Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging is no longer a future concern—it’s here, and 2026 will be a defining year for brands selling products in the U.S. With seven states already passing EPR laws and additional states actively developing programs, producers are entering a new era of mandatory registration, data reporting, lifecycle assessments (LCAs), and…
Mending the Line Blog
If REI, Walmart, or Target Asked for Your Sustainability Data Tomorrow—Could You Actually Deliver?
By the time most brands start thinking seriously about sustainability data, a retailer has already started asking for it. And the question rarely comes with much warning. It shows up as a supplier questionnaire. A portal invite.A line item buried in a contract renewal. Or a buyer email that reads something like: “Can you share…
What Retail Buyers Actually Mean When They Ask About Sustainability
For many fishing and outdoor brands, the question sounds simple enough: “What are you doing about sustainability?” But when a retail buyer asks this, they’re rarely looking for your mission statement, a feel-good story, or a list of environmental initiatives. What they’re really asking is something far more practical—and far more consequential for your business….
Making the Business Case for Sustainability: Key Takeaways from Bob Willard on The Sustainable Angler
Welcome to the 2026 season of The Sustainable Angler podcast! I am calling this season The Sustainability Blueprint because I am taking a deep dive into how fishing and outdoor brands can grow responsibly, meet rising retailer and regulatory demands, and protect the places we all love to fish and explore. Sustainability isn’t just about good…
Why “Doing Sustainability” Isn’t Enough Anymore for Outdoor Brands
Fishing & outdoor brands have always cared about the places and communities that make their products possible. But in today’s market, good intentions and scattered sustainability efforts are no longer enough. Retailers, regulators, and consumers are raising the bar—and brands that can’t clearly prove their sustainability performance risk being left behind. The Sustainability Shift: From…
The Compliance-Ready Brand Blueprint: How Fishing & Outdoor Brands Get Their Sustainability House in Order—Without Hiring a Full-Time Team
Sustainability is no longer a “nice to have” for fishing and outdoor brands—it’s a requirement for doing business with today’s largest retailers, distributors, and increasingly informed consumers. From Walmart and REI to Amazon and specialty retailers, expectations around sustainability, transparency, and regulatory compliance are accelerating. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting, chemical restrictions,…