Excellent
Updated:
Jul 29, 2026Chances are, you've seen an Osprey pack on the trail. This outdoor industry giant makes everything from backpacking to climbing to ski-touring packs, and we think the brand is heading in the right direction with its sustainability initiatives. Osprey shines for its extensive use of recycled and Bluesign-approved materials, comprehensive repair services, and low-impact packaging. Still, it has room to grow in circularity initiatives, such as resale and recycling services. Want to learn more about Osprey's journey to reduce its impact? We break it down below.
This sustainability analysis evaluates both product- and brand-level initiatives to capture the full scope of Osprey's efforts to reduce its environmental impact. Our research draws from Osprey's published sustainability data, third-party certifications (a cornerstone of our process), and correspondence with brand representatives. We have independently researched over 20 Osprey products to date, giving us a broad understanding of the brand’s use of low-impact materials, chemistry, and manufacturing practices.
For more, you can explore our analyses of other outdoor brands, or use our advanced search to find products that align with your sustainability values.
Osprey receives an “Excellent” transparency rating. The brand clearly labels product sustainability information, making it easy for consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. While its parent company's annual impact report includes information on packaging and greenhouse gas emissions, it lacks the brand-specific detail provided by companies that publish dedicated sustainability reports. That said, Osprey supplements the report with a number of data-rich, easy-to-navigate sustainability pages on its website. Additionally, the brand has been highly responsive to our inquiries about its sustainability practices.
Osprey leads the outdoor industry in its use of recycled materials. Recycled fabrics typically have a significantly smaller carbon footprint than their virgin counterparts while reducing waste and reliance on petroleum. In spring 2026, Osprey reported that over 97% of its products featured fully recycled primary and bottom fabrics, and that 99% featured recycled lining fabrics. These figures put Osprey on par with industry leaders such as Patagonia and The North Face. According to the brand, its recycled fabrics have a carbon footprint nearly 60% smaller than comparable virgin materials, making them an important part of its greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategy. To ensure that recycled content claims are third-party verified, the brand exclusively sources Global Recycled Standard- and Recycled Content Standard-certified materials. Osprey’s new Arcane Earth Collection also features recycled ethylene vinyl acetate foam, fully recycled labels and zipper pulls, and recycled materials made from factory cutting scraps. All in all, we think Osprey is making impressive progress toward reducing its footprint through low-impact fabrics.
Bluesign-approved materials meet rigorous standards for chemical safety, environmental responsibility, and worker safety throughout the supply chain. Because the Bluesign system is highly comprehensive, participation in it has become the gold standard for brands looking to reduce the impact of textile manufacturing. Osprey has been a Bluesign System Partner since 2021 and stands out for incorporating these materials across a particularly large share of its packs and accessories.
Osprey launched its first Bluesign Products in spring 2024, and by spring 2026, 89% of its product line met the Bluesign Product standard, which requires at least 90% Bluesign-approved textiles and 20% Bluesign-approved components. Although Osprey does not report the percentage of Bluesign-approved materials it uses by weight, every product we've researched from the brand incorporates them, supporting its broader claims. Osprey also follows Bluesign's restricted substances list and regularly submits materials for laboratory testing to screen for harmful chemicals. Overall, Osprey stands out as an industry leader in its adoption of Bluesign-approved materials and responsible chemistry practices.
Osprey completed its PFAS phase-out in spring 2022. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, were historically used in outdoor gear to repel dirt and moisture, but these chemicals are highly persistent in the environment and are associated with a wide range of adverse health effects. While Osprey was not among the first outdoor brands to eliminate PFAS, it completed its phase-out well before legislation restricting intentionally added PFAS in textiles took effect in California and New York in 2025. Many outdoor brands did not complete their PFAS phase-out until 2025, putting Osprey ahead of much of the industry in its move toward PFAS-free chemistry.
Unlike many outdoor brands, Osprey does not use natural materials such as cotton, wool, leather, or down in its products. Instead, the brand primarily relies on synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester, most of which incorporate recycled content. As a result, certifications governing the responsible sourcing of natural materials, such as the Responsible Wool Standard, Responsible Down Standard, and Leather Working Group certification, are not applicable to Osprey.
Osprey has a supplier code of conduct that emphasizes freely chosen labor, fair wages, and environmental responsibility. The code of conduct is based on the Ethical Trade Initiative, and Osprey states that factories are audited for compliance by the Worldwide Ethic Alliance. Unfortunately, we were unable to find much information about this audit program, and to our understanding, it does not publish public ratings describing Osprey’s progress. The code of conduct alone does not meet Better Trail’s standards for responsible manufacturing criteria. To do so, we require brands to participate in a third-party program that provides certification and regular factory audits to ensure safe working conditions, fair wages, and reduced environmental impact. Programs like Fair Trade, Fair Wear, and the Fair Labor Association audit factories against their standards to ensure compliance with fair labor practices and conditions.
While packaging accounts for only a small share of a brand's greenhouse gas emissions, it can be a significant source of waste. Osprey has made good progress in reducing the impact of its packaging by replacing virgin materials with recycled and responsibly sourced alternatives, although it has made less progress in reducing overall packaging volume. The brand has replaced virgin plastic polybags with 100% recycled alternatives, reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. It also uses recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified shipping cartons and hangtags. FSC certification ensures that virgin paper comes from responsibly managed forests, although we were unable to confirm how much of Osprey's FSC-certified packaging is made from recycled versus virgin materials.
Osprey also includes the How2Recycle label on many of its packaging materials to help consumers properly dispose of them. Looking ahead, parent company Helen of Troy aims to transition the majority of its packaging to recycled content by 2030. Overall, while we would like to see Osprey make greater progress in reducing packaging volume, the brand stands out for its extensive use of recycled and responsibly sourced packaging materials.
Osprey offers standout repair services under its All Mighty Guarantee, helping you keep your gear in the field for longer. Osprey guarantees that any damage or defect in a product will be repaired free of charge, regardless of the age of your pack or the cause of damage. If it can’t repair your pack, it will replace it. Compared to other brands, Osprey’s repair services are impressive in terms of their comprehensiveness, ease of use, and coverage. Most brands don’t offer free repairs for gear damaged by normal wear and tear, but Osprey does, making it a leader in this area. In addition to typical repairs, Osprey can build hipbelt or sternum strap extensions for people who need these modifications.
Osprey can repair torn fabric, worn-out buckles, broken zippers, and more. Typically, it tries to match the color of your product when possible and uses black thread for most repairs, but its primary focus is restoring functionality rather than exact color matching. Osprey also offers free replacement parts, such as buckles, zipper pulls, sternum straps, webbing, and hipbelts, for simple at-home fixes. Notably, a small selection of products comes with a five- to seven-year guarantee instead of a lifetime guarantee. These include child carriers, Soelden and Sopris Pro avalanche airbag packs, and Raptro Pro packs. If you do send a pack in for repair, be sure to clean it beforehand, as bags that are too dirty or smelly to repair will be returned unrepaired, and moldy items will be destroyed rather than repaired.
Unlike similar brands, Osprey does not offer resale or recycling services to help you responsibly retire your used gear. Competitors like Patagonia, The North Face, and Arc’teryx offer online resale platforms where you can return your used gear to find it a new home, or buy verified, used products (which have a significantly smaller carbon footprint than new products). Other brands, like Nemo, make fully recyclable backpacks that you can return to the brand for disassembly at the end of life. In order to do so, the brand designed a single-polymer material that can easily be recycled into new fabrics. Osprey has yet to make progress toward implementing circularity programs like these, and has not disclosed any plans to do so.
Osprey’s parent company, Helen of Troy, tracks its greenhouse gas emissions using Greenhouse Gas Protocol guidance. Because Osprey’s emissions are tracked by its parent company, its data is lumped together with those of Helen of Troy's other brands, including non-outdoor companies like Braun and Vicks. Helen of Troy has set Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-verified goals to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 46.2% from its 2020 baseline and Scope 3 emissions by 42% from its 2021 baseline by 2030. These are substantial absolute reduction targets, although the company has yet to set a net-zero goal.
In 2026, Helen of Troy emitted 146,525.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e), down by an impressive 60% from its 2021 baseline. Most of these emissions fell into the Scope 3 category, which covers emissions from a brand’s supply chain, transportation, and materials. Notably, this is a significant reduction from its location-based baseline measurement of 356,853 tCO2e in 2021. Unfortunately, because these figures encompass Helen of Troy's entire portfolio—including Hydro Flask, Vicks, Drybar, Braun, Revlon, and others—we cannot determine how much of the total footprint is attributable to Osprey. Regardless, Helen of Troy's overall emissions reductions are encouraging.
Osprey's parent company, Helen of Troy, publishes an annual impact report covering sustainability data across its portfolio of brands, including Vicks, Drybar, Braun, Revlon, Hydro Flask, and others. Osprey was acquired in 2021, the same year Helen of Troy began publishing an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report. Compared to reports from other large parent companies and outdoor brands, Helen of Troy's is less comprehensive and provides limited information specific to Osprey. Still, it includes company-wide greenhouse gas emissions data, sustainability highlights from individual brands, general packaging information, and charitable contributions. Unfortunately, it does not provide year-over-year emissions data, comprehensive low-impact material statistics, chemical management information, or other details we typically look for in annual impact reports. Overall, Helen of Troy provides less detailed sustainability data than other large parent companies, such as Deckers Brands, which owns Hoka, UGG, and other footwear brands.
Osprey supports a variety of organizations focused on outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, and expanding access to the outdoors. To mark its 50th anniversary in 2024, the company committed to donating $100,000 annually to The Conservation Alliance. It also donated $50,000 to the REI Cooperative Action Fund, which supports organizations working to increase belonging and well-being in outdoor spaces. Osprey also supports conservation organizations such as Protect Our Winters, Winter Wildlands Alliance, and Access Fund, as well as organizations focused on expanding outdoor access, including The Venture Out Project and Latino Outdoors.
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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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