Retailers like REI are raising the bar for sustainability—and brands that want to sell in these stores must meet evolving REI Product Impact Standards. One way REI evaluates products is through preferred attributes, which are tied to credible certifications for social and environmental responsibility.
If your fishing or outdoor brand wants to stay competitive in retail, understanding these certifications is essential. Below is a breakdown of REI’s preferred attributes, what each certification means, and how Emerger Strategies can simplify the process of meeting these requirements.
Fair Labor & Safe Supply Chains
Fair Trade Certified™: Ensures that workers are paid fair wages, work in safe conditions, and that factories and farms support community development.
Fairtrade International: Focuses on equitable trading practices, protecting workers’ rights, and providing better prices and working conditions for farmers and workers in developing countries.
Fair for Life: A certification guaranteeing fair wages, good working conditions, and responsible supply chains, with a focus on human rights and environmental sustainability.
Why it matters: REI prioritizes products that protect workers and communities.
Chemical Management
bluesign®: A rigorous certification for textiles that manages chemicals, water, and energy use throughout the production process to reduce harmful impacts.
Leather Working Group (LWG): Promotes sustainable leather manufacturing practices, including responsible water and chemical management.
Why it matters: These standards reduce harmful chemical impacts and ensure safer, more sustainable materials.
Animal Welfare
Responsible Down Standard (RDS): Certifies down and feathers from ducks and geese that have not been subjected to unnecessary harm, including live-plucking and force-feeding.
Responsibly Sourced Wool (RWS): Ensures wool comes from farms with high animal welfare standards and sustainable land management.
Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS): Similar to RWS, but specific to mohair production, ensuring animal welfare and responsible farming practices.
Why it matters: Ethical animal-based materials are a growing priority for conscious consumers.
Climate & Environmental Stewardship: Sustainable Forestry & Organics
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council): Ensures wood, paper, and other forest products come from responsibly managed forests.
USDA Organic: U.S. Department of Agriculture certification ensuring crops are grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or GMOs.
Organic 100 Content Standard (OCS 100): Verifies that products contain 100% organically grown material.
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): The leading certification for organic fibers, covering ecological and social criteria from raw materials to finished textiles.
Regenerative Organic Certified®: Goes beyond organic by focusing on soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness.
Why it matters: Organics and regenerative practices are in high demand with retailers and consumers who care about climate and biodiversity.
Climate & Environmental Stewardship: Recycled Content
Global Recycled Standard (GRS): Verifies recycled content in products and includes environmental and social criteria.
Recycled 100 Claim Standard (RCS 100): Ensures that products contain 100% recycled materials, with chain-of-custody verification.
Why it matters: Circular materials reduce waste and meet retailer packaging and product goals.
Climate & Environmental Stewardship: Climate & Packaging
The Climate Label: Provides transparent product-level carbon footprint labeling to inform consumers.
Emerger Strategies is a member of The Change Climate Project’s Service Provider Network, so should you need assistance in measuring, reducing, and compensating for your company’s GHG emissions, please contact us today!
How2Recycle®: A standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to consumers.
Why it matters: Retailers like REI want brands to reduce carbon emissions and improve packaging recyclability.
How Emerger Strategies Can Help
At Emerger Strategies, we simplify sustainability for fishing and outdoor brands that want to grow through retail partnerships. We help you:
- Navigate REI’s Product Impact Standards and identify gaps in your operations, products and packaging and can help your brand achieve 3rd-party certifications.
- Develop a sustainability plan that aligns with REI’s (and other retailers’) requirements.
- Support certification readiness by helping you measure, document, and credibly communicate your impact.
- Save time and money by acting as your outsourced sustainability team, eliminating the need for in-house specialists.
Retailer expectations are only increasing, and when you consider the rise of emerging sustainability-related regulations like green marketing claims and EPR for Packaging, and the fact that consumers support brands that align with their values, sustainability is here to stay. By getting ahead of retailer expectations and regulatory compliance now, your brand can:
Reduce costs, enhance your reputation, increase customer loyalty, and strengthen retail relationships!
“Emerger Strategies has been vital in helping us exceed our sustainability goals, and I highly recommend them to any company who needs help with retailer sustainability compliance!” – Carrie Orr, Sr. Director of Production & Compliance at Blue Sky
Check out our Case Studies for specific examples of how we have delivered real business results by measuring and improving our clients sustainability performance.
Ready to Meet REI’s Standards?
Due to growing retailer sustainability expectations, we created the Emerger Strategies Retailer Sustainability Compliance Packages.
If your brand wants to succeed in retail, Emerger Strategies can guide you through certifications, reporting, and strategy.
Contact us today by filling out the form below to simplify sustainability and unlock growth opportunities with retailers like REI!
