As lovers of the great outdoors, we know how vital it is for everyone to understand their part in protecting our planet on an individual level and also, our responsibilities and influence as companies in the outdoor industry. In order for us and future generations to continue enjoying spending time in nature, we need to ensure that it is maintained and conserved, and that we minimise our environmental impact wherever we go and whatever we do.

How does Osprey embrace sustainability?

The Osprey sustainability journey began in 1974, with the creation of our first pack.

Osprey packs are designed to last through a lifetime of adventures and therefore minimise waste heading to landfill. But we understand that there is always more we can do.

Our All Mighty Guarantee ensures that wherever possible, packs will be repaired and sent back into the outdoors, extending the lifespan and ensuring future adventures, while our SecondLife programme refurbishes pre loved packs and puts them back into the hands of new adventurers. To date Osprey has diverted over 21,471 lbs of waste away from landfills.

A most recent milestone on Osprey’s sustainable journey is the expansion of recycled fabrics. Made from both post-consumer and post-industrial waste, these fabrics have been rolled out across a range of Osprey products. By Spring 2022 over 60% of main body materials will use recycled content and by 2023 this number rises to 80%.

We also consider the chemistry we use in our packs. Protective and waterproofing chemicals can be harmful to the very outdoor environments that our packs were designed to operate in. It’s for this reason that by Spring 2022, 100% of all main body fabric will utilise a PFC/ PFAS-free finish.

Finally, we choose to align ourselves to partners and organisations who help us have a positive impact on this planet. We are full EOCA members and use opportunities such as the annual World Earth Day, Green Friday and project sponsorships to support major environmental projects around the globe.

How does Tentsile embrace sustainability?

Tentsile understand that there is an inherent environmental cost to making tents that are waterproof, fireproof and lightweight and believe that our customers understand this also. To combat this trade-off, we make sure that our products are crafted to the highest standards and are built with high-quality and enduring materials so they can last for many years and adventures. We are committed to educating our customers on how they can maintain and repair their products so they don’t need to replace them. We have a reuse, recycle and repair programme for pre-loved tents and broken ones as well as a range of upcycled products, so no Tentsile products need ever to go to landfill.

Leave no trace kits are included with all Gen 3 Tree Tents and Giant Hammocks to ensure protection of delicate bark and Leave No Trace principles are employed throughout our literature and instruction guides. Our use of single-use plastic packaging has been reduced by 60% in our products since 2017 and we aim to be completely plastic-free by 2022.

Tentsile is a member of EOCA and 1% for the Planet organisations, and also support a number of grassroots projects around the world such as SOS Orangutan, Agent Green and Arc Amazon. We have 5 year long, established relationships with our tree planting partners WeForest and Eden Projects to plant 20 trees for every tree tent and hammock sold – so far we have helped to plant over 800,000 trees.

Top tips from Osprey & Tentsile for how to make your adventures more sustainable

Osprey

Learn about your surroundings. The future of sustainability is in education. By understanding the environments and ecosystems you visit and sharing that knowledge with those around you, you are fostering an understanding of how important sustainability is. Plus you get to nerd out on the secrets of the natural world (such as the legendary Pandion Haliaetus).

Human-powered adventures. Wherever possible utilise you. Be it hiking, biking, running or snowsports try and plan your journey to maximise travel powered by you. Transportation is inevitable but how can you plot a route that minimises fossil fuels and maximises your enjoyment in the outdoors?

Tentsile

We are passionate about conserving our pristine natural environments and huge advocates of the leave no trace principles. These seven simple steps are easy to remember and can be implemented by all of us to ensure we protect the places in which we choose to spend recreational time. Most importantly: ‘pack it in, pack it out’, leave your camping area as you found it and take all of your kit and any rubbish with you. The Leave No Trace website has some fantastic advice and resources for further information.

If the last year has taught us anything, it is that adventure can be found close to home and that discovering new areas nearby doesn’t need to involve travelling long distances. Why not try backyard adventures or use public transport to travel further afield, carpool or offset your carbon footprint when you fly.