Patagonia Quandary Sustainability Report

The Patagonia Quandary uses a thin nylon-spandex blend that resists pilling better than most lightweight fabrics, but its lack of a hard face and relatively simple construction limit long-term durability. The fabric holds up fine to regular trail use, but it's not ideal for extended bushwhacking or climbing. While it’s a dependable option for day hiking and casual backpacking, it may wear faster under heavier use.

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 Patagonia Quandary is made with 96% NetPlus recycled nylon, a 100% recycled material made from discarded fishing nets. Patagonia is working hard to use only materials from recycled or regenerative sources by 2025, thus eliminating the need for virgin materials produced from fossil fuels. A big part of this effort is using recycled polyester and nylon from pre- and post-consumer waste. Currently, just under 80% of Patagonia's polyester products are made from recycled polyester, and 99% of all products are made from a preferred material (recycled or regenerative).

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 nylon used in the Quandary is Bluesign approved. Since 2000, Patagonia has worked with Bluesign Technologies to manage its chemical usage and reduce the environmental impact of its supply chain. Now, nine of Patagonia’s top 10 suppliers are Bluesign System Partners, meaning material production is held to strict environmental standards throughout.

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 30% Bluesign-approved accessories.

Like most Patagonia products with a DWR, the Quandary’s is PFAS free. As of fall 2024, 99% of Patagonia’s fabrics with water-repellent finishes were made without PFAS, and the company aims to reach 100% in 2025.

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 Patagonia Quandary is not manufactured in a Fair Trade Certified (FTC) factory, but FTC partner brands receive a point in this category for all their products, as participation in the Fair Trade system positively influences a brand’s entire supply chain—even if not every product is made in Fair Trade Certified factories. Patagonia has worked with Fair Trade USA since 2014 and now offers more Fair Trade Certified (FTC) products than any other apparel brand. FTC ensures that factories adhere to rigorous social and environmental standards, including fair wages, safe working conditions, and sustainable resource management. Brands also pay into Fair Trade Premiums, a fund owned by workers who collectively choose how to use the money to improve their communities. Currently, over 90% of Patagonia products are made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, encompassing 75,000 workers. Patagonia is also a founding member of the Fair Labor Association, which promotes and protects workers’ rights by establishing standards for fair wages and safe working conditions. Finally, Patagonia is Fair Labor Accredited, the result of a rigorous process involving comprehensive audits and a formal review of standards compliance every three years.

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.

All of Patagonia’s bags, boxes, and paper mailers are made with Forest Stewardship Council-certified recycled materials or post-consumer waste. The Forest Stewardship Council certifies that wood and paper products are sourced from responsibly managed forests that protect forest ecosystems, reduce climate impact, and minimize chemical use while protecting worker welfare and indigenous rights. Additionally, all of its poly bags are made from recycled materials certified to the Global Recycled Standard.

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.

Patagonia backs every product it makes with its Ironclad Guarantee, which allows customers to return gear for repair at any stage of the product’s life. Patagonia doesn’t charge for repairs, except those necessitating highly technical work, such as fixing a wetsuit. You can get products fixed in-store or mail them in for repair, and Patagonia provides DIY tutorials online and ships repair tape or other materials as needed.

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.

Worn Wear is Patagonia’s platform for the resale of used Patagonia gear. It's a great way to keep the gear you’re ready to part with out of the landfill; in exchange, you receive Patagonia store credit. Patagonia also takes its clothes back for recycling if they have reached the end of their usable life.

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.

Patagonia uses the Higg Tools to track its environmental impact. It aims to have net-zero emissions by 2040, which is one of the most ambitious net-zero targets among outdoor brands. Patagonia also uses an Environmental Profit and Loss metric to determine the carbon cost of every item produced. If the production cost doesn’t align with the brand’s climate goals, it makes the necessary changes or discontinues the item.

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.

While Patagonia does not have a specific annual impact report for sustainability (as is common with other brands), it has the equivalent published on its website. It is a live and interactive website that is updated constantly with information about Patagonia’s carbon emissions tracking, environmental initiatives, and how it sources each material type. All this information is up to date with data from the current season. Lastly, much of Patagonia’s resources go beyond the brand and serve as a place to get information on almost any sustainability topic in outdoor gear.

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.