Outdoor company Rab is challenging greenwashing with a new detailed label

The outdoor apparel and equipment company Rab has announced that beginning next fall its jacket and sleeping bag labels will begin detailing the exact amount of recycled and fluorocarbon-free materials being used in its products’ construction. This climate “super-pollutant" can be found in refrigeration, air conditioning units, and is also used to create water-repellent textiles quite common in the outdoor industry. These fluorocarbons have been found to be hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide and more and more brands are now offering natural alternatives to them. With their new label called Material Facts, Rab products will have QR codes that open online labels similar to nutritional information found on packaged food items. The labels will give the percentage of recycled material used in all of the components used in the construction of the piece. The new system will launch with labels listing the per cent of recycled materials of insulation used in Rab jackets and sleeping bags and will expand to include all of the materials used in every product. Rab wants to tackle greenwashing with this initiative and expects its competitors will follow suit. The UK-based company has been certified carbon-neutral for the past three years and is on a journey to net-zero by 2030 with a very detailed roadmap: https://rab.equipment/uk/our-journey-to-net-zero https://www.outsideonline.com/business-journal/brands/rab-new-product-labels-greenwashing/