Design Life-Cycle

 Ava Freeman

Professor Cogdell

DES 40A

5 June 2024

Life Cycle Paper: Wastes and Emissions

The North Face is an extremely popular company that bases its marketing on its commitment to sustainability. According to Northface.com, The North Face claims that “100% of the top are expected materials to be recycled” (Sustainability Commitments).  The company also claims they responsibly source materials, are committed to reducing greenhouse gasses, and implement the circular economy model.  To see how sustainable the company truly is, we looked at the product life cycle of The North Face 1996 Nuptse Jacket which is one of the most successful jackets that The North Face sells.  On top of that, according to WomanandHome, it “is one of the most sustainable North Face products” (Bell). What we found was that The North Face 1996 Nuptse Jacket’s wastes and emissions in the product life cycle are relatively low, with The North Face's commitment to reducing greenhouse gasses, responsibly sourcing materials, and implementing a circular economy model. 

To start, The North Face acquired the raw material goose down for the 1996 Nuptse Jacket.  While the down feathers themselves are biodegradable, according to Good on You, “when ducks and geese are slaughtered and later plucked of their feathers, it often occurs in abattoirs that release massive amounts of wastewater” (Håkansson).  The organic matter in the wastewater causes water pollution that is bad for the environment and can make the surrounding people sick.  However, according to The North Face, “all of the down we use is either RDS-certified or recycled” (Responsible Down Standard).  Unlike the acquisition of new goose down, recycled goose down creates no water pollution.  It is also RDS-certified which certifies that the farms chosen are better options for reducing waste and animal cruelty. These commitments decrease the amount of waste in emissions when acquiring the raw material goose down but if the goose down is just RDS-certified and not recycled it could still cause water pollution. 

The main material that The North Face 1996 Nuptse Jacket is made out of is nylon. Raw materials acquisition such as fossil fuels to make nylon can cause a lot of waste and emissions such as greenhouse gasses, water pollution, and air pollution which can damage the environment.  According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, “natural gas facilities emit more than 25,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year” (Environmental Protection Agency).  However, The North Face is committed to reducing greenhouse gasses, responsibly sourcing materials, and implementing a circular economy model.  The definition of the circular economy model according to Reposol is, “a new production and consumption model that ensures sustainable growth over time…with the circular economy, we can drive the optimization of resources, reduce the consumption of raw materials, and recover waste by recycling or giving it a second life as a new product” (Circular Economy).  The North Face achieves this by using “100% recycled nylon” (Sustainability Commitments).  

Using recycled nylon reduces the need to acquire fossil fuels to make virgin nylon.  Recycled nylon is very sustainable because the old virgin nylon is repurposed for other products instead of going to a landfill and it uses less energy to produce.  According to Cariki, “It's certainly much better for the planet than regular fabrics like virgin nylon, polyester, or even regular cotton…One of the key advantages of recycled nylon is that it requires significantly less energy and resources to produce than virgin nylon” (Is Recycled Nylon Sustainable).  Therefore, The North Face hugely decreases the wastes and emissions during the raw materials acquisition stage of the product life cycle for the 1996 Nuptse Jacket by using recycled nylon instead of virgin nylon.

While the recycled nylon material itself is sustainable, the manufacturing process can cause waste and emissions.  For example, to recycle the virgin nylon to use it in different products The North Face has to break down to turn it into recycled nylon.  It is unclear whether The North Face mechanically or chemically recycles their nylon.  If The North Face chemically recycles its nylon, the chemical recycling process requires chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. According to Impactful Ninja, “chemical recycling uses chemicals (acids and solvents) to dissolve plastic before reproducing nylon fibers, creating hazardous by-products and waste” (Nguyen).  However, if they mechanically recycle their nylon, there would be less waste and emissions in the manufacturing process and it would be more sustainable. According to Impactful Ninja, “unlike producing virgin nylon and chemically recycled nylon, the mechanical process of reprocessing plastic polymers doesn’t use any toxic chemicals, avoiding the risks of further polluting the environment and harming the health of workers and consumers'' (Nguyen).  For those reasons, while it is unclear which method The North Face uses to make their recycled nylon for the 1996 Nuptse Jacket, both methods are much more sustainable and create infinitely less waste and emissions than producing virgin nylon.  

In addition to the manufacturing process, transporting and distributing the 1996 Nuptse Jacket materials the jacket itself can also cause waste and emissions.  Since The North Face uses standard ways of transporting and distributing like planes, cars, trucks, etcetera, greenhouse gasses are emitted due to the fuel or gasoline used.  However, The North Face is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by using green shipping and collaborating with suppliers.  According to Wedge, “They're also working to reduce emissions from their suppliers and transportation by 30% by 2030 compared to 2017 levels…As of 2021, they've managed to reduce these emissions by 8%” (The North Face).  As a result of this, greenhouse gas emissions due to transporting and distributing the 1996 Nuptse Jacket materials and the jacket itself are decreasing.  While the wastes and emissions are less than in previous years due to The North Face’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions there is still improvement to be made. 

For the packaging, the 1996 Nuptse Jacket is transported in packaging that causes little waste and emissions.  This is because according to The North Face, “We’re working to eliminate single-use packaging by 2025…this past year alone, we’ve successfully launched three packaging reduction pilots” (Rethink Packaging).  The North Face uses mainly sustainable and recyclable packaging made out of paper which is much more sustainable than plastic.  Therefore, the wastes and emissions of the packaging used to transport the 1996 Nuptse Jacket are relatively low with The North Face’s commitment to sustainable packaging. 

The next part of the product life cycle that could cause waste and emissions is the use, reuse, and maintenance of The North Face 1996 Nuptse Jacket.  To start, the use of the 1996 Nuptse Jacket creates waste and emissions.   Since the jacket is made out of nylon, recycled or not, if you wash the jacket microplastics will shed off and can cause water pollution.  According to The Someday Company,  “Plastic is part of the fibre and when the item is laundered the fibres start to break down and shed tiny pieces of plastic” (Kirkby).  

Since the microplastics cause water pollution it can also impact marine environments.  According to The Impactful Ninja, “The usage of recycled nylon fabrics is generally considered unsustainable because washing nylon clothes during the usage phase contributes to the increasingly serious problem of microplastic presence in marine environments'' (Nguyen).  The academic journal Chemical Engineering Transactions supports this claim saying, “Nylon-based waste poses some environmental problems, such as the microplastic pollution in aquatic environments'' (Tonsi 727).  Then, for the maintenance and the reuse, there are relatively no wastes and emissions.  For those reasons, the wastes and emissions of the use, reuse, and maintenance of The North Face 1996 Nuptse Jacket are relatively low but if you are washing the jacket during the use phase of the product life cycle there could be microplastic shedding from the recycled nylon which could cause water pollution and some environmental harm to marine environments. 

Similarly to the use, recycling, and disposal of the 1996 Nuptse Jacket creates waste and emissions.  According to The North Face, The North Face is committed to recycling saying that they, “Design products to be more easily broken down and made into new gear at the end of their usable lives” (Circularity).  The North Face also says that they, ”put textile waste and leftover materials to use” (Circularity).  However, recycled nylon, the main material that the 1996 Nuptse Jacket is made of, is not biodegradable. According to Good on You, “no form of nylon is biodegradable,...they go on to sit in landfill for hundreds of years” (Uren).  The good news is that recycled nylon can be infinitely recycled. According to Econyl, recycled nylon is infinitely recyclable, saying, “It can be recycled, recreated and remolded, again and again” (About Us).  Therefore, if the recycled nylon used in the production of The North Face 1996 Nuptse Jacket or the jacket itself does not end up in landfills, it will cause very low waste and emissions because recycled nylon is circular and can be recycled infinitely.

Lastly, for waste management, The North Face gives multiple options on their website about how to recycle their clothes.  If they are recycled they will cause little to no waste and emissions.  If they are not recycled, in landfills, they will cause microplastic and waste pollution because recycled nylon is not biodegradable.    

In conclusion, The North Face 1996 Nuptse Jacket is very sustainable in the product life cycle.  For raw materials acquisition, The North Face decreases the need to acquire fossil fuels to produce virgin nylon by using recycled nylon but could cause water pollution by using goose down because they are not using 100% recycled goose down.  For manufacturing, it is unclear whether The North Face recycles chemically or mechanically but both use less energy and cause less pollution than making virgin nylon with fossil fuels.  Next, for transporting and distributing, transporting the jacket causes greenhouse gas emissions due to gasoline and fuel used but The North Face is trying to decrease this by using green shipping and collaborating with suppliers.  Additionally, the packaging the jacket is transported in is sustainable recyclable packaging made out of paper keeping waste and emissions low.  Then, the use of the jacket causes waste and emissions if you wash the jacket due to microplastic shedding from the recycled nylon which causes water pollution and marine environment harm.  However, maintenance and reuse cause no waste and emissions.  Next, for recycling and disposal, recycled nylon is not biodegradable but it can be infinitely recycled.  Lastly, for waste management, The North Face gives many ways to recycle their clothes on their website but if it is not recycled it will cause waste in landfills because nylon isn’t biodegradable.  

Therefore, if the recycled nylon is recycled correctly and doesn’t end up in landfills, it will cause very low waste and emissions because recycled nylon is circular and can be recycled infinitely.  Overall,  The North Face 1996 Nuptse Jacket’s wastes and emissions in the product life cycle are relatively low, with their commitment to reducing greenhouse gasses, responsibly sourcing materials, and implementing a circular economy model.

Bibliography:

“About Us.” Econyl, 7 Feb. 2024, www.econyl.com/about-us/. Accessed 2 June 2024.

Cariki. “Is Recycled Nylon Sustainable? 15 Eco Pros and Cons.” Cariki, cariki.co.uk/blogs/the-green-road/recycled-nylon-sustainable#:~:text=Yes%2C%20recycled%20nylon%20is%20considered,to%20produce%20than%20virgin%20nylon. Accessed 2 June 2024.

EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/waste-emissions-charge#:~:text=The%20 Waste%20 Emissions%20 Charge%20(WEC,by%20 Congress%2C%20and%20that%20are. Accessed 2 June 2024.

Håkansson, Emma. “Material Guide: Is down Feather Ethical and Sustainable?” Good On You, 17 Jan. 2023, goodonyou.eco/material-guide-down-feather/. Accessed 2 June 2024.

Kirkby, Tegan. “How to Care for Recycled Plastic Apparel.” The Someday Co, The Someday Co, 28 Aug. 2022, thesomedayco.com/blogs/sustainable-blog/how-to-care-for-recycled-plastic-apparel. Accessed 2 June 2024.

Kirkby, Tegan. “How to Care for Recycled Plastic Apparel.” The Someday Co, The Someday Co, 28 Aug. 2022, thesomedayco.com/blogs/sustainable-blog/how-to-care-for-recycled-plastic-apparel. Accessed 2 June 2024.

“The North Face.” Wedge, www.thewedge.io/brands/the-north-face. Accessed 2 June 2024.

Tonsi, Giulia, et al. ‘Nylon Recycling Processes: A Brief Overview’. Chemical Engineering Transactions, https://doi.org10.3303/CET23100122. Accessed 2 June 2024.

Uren, Ashlee. “Material Guide: How Sustainable Is Nylon?” Good On You, 17 May 2024, goodonyou.eco/material-guide-nylon/#:~:text=Nylon’s%20impact%20on%20the%20planet&text=However%2C%20no%20form%20of%20nylon,the%20ocean%20by%20the%20billions. Accessed 2 June 2024.

VFC, Divante & “Circularity.” The North Face, www.thenorthface.com/en-us/circularity. Accessed 2 June 2024.

VFC, Divante & “Packaging.” The North Face, www.thenorthface.com/en-us/sustainability/packaging. Accessed 2 June 2024.

VFC, Divante & “Responsible Down Standard.” The North Face, www.thenorthface.com/en-ca/approach/responsible-down-standard. Accessed 4 June 2024.

VFC, Divante & “Sustainable Commitments.” The North Face, www.thenorthface.com/en-us/sustainability. Accessed 2 June 2024.

“What Is Circular Economy and Why Is It Important?” REPSOL, 22 May 2024, www.repsol.com/en/sustainability/sustainability-pillars/environment/circular-economy/index.cshtml#:~:text=Circular%20economy%20is%20a%20new,life%20as%20a%20new%20product. Accessed 2 June 2024.

Katie Sullivan

Professor Cogdell

DES40A

5 June 2024

The North Face Nuptse Jacket Life Cycle Analysis: Materials

The 1996 Retro Nuptse jacket by The North Face continues to be an iconic garment worn by those looking to make a fashion statement and by outdoor explorers. Its boxy, enlarged silhouette and sleek material make it the perfect comfortable, warm jacket to throw on for any casual, cool-weather occasion. Notable features include its packability, high-quality insulation, and stowable hood, along with its construction from almost entirely recycled materials. The North Face’s 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket serves as a testament to the brand’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

The North Face as a company is widely known for its commitment to environmental protection, which is evident in their transparent production processes. On their website, they state their goal to source 100 percent of their leading materials from recycled, renewable, or regenerative sources by 2025 (1). They detail four types of materials currently used in their products: recycled synthetics, bio-based materials, regenerative materials, and responsibly sourced down. Additionally, the website highlights their focus on circularity in fashion, sustainable packaging, and efforts to improve the environmental impact of their suppliers. 

The 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket is crafted primarily from two materials: recycled ripstop nylon and recycled goose down. Recycled nylon is a material made from repurposed waste material such as fishing nets, fabric scraps, and industrial plastic waste. This sustainable alternative to virgin nylon reduces waste and extends the material’s life cycle for many years to come, without sacrificing quality. Virgin nylon production demands significant energy and resources to transform crude oil into petroleum and subsequently into the material itself. By opting for recycled nylon over virgin nylon, The North Face reduces its environmental impact, while maintaining performance and durability. 

Another primary material in this garment is recycled 700 fill goose down that is RDS certified, meaning it comes from animals that are treated in a humane way. This certification provides transparency and traceability of the material, upholding The North Face’s ethical standards. In addition, this down is “reclaimed from cushions, bedding and other used items that can’t be resold” that would otherwise go to the landfill (3). The use of RDS-certified recycled down ensures both the ethical treatment of animals and exemplifies The North Face’s commitment to sustainability.

Recycled nylon is typically processed by sorting, cleaning, shredding, melting, and forming (4). There are three ways of recycling nylon: thermomechanical, chemical, and dissolution recycling. Thermomechanical recycling requires grinding and extrusion of plastic to create pellets for molding or spinning into new products. Chemical recycling means the materials are transformed into reusable raw materials. Finally, dissolution recycling is when nylon is selectively separated from contaminants such as other materials mixed from its previous use. Though we are unsure which method The North Face uses to repurpose their materials, all methods use less energy and resources than producing virgin nylon. Recycled down is processed by collecting and extracting feathers from discarded products, then washed with eco-friendly soap and dried at a high temperature for sterilization, also requiring less inputs than its virgin counterpart (2). 

During transportation and distribution, there are very few materials necessary other than recycled paper packaging and fossil fuels for transport vehicles. The North Face aims to optimize the efficiency of their supply chain and reduce both their and their suppliers’ environmental impact. 

In terms of reuse and recycling, The North Face offers a Renewed Takeback program, which invites customers to return their used gear to be refurbished. The North Face then re-sells these refurbished products at a discounted price, keeping their garments in circulation and reducing landfill waste.

In conclusion, The North Face’s 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket demonstrates the brand’s dedication to their mission of sustainability and environmental protection. Constructed primarily from recycled nylon and goose down, this specific garment showcases the brand’s ability to maintain performance and quality despite using second-hand materials. This not only extends the lifespan of discarded resources, but also lessens the demand for virgin materials, reducing energy consumption and the depletion of natural resources. Through initiatives such as a circular fashion model, sustainable packaging, and efforts to improve supplier sustainability, The North Face continues to lead by example in the fashion and outdoor industries. As consumers increasingly prioritize sustainability, the 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket serves as a great example of how fashion and sustainability can work in unison.

Bibliography

1. “Materials | the North Face.” The North Face, www.thenorthface.com/en-us/sustainability/materials. Accessed 2 June 2024. 

2. “Re:Down® - Recycling down - Discover How We Recycle Down.” Re:Down, 30 Mar. 2023, re-down.com/our-recycling-processes/#:~:text=used%20textiles%20containers-,1. 

3. “Recycled Down.” Patagonia, www.patagonia.com/our-footprint/recycled-down.html. Accessed 1 June 2024. 

4. Tonsi, Giulia, et al. “Nylon Recycling Processes: a Brief Overview.” Chemical Engineering Transactions, vol. 100, 2023, https://doi.org/10.3303.