About Better Trail Certified

You have likely visited our Sustainability Index, which is the leading source of sustainability data in the outdoor industry. In that Index, over 1,000 products and 150 brands have been analyzed, and Better Trail Certified products are the most sustainable on the market relative to their peers, receiving a rating of 4 out of 5 or higher. 

Here is how the process works: Our team of sustainability experts (real humans, all with degrees in fields related to sustainability) researches a product category (rain jackets, for example) and develops detailed criteria against which all products are evaluated. These are at both the product level (factors like recycled materials and PFAS-free finishes) and the brand level (responsible manufacturing, greenhouse gas tracking, etc.). For each category, we’ll often end up with around ten total sustainability criteria.

We then conduct extensive research, scouring product pages, brand websites, impact reports, and third-party certifications. When we have questions or need clarifications, we reach out to the brands directly. The final step is applying our proprietary ratings system to all our findings. Better Trail Certified products are rated 4 out of 5 or better and meet the vast majority of our sustainability criteria.

The bottom line: If you are looking to shop as sustainably as possible, Better Trail Certified is the standard in the outdoor industry.