It's indisputable- our habits as consumers and our dependence on fast-fashion is harming the planet. We tend to be more conscious of what bin we put our soda cans in or how our cars are impacting air quality, but what most people do not realize is that the clothes we wear on our bodies every single day account for 85% of waste in landfills. The average American throws away 82 pounds of textiles each year. So collectively, America creates 11 million tons of waste in textiles alone. 

It seems counter-intuitive, but the outdoor industry is one of the worst offenders when it comes to textile waste because outerwear is engineered to hold up under all kinds of conditions and the synthetic fabrics simply do not break down very well in landfills. Slope Threads has built its mission around sustainability and accountability. After doing extensive research regarding the impact of textile waste on the planet, we found that the second-hand clothing industry and the rental industry is the way of the future. 

The rental and second-hand outdoor goods industry is especially a great solution for families with growing kids and travelers who live in warm climates and typically have no need for the gear outside of an occasional weekend trip. 

The rental model allows for the lifespan of the gear to be extended. It is used by many people throughout an entire season and then donated or properly recycled to be repurposed into things like yarn, paper, turf fields, carpet padding, and much more. If everyone recycled their textiles  in this way, it would be equivalent to taking 1.2 million cars off the road.