Nemo Dagger Osmo 2P Sustainability Report

Nemo’s proprietary Osmo fabric is a polyester/nylon blend that’s more water-resistant and sag-resistant than standard nylon, though it doesn’t feel particularly thick. The Dagger’s 20D floor is on the delicate side, but thoughtful construction and a sturdy pole structure improve its odds in the long run. A footprint isn’t included, so grab one separately if you plan to camp on rough ground.

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. Because we feel that reducing overall consumption is a cornerstone of sustainability, longevity gets the heaviest weighting of any attribute in our sustainability ratings.

The Nemo Dagger Osmo 2P uses a PFAS-free durable water-repellent (DWR) treatment. As of 2025, all of Nemo’s products, including those with DWR treatments, are PFAS free.

The DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish is a product’s direct defense against outside moisture, and commonly contains PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These synthetic compounds, known as "forever chemicals,” are found in a range of gear categories, from jackets to footwear. They resist water, oil, and heat exceptionally well, making them ideal for outdoor use, but their nearly indestructible nature also means that they take an extremely long time to degrade in nature, if at all. PFAS can eventually end up in everything from soil to drinking water and have been linked to a range of health issues.

The Dagger Osmo features 100% recycled poly-nylon yarns in its rainfly and floor, which are made from Nemo’s proprietary Osmo fabric. Nemo has invested heavily in research and design to incorporate more recycled and recyclable materials into its products overall. All of its backpacking tents are now made with Osmo, and, as of 2023, 13% of Nemo’s products are fully recyclable.

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 Nemo Dagger Osmo 2P is the first backpacking tent to earn Bluesign Product certification, meaning it contains over 90% Bluesign-approved materials and at least 20% Bluesign-approved accessories. Additionally, Nemo is a Bluesign System Partner.

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 Dagger features solution-dyed Osmo materials in its rainfly and floor.

Solution dyeing is a process in which pigment is added to a synthetic fiber’s raw materials during production instead of after. Compared to traditional methods, solution dyeing reduces water consumption, energy use, and carbon dioxide emissions, and releases fewer chemicals overall. In addition to these environmental benefits, solution-dyed fabrics resist fading because the fiber’s pigment becomes intrinsic to it, rather than being dyed on the surface.

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.

Nemo is working to eliminate virgin plastics from its packaging. As of 2023, nearly 90% of its packaging is made from recycled plastic. The company is also advancing sustainable end-of-life solutions to prevent packaging waste from ending up in landfills. These initiatives include curbside recycling and home-compostable packaging.

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.

As of 2024, Nemo products can be resold through Out&Back in exchange for a cash payment or Nemo gift card.

Resale and recycling programs help keep outdoor gear in circulation for longer and out of landfills. The most common form is a trade-in program, where consumers can exchange items for store credit, which is then resold. Some brands accept products back for recycling at the end of their life, thereby reducing waste. Occasionally, some do both.

Nemo tracks its emissions and is a member of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). In 2020, Nemo committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. In three years, the company reduced its emissions by 36%.

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’s annual impact report is comprehensive, offering information about its sustainability progress with impressive product-level highlights. However, it lacks some of the big-picture data we look for in these reports, including specific statistics about the percentage of products containing PFAS and Bluesign-approved or recycled materials.

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.