Nemo Tensor Elite Sustainability Report

With a paper-thin 10-denier Cordura nylon shell, the Tensor Elite is one of the most delicate air pads on the market. Internal boxed baffling also creates more seams that can fail. Handle with extreme care and consider bringing a backup pad if you’re venturing far afield.

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 Nemo Tensor Elite does not contain any recycled materials. However, Nemo has invested heavily in research and design to incorporate more recycled and recyclable materials into its products. For example, all of its backpacking tents are now made with Nemo’s proprietary 100% recycled poly-nylon Osmo fabric, and its Endless Promise collection includes a range of products featuring 100% recycled fabric. Although it does not report on its total use of recycled materials, we have found these low-impact materials in many Nemo products. Additionally, as of its latest reporting in 2024, 20% of Nemo’s products are fully recyclable (up from 13% in 2023).

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 Tensor Elite does not use any Bluesign-approved materials. That said, Nemo is a Bluesign System Partner and uses Bluesign-approved materials in many of its products. Its Flyer sleeping pad and Dagger Osmo backpacking tent were the first Bluesign Products of their kind on the market, highlighting the brand’s early commitment to the certification program.

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 20% Bluesign-approved accessories.

The Nemo Tensor Elite comes with a repair kit. Every inflatable Nemo sleeping pad comes with a repair kit or repair patches to help you keep your pad in use longer.

Certain products can be used for longer if they come with a repair kit. Repair kits are designed for quick fixes, such as adhesive patches for sleeping pad punctures and replacement seals for inflation valves. These repair kits allow users to fix the item on the spot, continuing to use it instead of buying a new one.

Nemo lists its supplier partners in its annual impact report, citing their commitment to sustainable practices. The company has a publicly available code of conduct, which is aligned with International Labor Organization standards. While that is a positive step, it does not meet our criteria for responsible manufacturing. To do so, 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 (such as Fair Trade or Fair Wear).

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.

In 2024, Nemo reported 70% progress toward its goal of eliminating virgin plastic packaging. The brand has also reduced its reliance on polybags, reserving their use only for sleeping-bag cartons. Additionally, Nemo uses recycled and Forest Stewardship Council-certified cardboard shipping boxes. Looking ahead, Nemo is developing sustainable end-of-life solutions to keep packaging out of landfills, including curbside recycling and home-compostable options.

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.

Nemo offers comprehensive, in-house repair services for almost all its products. Repairs covered under warranty are free, while those that fall outside of warranty are fulfilled for a reasonable fee. Nemo’s repair service offers replacement parts for simple fixes of many of its products, and parts can be shipped to your home for a do-it-yourself repair.

Repair services extend the lifespan of outdoor gear and reduce overall consumption. Some brands offer comprehensive repair programs that can fix a wide range of issues, while others have more limited capabilities. If a brand's warranty policy only covers replacement, rather than repair, these programs usually do not meet this criterion.

Nemo has been tracking its greenhouse emissions since 2020. The brand set the Science Based Targets initiative-verified goal of reducing its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 42% by 2030, and to measure and reduce its Scope 3 emissions (though no target number is specified). Nemo also aims to reduce its emissions intensity by 50% (measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide per product) by 2030. In 2024, the company reported a 40% reduction in carbon intensity compared to its 2020 baseline year.

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.

Nemo published its inaugural impact report in 2023. Thus far, its impact reports have been relatively comprehensive, offering in-depth information about its sustainability progress and low-impact product highlights. However, its reports lack some of the big-picture data we typically look for, including statistics about the percentage of products containing Bluesign-approved or recycled materials. Still, the report is a valuable and concise resource for learning about sustainability at Nemo.

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.