Excellent
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Jul 07, 2026Zurich-based footwear and running brand On is making a strong effort to improve product circularity through a variety of innovative approaches, from using bio-based and recycled midsoles to launching a resale platform. However, despite reducing emissions per product, the brand's overall carbon footprint continues to grow. If you want to learn more about where On lands on sustainability, we took a deep dive—check it out below.
This sustainability analysis evaluates both product- and brand-level initiatives to capture the full scope of On’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact. Our research draws from On’s published sustainability data, third-party certifications (a cornerstone of our process), and correspondence with brand representatives. We have independently researched five On products to date, giving us an understanding of the brand’s use of low-impact materials, chemistry, and manufacturing practices.
When you’re done reading about On, you can also explore our analyses of other outdoor brands or use our advanced search to find products that align with your sustainability values.
Overall, On earns an "Excellent" transparency rating. The brand publishes a detailed, data-driven annual impact report describing its progress across our sustainability criteria. The report outlines greenhouse gas tracking data, materials sustainability, fair labor practices, and more. Its website also features several comprehensive sustainability pages, while product pages clearly identify recycled material content, solution-dyed materials, and other sustainability attributes. Additionally, the brand has been responsive to Better Trail’s inquiries.
On is making strong progress in reducing the impact of its materials through next-generation, low-impact materials like bio-based foams and textile-to-textile recycled materials. Recycled materials generally have a smaller carbon footprint than their virgin counterparts, prompting many outdoor brands to switch to these low-impact alternatives to meet emissions-reduction goals. In 2025, On used 94% recycled polyester and 85% recycled nylon, putting it on track to reach its goal of hitting 95% recycled nylon and polyester by 2027. Notably, the vast majority of recycled polyester used in outdoor gear is made from plastic bottles, but On is taking circularity a step further by incorporating polyester made from recycled textiles. In 2025, around 1% of its polyester was made from recycled textiles. While that share is still small, it's encouraging to see the brand investing in textile-to-textile recycling, and On plans to expand its use of these materials over time.
On is also experimenting with low-impact midsole foam, which accounts for nearly half of its total material use. In 2025, nearly a quarter of its midsole materials came from recycled or renewable sources, up from 11% in 2024 (and well beyond most brands in the industry).
Overall, just under 30% of On’s total materials meet its “preferred material” criteria, which include recycled materials, bio-based materials, materials made from captured carbon emissions, and recycled and organic cotton. Many brands don’t report on their total material use (which can include materials that aren’t typically made from recycled content, like EVA foam), so we appreciate On’s transparency. Still, we hope to see it use more of these preferred materials moving forward.
Unlike many brands we’ve researched, On is not a Bluesign System Partner, and we have yet to find Bluesign-approved materials in the products we’ve researched. Bluesign-approved materials meet high standards for chemical management and, as a result, have become the gold standard for reducing chemical impacts in the textile industry. Still, these low-impact materials remain rare in footwear, which accounts for most of On’s product line. We hope to see the brand incorporate Bluesign-approved materials as they become more widely available for footwear. Unfortunately, we were unable to find much information about the brand’s chemical management program or restricted substances list.
At the end of 2024, On completed its phase-out of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, aligning with California and New York legislation banning the use of these “forever chemicals” in textiles. Historically, PFAS were used to repel water and oil from outdoor gear, but unfortunately, the chemicals have been associated with a wide range of health impacts, ranging from cancer to developmental delays in children. Today, nearly every outdoor brand that sells products in the U.S. has removed PFAS from its products. On's transition was in line with much of the industry, although leaders such as Fjallraven and Keen completed their phase-outs much earlier, in 2015 and 2018, respectively.
Compared to other outdoor brands, On uses very few natural fibers in its products, relying on synthetics for the majority of its shoes and clothing. Still, it uses some cotton in its clothing and accessories and is working to transition all of that cotton to preferred sources, which it defines as organic, recycled, or traceable U.S. cotton. In 2025, On sourced 96% of its cotton and cellulosics (such as viscose, modal, and lyocell) from preferred sources, meeting its preferred cotton goal a year ahead of schedule. The brand doesn’t use leather or down, and uses very little wool, but we were unable to confirm its sourcing.
Many outdoor brands use third-party audit and accreditation programs to ensure that supplier factories meet minimum standards for worker safety and environmental impact. On does in-house onboarding audits for Tier 1 (finished goods) factories but does not partner with programs such as Fair Trade, the Fair Labor Association, or Fair Wear that provide ongoing oversight. Over 90% of its Tier 2 factories (such as fabric mills) have been assessed through the Social and Labor Convergence program, but because this program doesn’t issue factory certifications or conduct ongoing audits to ensure standards are being met, On does not meet our responsible manufacturing criteria.
Even so, On publishes extensive information about its fair wages and employment requirements in its annual impact report and its 2024 Blueprint for Responsible Manufacturing. The brand set a goal to pay a living wage to 100% of workers at its Tier 1 suppliers by 2025, as defined by the Global Living Wage Coalition. As of its 2025 impact report, 80% of its Tier 1 suppliers now pay a living wage. On sources its footwear from about a dozen Tier 1 factories, primarily in Vietnam, and its apparel and accessories from 17 factories across Vietnam, Turkey, China, Indonesia, and Slovenia.
On has made solid progress in reducing the environmental impact of its packaging by using recycled and responsibly sourced materials. In 2025, packaging accounted for about 3% of the brand's total carbon footprint. Since 2021, On has used 100% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified paper and cardboard for its footwear and accessory packaging, helping ensure these materials come from responsibly managed forests. On also packages its apparel and bags in fully recycled poly bags, reducing its reliance on virgin plastic. According to On, these packaging changes save approximately 40 tons of paper, plastic, and ink each year, avoiding about 160 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The brand is also working to reduce waste generated during packaging production and explore additional ways to lower the impact of its apparel packaging. However, several outdoor brands have gone a step further by reducing packaging volume or eliminating poly bags altogether, and we'd like to see On continue making progress in these areas.
On is relatively new to product repair, but it has made impressive progress in its overseas market. In 2024, the brand piloted CarryOn, a care-and-repair program in China designed to extend the life of its products. In its first year, it fixed over 2,000 pairs of shoes and announced plans to expand its services to apparel and accessories. By 2025, On had repaired nearly 15,000 products through the program. Unfortunately, On does not offer repairs in the U.S. Instead, it replaces products with manufacturer defects through its warranty program. To date, very few footwear brands offer repairs for their products, but we’re encouraged to see On’s progress in China. Compared to apparel, shoes are often more difficult to repair because of their multi-material construction, adhesives, and specialized tools required. We hope to see On offer care and repair services in the U.S. in the future.
We love On’s re-commerce platform, Cyclon, which accepts used On shoes and apparel for resale. Launched in 2022, the program is part of the brand's broader effort to improve product circularity. To trade in your gear, fill out this form, and On will send you a prepaid shipping label. Once an item is received, On rewards you with a gift card (generally $10 to $55, depending on the item) that you can use for used gear on Cyclon or new gear from On. The brand spot cleans and repairs products that need extra care, then assigns a condition grade to those deemed eligible for resale. Even if an item isn't eligible for resale, On still provides a $5 credit and either donates the product to organizations such as Soles4Souls or recycles it into new materials. The brand also refurbishes and sells returned products with minor imperfections on Cyclon Resale to help prevent waste.
On previously offered a subscription service for a fully recyclable shoe, but discontinued it in 2025 due to complications with the program. The brand struggled with complex take-back systems and the high volume of shoes required before recycling could begin. It also found that many users sent shoes back before they were fully worn out. On’s Head of Circularity described the program’s termination in its annual impact report: “So, even if we proved that closed-loop recycling is technically possible, a program uniquely focused on recycling after the first owner is not the most sustainable approach we could offer.” Now, On is taking a broader approach to circularity through its Cyclon refurbishment and resale program, aiming to take responsibility for all its products rather than just its recyclable collection.
On started tracking its greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, when many major outdoor brands began measuring their impact. The following year, it adopted Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)-verified targets to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions (from owned assets and purchased electricity) by 46% and Scope 3 emissions (from its materials, transportation, and supply chain) by 55% per dollar of value added by 2030, relative to its 2019 baseline. In 2025, On shifted from measuring emissions per dollar of value added to measuring emissions per product—a more direct indicator of progress as the company grows. As part of that transition, it adopted a new SBTi-verified target to reduce Scope 3 emissions per product by 51.6% by 2030 relative to a 2023 baseline.
Despite these improvements, On's total greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. In 2025, the company emitted 572,382 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e)—more than five times its 2020 footprint and roughly 30% higher than in 2024. The company attributes the increase primarily to higher production volumes. However, On is making modest progress in reducing emissions per product. Between 2023 and 2024, the average carbon footprint per product fell from 10.62 to 9.92 kilograms of CO₂e, a reduction of about 7%. While that's a meaningful improvement, it remains well above the company's 2030 target of 5.14 kilograms of CO₂e per product. On acknowledges that it will need to accelerate emissions reductions to meet that goal.
On published its first annual impact report in 2020 and has released comprehensive updates every year since. Annual impact reports improve transparency by documenting a brand's sustainability goals, progress, and remaining challenges. On's reports are among the most detailed we've reviewed, spanning more than 100 pages and covering topics such as materials, greenhouse gas emissions, labor practices, and circularity initiatives. We appreciate the brand's willingness to report openly on both its achievements and the areas where additional work is needed.
On’s Right to Run social impact partnership program donated over $4 million and just under 42,000 products to over 100 community organizations in 2025, a substantial increase from 2024. The Right to Run program supports causes dedicated to improving running safety, access, and inclusion. Partner organizations include Achilles Canada, Back on My Feet, the Fresh Air Fund, and many other organizations focused on the program's core goals.
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Our Sustainability Ratings Explained
These products are among the most sustainable on the market and earn our Better Trail Certified distinction. They often meet 80% or more of our sustainability criteria for their category.
These products are solid, middle-of-the-pack options for sustainability. In general, they meet at least half of our sustainability criteria for their category.
These products are among the least sustainable in their product category and have significant room for improvement. Most meet about 25% or less of our sustainability criteria.
Better Trail Certified Process
The world of sustainability can be murky, but Better Trail is here to help bring clarity. We’ve exhaustively researched thousands of outdoor gear products, communicated with brands, and created a detailed and rigorous ratings system to bring it all together for you. At the pinnacle is Better Trail Certified.
Better Trail Certified products score 4 out of 5 or higher in our sustainability ratings and generally meet around 80% or more of our criteria. While it’s true that no product is 100% sustainable—all take resources to create and arrive at your doorstep—these products are industry leaders and among the most sustainable on the market.
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