Trend Report: Sustainable and Tech-Advanced Hiking Apparel for All

Tech fabrics, pockets on pockets, baggy cuts, and gender neutral silhouettes. Fashion styles of the ‘90s and Y2K era are informing today’s hiking apparel trends. Much like the athleisure trend of the 2010s, hiking apparel isn’t just for hiking anymore; it’s for commuting, wearing to work, grabbing dinner with friends, traveling to Paris Fashion Week, and value signaling that you like to get outside but you also care about personal style.

But of course, your gear still needs to perform—this is very the foundation of Gorpcore, the ongoing outdoor fashion trend that’s evolved from simply wearing head-to-toe Dead Bird in the city into something more along the lines of “quiet outdoor” by incorporating core outdoor wear staples and ingredient brands like Gore-Tex and Vibram into everyday outfits, on the trail and in town. Both fashion brand and the outdoor apparel industry are paying attention.

Driven by the latest generation of designers blending fashion and function, and Gen Z’s softer attitude toward the outdoors, we’re seeing outdoor hiking apparel trends inform mainstream style conversations around sustainability, utilitarian style, and of course, technical performance.

In this article, I’ll share more about the top trends we’re seeing in hiking apparel, from the shift to natural materials to an embrace of gender-neutral designs. I’ll also give you a list of the best outdoor brands leading the way in sustainable hiking apparel. As a gear reviewer for half a decade and a lifelong fashion trend watcher, I relied on my own knowledge and experience as well as the wisdom of a few trusted experts in the business of making hiking apparel.

The Death of PFAS and Rise of Eco-Friendly Materials in Hiking Apparel

Long used in outdoor gear to provide water, oil, and stain repellency, PFAS is now a dirty word. Short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, studies have linked these endocrine-disrupting “forever chemicals” to health hazards as serious as cancer. With more than 15,000 compounds out there, PFAS are in everything from clothing to packaging and impossible to avoid, but by 2030, a federal law will ban the intentional addition of it in products (unless there’s not an alternative substance). Across the outdoor industry brands are touting new PFAS-free collections, while brands like KEEN have been PFAS-free since 2018.

As it relates to hiking gear, with the phasing out of PFAS and the recent caution around synthetic textiles, even recycled synthetics like polyester, the hiking world is poised for a return to natural fibers including cotton, wool, hemp, and bamboo. For some hiking apparel brands—like PAKA, Ibex, FreeFly, and Jungmaven—it’s their entire ethos. And outdoor consumers are demanding less impact on the lands we recreate on.

“Microplastics are found in everything, and it’s frightening to think that soon there could be more plastic in the oceans than fish,” says John Moore, Outerknown co-founder and chief creative. The outdoor recreation brand focuses on Regenerative Organic Certified cotton, used in a larger percentage of products. “I believe there’s going to be a shift back to natural fibers.”

Wool, whether alpaca, yak, or merino, is naturally moisture-wicking, odor resistant, antimicrobial, insulating and thermoregulating, and, without additives, biodegradable. And hemp offers many of the same attributes, plus it’s three times stronger than cotton, which cotton is also thermoregulating but most often viewed as less functional in the outdoors due to its poor insulation and quick water absorption tendencies.

Not only are these next-to-skin materials better for your body, they’re also better for the environment than chemically-derived textiles. “Hemp absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere, requires minimal water to grow, and needs little to no harmful pesticides,” says Robert Jungmann, founder of Jungmaven. These materials still aren’t perfect because crops require land, water, and even pesticides to grow, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Innovations in Technology for Enhanced Outdoor Experience

Recycled materials, breathable fabric, UV and UPF sun protection is becoming the norm. Modern outdoor enthusiasts expect our hiking clothes to, at the very least, have moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties—which, at one point, were considered groundbreaking innovations. But hiking apparel tech is leaning Iron Man level.

More outdoor adventure brands are working with RECCO, which makes rescue detection devices, to integrate personal locator beacons into backpacks, helmets, footwear, and apparel, mostly in snowsports for avalanche safety but also in other outdoor categories. If a hiker gets lost in the backcountry and is wearing a jacket with one of these little tabs attached—like the Arc’teryx Norvan Shell Jacket—professional rescuers are more likely to find them and help.

This summer, we also saw wearable tech go far beyond smartwatches with the launch of the Skip x Arcteryx Mo Go Pant. A lightweight (and removable) motor at the knee of the Gamma pant provides leg power as you walk and absorbs the impact of each step instead of your joints, whether you’re recovering from a torn ACL or your body is feeling the effects of aging. It’ll be exciting to see what bionic inventions follow.

Gender-Neutral Designs in Hiking Clothing

It’s 2024. Do we really need to be gendering apparel? Clothes are clothes, and you don’t have to conform to a certain structure to get outside. Lately I’ve been ditching my butt-hugging leggings for tailored hiking trousers. I like the feel of a roomier fit as well as the ambiguity it gives my body. The same goes for tops. There’s an argument to be made for gendering clothing so hikers can find the right fit; women have a different hip to waist ratio than men, for example.

But that’s where gender-neutral hiking apparel has a role to play. Unisex fits tend to be looser to accommodate different bodies, and garments come in neutral palettes for easy mixing and matching. They’re made with the same high standard of technology and materials noted earlier.

Major outdoor brands like Mountain Hardwear, Columbia Sportswear, Snow Peak, REI, and Prana offer gender neutral hiking and camping apparel. Whereas smaller designers like Hikerkind and Pa’lante making fashion influenced outdoor gear that, while inherently gendred, is encouraged to be worn by all interested bodies. Not overly masculine or feminine, these designs allow for fluidity and expression in the outdoors.

How Circularity is Shaping the Future of Outdoor Apparel

The longer your gear lasts, the less you buy—and the less you throw away. Beyond materials and manufacturing, brands and buyers are becoming more conscientious about the longevity and end-of-life of a product. Danner for example, offers “recrafting” on 150 different boot models via their Portland, OR factory. Slow and thoughtful consumption is leading the future of outdoor apparel as outdoorists reframe their purchases as collectibles rather than consumables.

When you’re ready to add a new (or vintage) piece to your outdoor wardrobe, many Millenials, Gen Z and Alpha are looking first to secondhand selling platforms like Depop, Poshmark, The Real Real, and eBay. Or if you don’t have the patience to scroll, Geartrade is a Climate Neutral Certified and family-owned online marketplace for gear that isn’t new but still has lots of life left.

“Longevity is our ultimate sustainable approach, as well as our own in-house up-cycling platform called ReRoute,” says Tina Thompson, the co-founder of SENIQ, a newly launched women’s hiking apparel brand.

One of the other solutions to circularity—the practice of minimizing waste and optimizing resources across the production and consumption cycle—is repairability. Brands are taking responsibility for their environmental impact by making hiking apparel easier to fix—and making fixed gear easier to buy. Patagonia has long touted their Wornwear and repair services, too, while consumers can find repaired and used gear via recommerce initiatives by brands ranging from REI garage and Arc’teryx ReBird and ReGear to The North Face Renewed.

You can play a part, too, by learning sewing and repair basics.

10 Sustainable Outdoor Clothing Brands Leading the Way

Houdini

Swedish outdoor outfitter Houdini is the first brand I think of when it comes to sustainability for their long standing use of low-impact fabrics, timeless design philosophy, and commitment to greener manufacturing practices. The women-run brand was among the first brands to introduce the concept of circularity in outdoor apparel, and have sustainabilty so ingrained in their brand that it’s rarely mentioned in marketing materials. Houdini practices this through its reuse marketplace and rental stores, as well as a concept store in Stockholm called Houdini Circle where you can repair, resell, and buy.

Patagonia

Considered one of the beacons of sustainability, Patagonia has a multi-tiered approach: using responsible materials; working with Fair Trade Certified factories; reducing their carbon, waste, and water footprint; and including social responsibility in the conversation. This year, the brand reset its Quandary line of shorts and pants with a new design and recycled fabric called Bureo NetPlus along with a little fabric patch behind one of the pockets. “While we build everything to last, we know things happen,” says Jess Rogers, Global Product Line Director of the trail run and hike categories. “It’s kind of like a repair party in your pants. We’ll also take them back and repair if needed, but we’re excited to empower our community with this skill set out in the wild.”

Outerknown

Regarded more for its surf and lifestyle apparel, Outerknown is on the list as proof that hiking doesn’t have to be hardcore. Appropriate apparel can simply be a Slub Tee made of 100% Regenerative Organic Certified cotton or Sun Shirt made of 100% recycled polyester.

This winter, the brand is launching a new natural wool fleece jacket called the Woolaroo, says Moore. “The industry largely relies on polyester for fleece items, but wool has natural advantages: it’s breathable, odor-resistant, quick-drying, and wind-resistant—ideal for a post-surf hike.” Wool sheds just like synthetic-based materials, but it’s “a natural fiber that will break down, rather than contributing to the plastic pollution problem,” he adds.

Superstainable

“The Ozone depletion is at a higher value with virgin polyester,” according to Superstainable’s study of plastic-based fibers. This Danish brand founded in 2016 measures environmentalism with performance outdoor gear. Most products use eco-friendly materials, including Global Organic Textile Standard cotton, and it limits use of chemicals and water in production. Not only do they investigate their own products for sustainable improvements and make their findings public, the brand also shares advice for building a sustainable wardrobe, starting with washing less and using wool instead of polyester as your inner layer.

Jack Wolfskin

To transition away from PFAS is no easy feat. It requires a major overhaul of entire supply chains, a complex web of suppliers, contracts, products, timelines, and expectations. While some brands are just getting started, Germany-based Jack Wolfskin began its PFAS-free journey in 2012. Its internally-innovated Texapore Ecosphere provides weatherproofing in their hiking apparel, footwear, and packs without harmful chemicals. The brand is also aligned with Paris Agreement goals “to set and achieve five to ten years of near-term emission reduction targets before 2030.” Meaning, they have six years to go.

Pressio

Running apparel and hiking apparel blend together in one’s wardrobe, which is how UK-based Pressio landed on the list. The brand uses a balanced proportion of recycled and eco-friendly materials in tanks, tees, jackets, tights, and shorts. Dying is one of the more damaging aspects of garment manufacturing, so new technologies include EcoDye that uses 80% less water and chemicals and produces 62% less CO2—used by nearly half of Pressio’s current products.

Prana

Makring men’s and women’s apparel for hiking, yoga, climbing, and beyond, Prana focuses on using sustainable materials like organic cotton, hemp, and recycled wool, and ship all product in recyclable containers. They are also Fair Trade certified and are committed to sourcing 100% sustainable fibers by 2025.

Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi is a certified B Corporation and focuses on creating products using repurposed, recycled, and responsibly sourced materials. They also allocate a portion of their revenue to fight poverty and support community development initiatives, showing an intersectional approach to sustainability.

tentree

Though certainly more “lifestyle” than technical hiking, tentree earns a spot on the list for their dedication to planting ten trees for every product sold. The Canadian brand focuses on sustainability by using eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled polyester. Their goal is to plant one billion trees by 2030.