Giro Ratio / Ceva MIPS Sustainability Report

The Ratio’s full ABS hardshell shrugs off scratches and dents better than most, and its soft foam and liner have held up decently despite budget-level materials. While its fit system isn’t the most refined, it remains serviceable over time. For the price, the Ratio has above-average durability and should last several seasons with proper care.

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 Giro Ratio MIPS doesn't contain any recycled materials. Giro products in the company’s Renew Series contain at least 50% recycled content. Additionally, Giro uses some Polartec fabric, which is made from partially recycled content. In 2022 (the most recent year for which data is available), 54% of the brand’s apparel featured 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.

Giro doesn’t meet Better Trail’s responsible manufacturing criteria. Neither the brand nor its parent company, Revelyst, participates in a third-party program that provides certification and regular audits to ensure safe working conditions, fair wages, and reduced 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.

Giro redesigned its apparel packaging, reducing the amount of plastic in it by 34%. It also packages apparel in 100% recycled poly bags, but the brand doesn’t detail the packaging it uses for hardgoods like helmets and goggles.

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.

Revelyst (Giro’s parent company) tracks its greenhouse gas emissions across all scopes as a member of the Outdoor Industry Association Climate Action Corps. However, the company doesn’t share year-over-year data or have emissions reduction targets.

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.

Neither Giro nor its parent company, Revelyst, publishes an annual impact report. Therefore, we lack information about the brand’s sustainability efforts.

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.