REI Labels ‘Eco-Sensitive’ Products

Select REI brand products will begin carrying an eco-sensitive label, designating items manufactured with a high percentage of recycled, rapidly renewable and/or organic fibers.

Fibers that are part of REI’s eco-sensitive products include organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, organic wool, post-industrial recycled polyester, recycled polyethylene terephthalate plastic and polylactic acid, a polymer derived from starch-rich products such as corn.

The products will be identified by an icon on the product’s hangtag or via product pages in the company’s catalogs and website. By mid-September, more than 40 REI brand styles will be labeled as eco-sensitive, with additional offerings scheduled for the coming seasons.

Additionally, REI says it’s collaborating with more than 40 outdoor brands, supply chain partners and other stakeholders in an industry-wide initiative, Outdoor Industry Association’s Eco-Working Group, to establish clear and consistent information about “eco-friendly” and “green” products.

REI is the latest in a long line of retailers and manufacturers that have created their own seals of approval for earth-friendly goods.