The Higg Index, Explained
Take a deep dive into the industry-leading standard for environmental impact tracking
Apr 18, 2025
Table of contents
In 2009, leaders at Patagonia and Walmart identified a need for standardized tools to measure sustainability performance across the apparel industry. Their vision emphasized collective action in addressing the industry's contributions to climate change. They named the alliance they created the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, which is now known as Cascale, a portmanteau of the phrases “collective action” and “scaled ambitions.” Cascale is now a global nonprofit comprising 300 companies across different industries.
The Higg Index, which was devised by Cascale, is the outdoor industry's leading environmental footprint tracking framework. In short, it guides brands in evaluating and reducing their impact. Cascale believes that the global threat of climate change is too great for brands and businesses to operate separately. Instead, it stresses that collective action is the only way to achieve the Paris Climate Accord’s critical target of limiting global warming to a 1.5-degree Celsius increase by 2050. While the Higg Index tools are not the only way for companies to assess sustainability performance, they are the most common. Our research shows that approximately three-quarters of outdoor brands use one or more of the Higg Index tools.
The Higg Index offers five standardized tools for companies to choose from that measure and evaluate the social and environmental impacts of their supply chains. By using any of these tools, outdoor brands can identify areas for improvement and make progress towards their Science Based Targets (SBTs) for emissions reduction.
A quick side note: Emissions reduction targets that carry credibility are aligned with or verified by the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi), an organization that helps companies set goals based on climate science. SBTi is considered the standard for emissions reduction targets in the outdoor industry. Some brands go through a full verification process with SBTi, allowing them to claim their greenhouse gas reduction goals as “SBTi-verified.” In contrast, other brands may set goals aligned with scientific recommendations but do not go through SBTi’s verification process. These brands can only claim their goals as “SBTi-aligned.”
As we mentioned, the Higg Index provides five standardized tools for companies to work with. First up is the Facility Environmental Module (FEM), which evaluates the environmental impact of manufacturing at a facility. The FEM looks at energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, waste and chemical management, water use, and wastewater. In our research at Better Trail, we’ve found the FEM to be the most commonly used Higg tool among outdoor brands.
Next is the Facility Social and Labor Module (FSLM). This tool assesses working conditions throughout the supply chain, focusing on employee rights, wages, and overall workplace practices. Interestingly, we’ve noticed that outdoor brands tend to use Fair Trade Certification (FTC) or Fair Wear instead of using the FLSM. This may be because FTC and Fair Wear predate the FSLM by over 20 years and have a broader influence on the industry, particularly in measuring worker welfare.
Higg also offers two tools that measure the environmental impact of specific materials and products: the Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) and the Product Module (PM). The MSI measures the environmental impact of producing materials like textiles, plastic, metal, and leather. It allows brands to compare materials based on their environmental impact and then select lower-impact materials. While the MSI assesses the impact of specific materials, the PM takes a broader approach, measuring the environmental impact of an entire product. This includes all materials used and any impacts incurred during the manufacturing process.
The last tool Higg offers is the Brand and Retail Module (BRM). The BRM helps brands create sustainability frameworks to reach their goals by assessing sustainability performance throughout the company, with metrics ranging from environmental impact to transparency.
To access the Higg tools, brands, retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and non-corporate organizations must become members of Cascale. The alliance offers various subscription levels based on a company's needs. As of 2024, Cascale had 300 members and 40,000 active Higg Index users spread across more than 30 countries. Brands can decide which tools they want, and each has slightly different protocols, scoring systems, and guidance.
Higg isn’t perfect, and its system has faced criticism. One issue that’s been raised is that the Higg Index tools rely on brands being honest in their self-assessments and do not require independent data verification. For example, the FEM tool—the most widely used Higg tool, based on our research—relies on company-provided data to evaluate environmental impacts like energy and water use. After completion, Higg gives each company a score based on its submitted data. This includes metric-specific and overall scores, along with guidance on areas that need improvement, such as air, wastewater, and chemical management. The fact that all data is self-reported by brands, however, can lead to varying levels of data accuracy.
Critics have also voiced concerns about the absence of publicly available data on the Higg tools’ effectiveness. For example, the organization does not publish the total greenhouse gas reductions achieved among Higg member brands. Higg has also been criticized for its lack of accountability checks for brands that fail to meet environmental targets. The system also fails to address the problem of overproduction, especially in synthetic textiles, which are made from fossil fuels.
The MSI tool, specifically, has taken flack for its lack of credible data, which raises concerns about potential inaccuracies in its assessment of a material’s sustainability. Some critics argue that the MSI tool may be biased toward the synthetic materials industry, which represents a significant portion of Higg’s member base. For example, the MSI controversially assigns a favorable score to polyester compared to natural fibers like silk.
Cascale is making an effort to respond to some of these criticisms by requiring independent data verification for brands that publicly share data from the FEM tool. Additionally, corporate members are now required to set emissions reduction targets. However, Cascale does not currently require SBTi to verify these targets. Higg also launched a transparency program that allows public access to MSI scores, but after controversy surrounding its accuracy, the program was put on hold. Cascale is not the only environmental assessment program to receive criticism regarding its approach, and the points raised highlight the complexity of long, multifaceted supply chains and the challenges of accurately tracking a product's or company’s impact from start to finish.
Our take at Better Trail is that the Higg Index is a useful way for brands to assess their sustainability performance. However, accountability, accuracy, and follow-through on emissions reductions rely mainly on the brands themselves. This is one of the reasons our sustainability research and ratings consider multiple criteria and not just a brand’s use of the Higg Index. For brand and product sustainability ratings, we also look at metrics like sustainable material use, chemical management, and repair services, among other things.
Additionally, even if a brand is using the Higg Index tools to measure its impact (most commonly through the FEM tool), we look for specific data outlined in a public impact report published by the company. To assess whether a brand is making progress, we look at whether it sets SBTi-verified emissions reduction goals, the availability of emissions tracking data, and whether it reports on its progress toward its goals. When no report is available, we contact the brand directly to gather specific information on its greenhouse gas emissions tracking and sustainability efforts. This approach ensures that our evaluations reflect a company’s comprehensive sustainability efforts.
We recognize that, even though Higg is the leading program for environmental impact measurement in the outdoor industry, brands have many options for assessing their sustainability performance. To address this, we have adopted a criteria we call “Carbon Footprint Tracking.” Our research shows that, apart from Higg, the programs most commonly used by other brands are the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and The Change Climate Project (TCCP). While there are other options, those are the most common. Both the GHG Protocol and TCCP offer programs focusing on greenhouse gas assessment and reduction, whereas Higg incorporates more tools for environmental assessments of facilities, materials, products, and brands’ total impact.
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is the world's most widely used framework for tracking greenhouse gas emissions, and it serves as the primary emissions tracking standard for many Fortune 500 companies. Like the Higg Index, the GHG Protocol is a self-reporting system that provides tools to help companies track their emissions. Both frameworks rely on companies to provide accurate and honest reporting, so concerns about data quality persist. This means that, ultimately, the credibility of the data depends on the integrity of the brands using these tools. Still, the overarching protocol for greenhouse gas tracking within the GHG Protocol program remains the global standard. It has been used as the foundation for programs like Higg and climate-neutral certifications. Higg, TCCP, and the GHG Protocol all use the widely recognized scope categorization system for brand emissions measurements.
The Change Climate Project (formerly Climate Neutral) aims to eliminate carbon emissions and with companies across various industries. Some companies use TCCP and its popular Business Emissions Evaluator (BEE) tool to track their emissions. Others go beyond that to achieve Climate Neutral Certified status, allowing them to use the Climate Label. The top three industries comprising the Climate Neutral Certified company base are apparel, professional services, and food and beverage. Once a company has gone through the rigorous process of achieving the Climate Neutral Certification, they are permitted to use the Climate Label to communicate that their products and company are certified.
The Change Climate Project has accountability measurements in place, especially for large brands with annual revenues exceeding $100 million. These measures include mandatory third-party verification of tracking data (for large brands), maintaining strict requirements to offset emissions (with clear standards of acceptable offsets for all brands), and obligation to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas footprint for Scope 1,2,3 emissions (for all certified brands). Additionally, all climate-neutral certified entities must develop a Reduction Action Plan using the template provided by TCCP, outlining specific reduction goals to be achieved within two years. Large brands must have a 2030 Science Based Target approved by SBTi or thoroughly documented by the company itself. Of note, out of the more than 75 brands Better Trail has reviewed, only six are Climate Neutral Certified.
At Better Trail, we thoroughly research brands' greenhouse gas and environmental impact tracking processes, which gives us unique insight into which brands are making significant efforts to reduce their impact and which are just starting to scratch the surface.
REI is one of the leading outdoor gear brands for sustainability performance, particularly in emissions reduction efforts. REI sets the standard for using the industry tools available to lower its environmental impact and improve sustainability throughout its supply chain. REI uses both Higg and TCCP to track its emissions and other facility environmental impacts. It has been Carbon Neutral Certified since 2021, which means it also follows the standards set by TCCP, including verifying emissions data, following through on its emissions reduction goals, publishing this progress publicly, and investing in high-quality carbon credits.
The retailer aims to reduce Scope 1 and 3 emissions by 47% by 2030. It has already achieved zero emissions in Scope 2 by purchasing 100% renewable energy for over a decade. Additionally, all of its targets have been verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), keeping them on track for a long-term goal of net zero by 2050. On top of that, REI uses its influence with other outdoor brands to encourage them to follow suit. In 2023, over 90% of brands sold at REI have set science-aligned emissions reduction targets and plans to meet their goals.
Patagonia, another leader in sustainability, takes a slightly different approach than REI, focusing on more significant carbon reduction rather than offsets. With a goal to reach net-zero emissions across its supply chain by 2040, Patagonia actively works with its suppliers to reduce their emissions. Patagonia uses the Higg tools to track its impact but goes above and beyond on emissions reduction action. The brand aims to reduce its impact faster by approaching the issues from multiple angles. For example, Patagonia plans to eliminate virgin petroleum fibers from all its products by 2025—as of spring 2025, the brand uses 92% recycled polyester and nylon.
Patagonia has also verified its climate goals with SBTi and publishes updates on its progress toward meeting them. Additionally, the company uses an Environmental Profit and Loss metric to determine the carbon cost of every item produced and chooses to change a product or stop its production altogether if it doesn’t align with Patagonia’s climate goals. In the coming years, we hope to see more brands take meaningful steps to reduce their environmental impact by using the available tools.
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