Certified apparel, it must meet a list of responsible sourcing criteria that address trade relationships, traceability, documentation, and transparency. The brand must purchase from approved suppliers, follow Fair Trade’s labeling guidelines, regularly report on transactions, and pay Fair Trade Premiums and minimum product prices. Licensed partner brands also pay a service fee to Fair Trade USA based on production volume and the minimum prices set by Fair Trade USA for raw goods. Notably, Fair Trade does not require brands to purchase only from Fair Trade Certified factories; it only requires that products marketed as Fair Trade Certified be made in such facilities.
Fair Trade Community Development Fund
Licensed brands selling Fair Trade products pay a Fair Trade Premium for each product made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, which goes into that factory’s Community Development Fund. The Community Development fund is cooperatively managed by a committee of workers at each factory. Workers then vote on how funds should be used. Common community development fund projects include clean water projects, education programs, or improvements in local healthcare.
How Credible is Fair Trade Certified
According to the latest Fair Trade USA consumer insights report, published in 2025, over 60% of consumers recognize the Fair Trade Certified logo, and 50% of consumers are willing to pay more for Fair Trade products. Although the majority of buyers surveyed see Fair Trade as somewhat or extremely legitimate, some may wonder how effectively it actually improves working conditions, wages, and the lives of garment workers.
We talked to Annie Agle, the Vice President of Impact and Sustainability at Cotopaxi, who says the Fair Trade program advocates for workers' ability to address their needs and make good investments on behalf of their communities. “Injustice doesn't just cure itself,” she told us. “Money isn't always the best solution for that, but it does solve a lot for workers.” Community Development Funds—paid via Fair Trade premiums on each product made in a Fair Trade Certified factory—are used to support health, education, and worker well-being projects that communities wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. Every time a brand makes a Fair Trade Product, it contributes to these funds, which can make a real difference in communities.
Additionally, Fair Trade USA sets basic standards for worker safety, wages, and environmental protection. While one could certainly argue that Fair Trade doesn’t do enough for garment workers (for example, the wage standard in Fair Trade factories is paying minimum wage, with encouragement to work toward paying a living wage), it sets a common, regularly audited standard that Fair Trade factories are required to follow in a fragmented global supply chain where workers are frequently exploited and severely underpaid. Compared to non-certified factories, Fair Trade offers a higher level of transparency and assurance that minimum workers’ rights standards are met.
Fair Trade also sets foundational environmental standards: the Factory Production Standard requires suppliers to develop an environmental management system to measure and reduce their impacts in areas such as materials, water, chemicals, and energy use. Other standards ensure that wastewater is properly treated before release into the environment, and that hazardous waste is appropriately disposed of. While the standards could certainly be higher, they still ensure that workers and the environment are better cared for than in conventional factories. Although Fair Trade Certification certainly has limitations (detailed below), it creates an accountability structure in complicated outdoor apparel supply chains.
"Although the Fair Trade Certification and licensing process can be expensive, from Agle’s perspective, that’s just the cost of doing business right. 'If you’re not showing up with a check, you’re not showing up, period,' she said."
Case Study: Al Karam Textile Mills, Pakistan
Al-Karam Textile Mills has been using the Fair Trade Factory Standards for seven years, and 40% of the fabric produced there is Fair Trade Certified. Al-Karam has set a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and using 80% recycled water. As it works towards those targets, the factory uses the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) 14001 environmental management system and self-reports progress toward emissions reduction using the Higg Index. Al-Karam also reduces material usage and incorporates recycled materials into the production process, and optimizes or entirely eliminates plastic packaging from its products.
Limitations of Fair Trade Certification in Outdoor Gear
While Fair Trade USA achieves a lot of good through its certification program, the system has limitations. For one, Fair Trade USA doesn’t operate in some countries, such as Vietnam, where much of the world’s textile manufacturing takes place. Additionally, as noted, Fair Trade only certifies Tier 1 suppliers, which assemble the final product from materials produced by Tier 2 suppliers. Tier 2 factories are responsible for manufacturing the fabric that ultimately ends up in a brand’s products, but they typically do not have a direct brand relationship and are out of scope for Fair Trade Certification. Certifying Tier 2 or 3 suppliers would be an additional strain on Fair Trade USA's capacity, but that prospect is also complicated by the fact that brands do not have a direct connection to those suppliers.
Compared to the broader fashion and textile industry, relatively few factories worldwide can manufacture the more technical outdoor gear and products. Many of the processes specific to making outdoor gear, including adding performance coatings and other fabric treatments, occur at the Tier 2 or 3 supplier level. Therefore, more environmentally damaging and labor-intensive practices are happening in factories where Fair Trade USA does not operate.
Additionally, the process for a factory to become Fair Trade Certified can be lengthy. Agle estimated that it takes 2 to 5 years to complete the process. Cotopaxi has worked with a number of its suppliers to navigate the Fair Trade certification process by explaining what the organization does, how certification works, and paying for factories to be audited. Although the Fair Trade Certification and licensing process can be expensive, from Agle’s perspective, that’s just the cost of doing business right. “If you’re not showing up with a check, you’re not showing up, period,” she said.
How to Find Fair Trade Certified Products
Certified outdoor gear will be labeled as made in a “Fair Trade Certified factory” and typically has a Fair Trade USA logo attached (keep an eye out for the Fair Trade USA logo on product hang tags, which is a green circle around a person holding a bowl). Or, look for a line on a product’s webpage that says “Made in a Fair Trade Certified Factory” or “Fair Trade Certified product.” There are also other fair trade labels out there that you might encounter: FAIRTRADE (indicating a product as certified by Fairtrade International) or Fair for Life (a certification that covers a variety of product types, including food, cosmetics, and artisanal textiles).
REI offers a filter on its website for Fair Trade Certified products, and Better Trail clearly labels Fair Trade products in our responsible manufacturing section to help you purchase responsibly.
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