Outdoor Brands Doing Black Friday Better – An Ethical Approach This Cyber Weekend

Outdoor sales that are making a difference to the planet and your wallet this weekend.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and the crazy consumerism that comes with them, run pretty counter to the ethos of We Are Explorers. We’d rather unlock some forests this weekend, than stand in a line at the mall to fight over a pair of shoes with a stranger. We’re also a B-Corp, which means we’ve made a commitment to using our business as a force for good.

However, we do like outdoor gear and unfortunately you can’t stumble upon that in the outdoors — and if you did, it’d probably be called stealing.

Fortunately for us, much of the Outdoor Industry is in the same boat when it comes to shying away from what is an American post-Thanksgiving tradition, in search of a more sustainable and conscious approach to shopping.

To celebrate, we’ve compiled a list of brands doing ethical sales (or non-sales) as well as some of the more sustainably minded purchases to be made if you really are in the market for something.

Tree Planting

Brands like Zorali are not only discounting product this weekend (up to 50% off). They’re also doubling down on their commitment to plant trees with every online purchase. And when I say ‘doubling’ I really mean it. Instead of planting ten trees with every purchase, this weekend they’ll plant twenty!

Over a ten day ‘sale’ period (Nov 23 – Dec 2), they’re aiming to put another 50,000 trees in the ground. On top of the 312,110 trees they’ve already planted. It’s all part of their ‘Green Friday’ agenda and we’re all for it.

@thetantrap

Donations To Charity

Another popular method for brands to subvert the sale season is donating a proportion of profit or sales to charity. 

Australian running hat brand Fractel are donating 100% of profits from November 26th – 29th to the legends at For Wild Places, the legends behind the Pilliga Ultra and heaps of other environmental activism.

NEMO Equipment is donating 10% of sales to the American charity — Big City Mountaineers.

No Sales

Yep, there are brands that are not about that Black Friday life at all. 

It’s easier said than done and only the most self-assured brands are able to pull it off. 

Patagonia is one that comes to mind and they actively discourage you from buying anything from them this weekend and instead purchase used clothing through their ‘Worn Wear’ operation as part of their ‘Buy Less, Demand More’ campaign.

‘As individual consumers, the single best thing we can do for the planet is to keep our stuff in use longer. This simple act of extending the life of our garments through proper care and repair reduces the need to buy more over time – thereby avoiding the CO2 emissions, waste output and water usage required to build it.’ — Rose Marcario, Patagonia CEO

This image has become iconic of this movement away from traditional cyber sales and comes from a Patagonia advertisement within the New York Times on Friday November 25, 2011. (Black Friday)

Patagonia also operates with a ‘self-imposed Earth tax’ — 1% for the Planet, provides support to environmental nonprofits working to defend our air, land, and water around the globe. They’re currently doing battle with ‘big gas’ here in Aus and trying to keep our coastline free of offshore gas rigs — from Ningaloo to Newcastle.

Sales Featuring Ethically Made Products

Project Blank Wetsuits

Project Blank are an Australian sustainable wetsuit and beach accessories company and we reviewed their 3/2mm Eco Performance Steamer back in winter.

Their signature is recycling materials like plastic bottles and car tyres as well as natural tree-based ‘yulex’ rubber.

Project Blank could also have been included above, as with every purchase they plant 1 tree, remove 1.2kg of rubbish from the ocean and offset 10kg of carbon from the atmosphere.

Shop Project Blank Sale

Fractel Ananyi Limited Edition Running Cap

Support collaborations with Indigenous brands and creatives this Cyber Weekend.

This limited edition running cap by Australian brand Fractel was designed in collaboration with South Australian contemporary and traditional Aboriginal Artist Elizabeth Close. 

‘The Pitjantjatjara word “ANANYI” means “going to or from” which we feel best fits this Cap’s purpose. This Limited Edition piece represents a story, culture and the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.’

Shop Running Cap

The North Face Thermoball Eco Insulated Jacket

The Thermoball jacket is an eco-conscious puffer we’ve consistently raved about. Its insulation is made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester and will stay warm even when wet. 

It’s also had a $100 haircut on price, making it a very economical purchase at $175.50

Shop Women’s Puffer Jacket

Shop Men’s Puffer Jacket

Icebreaker Merino Tech Lite SS T-Shirt

What’s better than getting an Icebreaker Tee that’s normally worth $99 for $58.47? Knowing that you’re supporting a shift towards natural materials like Merino Wool in the process.

From sheep to shirt. Check out What Life Is Like On A Wild South Island Merino Farm. Photo – Joe Leep

Shop Women’s Icebreaker Tee

Shop Men’s Icebreaker Tee

Patagonia Responsibili-tee T-Shirt

If you’re shopping, let your dollars make a difference, and there’s no more responsible tee than the so-named ubiquitous Patagonia Logo Tee.

‘Because this T-shirt is made with organic cotton, it uses 84% less water and creates 16% less CO2 than a conventional cotton T-shirt.’

They’re also on sale from $47.

Shop Women’s Patagonia Tee

Shop Men’s Patagonia Tee

So, clearly there’ll be plenty of sales around this weekend.

It’s up to you whether the biggest discount or the biggest positive impact matters more to you.

While not everyone has the means to look beyond a sale, by supporting brands who use recycled and organic materials, give back or support marginalised groups, who offset emissions or plant trees, you’re helping them continue to do these things, and do more of them.

If for no other reason, these brands also tend to make gear that lasts longer and performs better. Happy shopping — or not!

Cover image by Patagonia.