As expectations shift from buzzwords to performance, durability emerges as one of the most important expressions of responsible outdoor design. A new white paper outlines a path toward an industry-wide durability definition and measuring method.

Durability has long been part of outdoor culture, valued by climbers, hikers, and mountain guides who rely on their gear day in and day out. Yet in today’s landscape, where sustainability has moved from aspiration to obligation, durability has taken on a new significance. It is no longer just a functional benefit. It is a business necessity.

This is the starting point of a new white paper curated by the team behind the Gore-Tex Brand. Tapping into insights from researchers, designers, brands, and retailers across the industry, the paper makes a compelling case for why durability must be more clearly defined, more consistently measured, and more effectively communicated.

Longevity reduces impact

According to the paper, longevity is one of the strongest indicators of environmental responsibility. After all, the longer a product lasts, the lower its overall footprint becomes. Each extension of a garment’s use phase translates into meaningful environmental savings across its lifecycle.

This applies not just to material consumption but also to emissions, waste, and water use. Yet while durability has been touted for decades, it has remained largely undefined.

Until now, that is, thanks in large part to the fact that durability is becoming law. Regulatory pressure is growing and will soon require that brands prove their products meet a minimum lifespan.

Meanwhile, trust in outdoor gear’s sustainability credentials is tied to how well it performs over time. If a jacket fails in the field, it damages both the user experience and the brand’s credibility.

Closing the say – do gap

The white paper also explores the dissonance commonly found between what consumers say they want and what they actually buy. Although surveys show strong support for responsible products, purchase decisions are still swayed by cost, novelty, and convenience.

Durability can help bridge this gap. It transforms sustainability from a vague concept into something tangible. It can turn an ideal into a measurable practice, impacting design, production, and consumer behavior. The result is more informed choices, greater satisfaction, and a longer product lifecycle.

A framework to measure what lasts

To support this vision, the Gore-Tex Brand supports the collaboration between Mid Sweden University’s Sports Tech Research Centre and more than 45 partners. Together, they are working toward a global durability standard that could help reshape outdoor gear design.

Rather than focusing on how new products perform, the study set out to understand how and why jackets fail, and what really determines the end of their active, useful life.

Durability drives responsible design

The aim is ultimately to create a testing framework that allows for transparent comparisons across products and brands – paving the way for future regulation and more responsible design.

Because the fact is, durability is more than just a technical trait. It is a cultural value that can become the bridge between what people believe in and what they buy. And with clear standards, it could also become a very powerful tool for the outdoor industry to reduce its carbon impact.

Lead image: Mace snag test device (Credit: GORE)