The Most Sustainable Rain Jackets
Looking for a responsibly built rain jacket? We've got you covered—literally.
The Most Sustainable Rain Jackets
Table of contents
Impressively, about three-quarters of the rain jackets we reviewed are made with recycled materials, though the recycled content varies depending on the model. Some shells are made from nearly all recycled materials, while other jackets contain just one partially recycled material or none at all. We scale the points awarded for this criterion based on the total percentage of recycled content in each product. One standout product in this category is The North Face Alta Vista, on which the shell fabric, jacket lining, hood, and pocket linings are made from 100% recycled polyester and nylon.
Bluesign-approved materials were present in slightly more than one-third of the rain jackets we reviewed. That’s a lower percentage than in other apparel categories, such as ski jackets, in which half of the products contained Bluesign-approved materials. None of the rain shells we reviewed were Bluesign Products (meaning more than 90% of the item’s fabric is Bluesign-approved, and more than 30% of the item’s accessories are Bluesign-approved). That’s somewhat surprising, given that most other apparel categories had at least two Bluesign Products each. There are a few rain jackets that use almost all Bluesign-approved materials but are not Bluesign Products. Those models are the REI Co-op Rainier, Outdoor Research Foray, and Outdoor Research Helium (read the Helium Sustainability Report).
Over three-quarters of rain jackets contain a DWR treatment that doesn’t have PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). That’s a notable number, and, in all likelihood, it will keep increasing as these “forever chemicals” become more heavily regulated across the textile industry. If you’re buying a new rain jacket, picking one without PFAS is a big win for sustainability—once these chemicals enter the environment, they degrade very slowly, if ever. Just remember: Jackets with non-PFAS DWRs require more frequent washing and DWR re-applications to retain their performance. In contrast, DWRs that contain PFAS require less frequent maintenance.
PFAS from waterproof membranes. (A membrane is a layer of material attached to the interior of a jacket's shell fabric that’s engineered to prevent water from seeping through.) Many brands have been slow to find replacement materials for PFAS in waterproof membranes that retain the same level of waterproof performance, and just over half of the rain jackets we tested have PFAS-free membranes. Another challenge for brands in finding suitable PFAS replacements for waterproof membranes is that PFAS make a membrane oil- and stain-resistant, while many non-PFAS alternatives do not.
Longevity is our best estimate of how long a jacket will hold up over time. Since keeping gear in use is one of the most effective ways to reduce environmental impact, we weight our longevity rating as 25% of a product’s overall sustainability score. Rain jacket longevity is largely determined by construction type and fabric thickness. Jackets with 3-layer builds and thick, high-denier fabrics consistently scored highest in this category.
Top performers such as the Arc’teryx Beta, Mountain Hardwear Threshold, and Patagonia Torrentshell 3L stand out for their durability and long-term resilience. Mid-range options, such as the REI Co-op XeroCloud 3L and Patagonia Granite Crest, still offer solid longevity, though they may require more care over time. In contrast, jackets with 2.5-layer or 2-layer constructions, especially those with thin fabrics such as the Montbell Versalite or Rab Downpour Light, tend to score lower due to their vulnerability to wear and tear. Overall, 3-layer rain jackets are the best bet for buyers prioritizing durability and long-term performance.
Companies are starting to make rain jackets with bio-based materials, such as the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L, which features a waterproof membrane made of 13% bio-based content. However, this trend isn't widespread enough to warrant its own sustainability category yet. That said, it’s an area we will continue to research, especially since “bio-based content” is a broad term that can refer to materials derived from a variety of sources (such as plants, algae, or bi-products of other industries like timber). If we include this in future product categories, we aim to research the source of the bio-based content and the processes involved in creating the material.
Many brands offer repair services for their rain jackets, and over two-thirds of the companies we reviewed operate in-house service centers that fix products. While the extent of repairs varies by brand, all jackets that earned credit for repair services can be sent back to the manufacturer for most fixes. We scale the points awarded for this criterion based on how extensive the available repair services are. Rain jacket repairs often cover zippers, patches, seams, and waterproofing. Brands with particularly extensive repair menus include Arc’teryx, Patagonia, and Fjallraven. Those brands also offer the convenience of in-store gear repair, allowing you to bring your items directly to a physical store for service.
Several rain jackets we reviewed come from brands with standout resale and recycling programs that help extend gear life and keep products out of landfills. Patagonia’s Worn Wear is the most established of these programs, offering both in-store and online trade-in and resale, as well as options to recycle gear at the end of its life. Arc’teryx has expanded its ReBird program, with dedicated service centers offering repairs, take-back, and resale of used gear in exchange for store credit. Additionally, Arc'teryx recycles any apparel that they deem unfixable. Norrøna also launched a resale program in 2024, where you can trade in or recycle used gear. Lastly, The North Face’s Renewed platform resells used gear, and the company has started piloting an apparel recycling program for products in its Circular Design collection.
About two-thirds of the rain jacket manufacturers we reviewed use recycled and/or reduced packaging, though the extent varies. Some brands use entirely recycled packaging, while others incorporate only a certain percentage or specific materials. We elaborate on those details in our product and brand reviews and scale the points they receive based on the amount of recycled packaging used or the efforts brands make to reduce packaging. Cotopaxi and Patagonia lead the way in this category. Cotopaxi limits packaging and sources materials from recycled content, while Patagonia uses bags, boxes, and paper mailers made from Forest Stewardship Council-certified recycled materials or post-consumer waste.
Nearly every brand in the rain jacket category tracks its greenhouse gas emissions throughout production. While most brands that track their carbon footprints also have emissions reduction goals in place, keep in mind that brands track emissions with varying levels of transparency. Some companies share detailed graphs and year-over-year metrics on their progress, while others only outline their methods and goals. We award points in this criterion based on how thoroughly and transparently each brand tracks its emissions.
More than three-quarters of the brands that make the rain jackets we reviewed publish an annual impact report. A well-documented and informative annual sustainability report holds a brand accountable for reducing its environmental impact and demonstrating progress toward its stated goals. Remember that brands take different approaches to these reports, and some are more thorough than others. We base our score in this criterion on a report’s depth and frequency. If a report lacks meaningful sustainability information, we do not count it as meeting our standards.
Less than half of the rain jackets we reviewed are made using responsible manufacturing practices. We define that as a brand using a third-party certification program and/or annual audit system that ensures its manufacturing practices adhere to strict workers' rights, working conditions, and a lower environmental impact. Some of those programs include Fair Trade, Fair Wear, and the Fair Labor Association. We also include brands in this criterion that engage in local manufacturing, either in the U.S. or Europe. That’s because products in the U.S. and Europe adhere to strict labor and environmental regulations, and there is a reduced carbon impact if the manufacturing happens close together instead of across global factories. One-third of the rain jackets we reviewed are made in Fair Trade Certified factories.
The rain jacket category includes numerous sustainability criteria, so brands that lead in this space demonstrate a comprehensive commitment to sustainability—from the materials they use in each product to how they manage their supply chains. Two brands stand out for their sustainable rain jackets: Patagonia and Arc’teryx. We reviewed four Patagonia jackets, all of which met nine out of our 10 sustainability criteria (falling just short of even higher ratings for not incorporating Bluesign-approved materials). Arc'teryx's rain jackets earned similar ratings, missing only reduced and/or recycled packaging and Bluesign-approved materials.
Of course, many of you just want to know which rain jacket is the most sustainable—so here it is. The Patagonia Torrentshell 3L earned the highest sustainability rating among the rain jackets we reviewed, scoring 4.7 out of 5. Notably, Patagonia continues to offer Fair Trade Certified products made with responsibly sourced materials while also advancing brand-level efforts in circularity, packaging, and emissions reduction. The next most sustainable rain jackets also come from Patagonia, with the Granite Crest, Boulder Fork, and M10 Storm jackets receiving high ratings.
As the outdoor industry continues to improve its focus on sustainability, we expect to see more rain jackets made with recycled and Bluesign-approved materials. Many brands are actively working to increase their use of recycled fabrics—especially nylon and polyester, which are common in rain jackets. We also anticipate growth in the use of PFAS-free waterproof membranes, driven by a major industry push to eliminate PFAS from products and by new state laws targeting PFAS in textiles. On top of that, third-party sustainability certification organizations like Bluesign and Oeko-Tex started banning PFAS from their operations in 2025. Finally, we expect to see more jackets made with bio-based materials, as brands begin to explore this option across multiple product categories.
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