Barbour’s Sustainability Practices Deemed "Not Good Enough," Prompting Scrutiny and Search for Ethical Alternatives in Outerwear Market

Iconic British heritage brand Barbour, renowned globally for its enduring waxed cotton jackets, has received a "Not Good Enough" rating from the independent ethical fashion assessor Good On You. This evaluation, published in February 2025, casts a critical light on the brand’s environmental, labor, and animal welfare practices, urging consumers to consider more sustainable alternatives for lasting outerwear designed to withstand harsh weather and decades of use. The assessment highlights a growing imperative within the fashion industry for even established labels to demonstrate robust commitments to sustainability and transparency.

Barbour’s Enduring Legacy and Emerging Sustainability Challenges

Founded in 1894 by John Barbour in the heart of the English countryside, Barbour has cultivated a formidable reputation for quality and durability. Its signature waxed jackets have transcended their utilitarian origins to become a true fashion icon, gracing the wardrobes of figures as diverse as Queen Elizabeth II on her Scottish estates, Daniel Craig in his role as James Bond, and cultural trendsetter Alexa Chung at Glastonbury. These distinctive garments, characterized by their classic navy or green hues, corduroy-lined collars and cuffs, and impervious waxed coating, have long been synonymous with British outdoor style and resilience against inclement weather. In recent years, Barbour has further solidified its position in contemporary fashion through high-profile collaborations with brands like GANNI (rated "It’s a Start" by Good On You) and Erdem (rated "We Avoid"), showcasing an adaptability that belies its century-old heritage.

However, while Barbour’s legacy of durability and style is unquestioned, its commitment to ethical and sustainable practices has not kept pace with evolving industry standards and consumer expectations. The "Not Good Enough" rating signifies significant areas where the brand falls short. According to Good On You’s rigorous assessment, a key concern is the absence of demonstrable evidence that Barbour is actively addressing critical issues such as textile waste within its supply chain or implementing strategies to protect biodiversity. Furthermore, the brand’s efforts to reduce its water consumption remain largely opaque and unverified.

From a labor perspective, Good On You analysts found no discernible evidence that Barbour ensures a living wage for workers throughout its extensive supply chain. This lack of transparency extends to financial security for its suppliers, a factor frequently correlated with precarious working conditions and inadequate wages in the global garment industry. This raises serious questions about the human impact of its production processes. On the animal welfare front, the brand, which utilizes animal-derived materials like leather, wool, and down, reportedly lacks clear mechanisms for tracing these products back to their initial stages of production. This opacity makes it challenging to verify adherence to its stated animal welfare policies, leaving room for concern about the ethical sourcing of these materials.

Despite these significant shortcomings, Barbour has made some limited strides. The brand maintains a popular repair program, which annually sees thousands of jackets re-waxed and restored, contributing positively to extending product lifecycles and reducing consumption. Additionally, since its previous Good On You rating in 2022, Barbour has taken initial steps to measure some of its greenhouse gas emissions and has committed to science-based targets for emission reduction, approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). While these are commendable first steps, the overall assessment underscores an urgent need for Barbour to embrace significantly greater transparency across its entire operational footprint to align with modern sustainability benchmarks.

Understanding the Good On You Rating System

Good On You operates a comprehensive, data-driven rating system that evaluates fashion and beauty brands based on their impact on people, the planet, and animals. Their methodology aggregates publicly available information, certifications, and third-party audits to assign a rating from "Great" to "We Avoid." A "Not Good Enough" rating, as given to Barbour, indicates that while the brand may have some positive initiatives, its overall performance in key sustainability areas is insufficient, lacking crucial evidence or demonstrating significant areas for improvement. This independent assessment serves as a vital resource for consumers seeking to make more informed and ethical purchasing decisions, effectively acting as a consumer watchdog in an industry often criticized for its environmental and social footprint. The February 2025 rating for Barbour reflects the brand’s practices up to that point and may not account for any subsequent claims or changes.

The Broader Context: A Shifting Landscape for Fashion

Barbour’s rating comes at a time when the global fashion industry is under unprecedented pressure to address its environmental and social impact. Consumers are increasingly demanding accountability from brands, moving beyond mere product aesthetics to scrutinize supply chains, labor practices, and ecological footprints. Reports from organizations like the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) consistently highlight fashion as one of the most polluting industries globally, responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and textile waste. This heightened awareness has led to a surge in demand for transparency, ethical sourcing, and circular economy models.

Heritage brands, with their long-standing production methods and complex global supply chains, often face unique challenges in adapting to these new sustainability paradigms. While their reputation for durability and longevity inherently contributes to sustainability (by encouraging less frequent consumption), the processes involved in manufacturing, sourcing raw materials, and ensuring fair labor across vast networks can be slow and expensive to reform. Barbour’s repair program is an excellent example of a traditional practice that aligns well with modern sustainability goals of extending product life. However, this alone is not enough to offset broader systemic issues related to material sourcing, manufacturing impacts, and worker welfare. The expectation now is for holistic change, encompassing every stage from design to disposal.

Ethical Outerwear: Sustainable Alternatives to Barbour

For consumers who admire Barbour’s classic aesthetic but wish to align their purchases with stronger ethical and environmental values, a growing market of sustainable brands offers compelling alternatives. These companies prioritize responsible material sourcing, fair labor practices, reduced environmental impact, and often, animal-friendly approaches. The following brands provide similar styles, robust durability, and a commitment to a more sustainable future:

1. ISTO.

   • Focus: Timeless design, quality over quantity, transparency.
   • Sustainability Merits: Portuguese brand ISTO. focuses on creating seasonless staple items from organic materials. They are notably transparent, providing customers with the true cost breakdown of their garments. This commitment to ‘permanent’ availability and single collection ethos counters fast fashion’s disposability.
   • Style Connection: Offers minimalist, durable garments that fit a classic, versatile aesthetic often associated with Barbour’s enduring appeal.
   • Sizes: XS-XL.

2. Wuxly Movement

   • Focus: Vegan, high-performance outerwear, recycled materials.
   • Sustainability Merits: This Canadian brand pioneers animal-free outerwear, utilizing tech-based and recycled materials for superior performance. They draw on Canada’s manufacturing heritage to innovate with responsible materials, making them an excellent choice for those seeking warm, waterproof gear without animal products.
   • Style Connection: Provides robust, weatherproof jackets that rival the protective qualities of Barbour, often with a modern, technical aesthetic.
   • Sizes: 2XS-3XL.

3. Amble Outdoors

   • Focus: Recycled plastics, high-performance rainwear, Australian-made.
   • Sustainability Merits: Formerly Team Timbuktu, Amble Outdoors crafts high-performance waterproof raincoats and sweat-wicking outdoor wear from recycled plastic bottles, all produced in Australia. This addresses plastic waste and supports local manufacturing.
   • Style Connection: Offers functional, durable rain gear that caters to the practical needs met by Barbour’s waterproof jackets, often with a fresh, contemporary design.
   • Sizes: XS-4XL.

4. Outerknown

   • Focus: Surf culture, responsible production, fair labor.
   • Sustainability Merits: Founded by surf champion Kelly Slater, Outerknown seamlessly blends style and function with a strong commitment to protecting natural resources. The brand is Bluesign certified, ensuring responsible chemical use, and partners with the Fair Labour Association, guaranteeing fair working conditions.
   • Style Connection: Offers a range of durable, casual outerwear and apparel that aligns with an active, outdoors-inspired lifestyle, mirroring aspects of Barbour’s country-life aesthetic.
   • Sizes: XS-2XL.

5. Finisterre

   • Focus: British surf heritage, pioneering outdoor brand, robust products.
   • Sustainability Merits: Born from the needs of British surfers, Finisterre is a leading sustainable outdoor brand dedicated to inspiring a love for the sea through exceptionally durable and ethically produced products. They often use recycled and organic materials and focus on repairability.
   • Style Connection: Directly comparable in its British outdoor heritage feel, offering rugged, weather-resistant clothing designed for longevity and challenging conditions.
   • Sizes: XS-2XL.

6. Rapanui

   • Focus: Wind-powered factory, circular economy, surf-inspired.
   • Sustainability Merits: This award-winning UK brand creates surf-inspired clothing in a wind-powered factory, demonstrating a strong commitment to renewable energy. They are known for their circular economy initiatives, allowing old garments to be returned and recycled into new products.
   • Style Connection: While more focused on casual wear, their durable hoodies and outerwear provide the post-adventure comfort and quality many seek from outdoor brands.
   • Sizes: UK 8-18.

7. Toad&Co

   • Focus: Socially and environmentally minded, trail-to-tavern versatility.
   • Sustainability Merits: A US brand with a strong focus on social and environmental responsibility. Toad&Co uses organic cotton, recycled polyester, and other lower-impact materials, and is committed to ethical manufacturing.
   • Style Connection: Offers versatile women’s and menswear suitable for both outdoor adventures and casual urban settings, reflecting the practical yet stylish nature of Barbour.
   • Sizes: XS-2XL.

8. Opera Campi

   • Focus: Local sourcing, balanced sustainability, social impact.
   • Sustainability Merits: Founded in 2017, this Italian brand produces premium garments from locally-sourced raw materials. Their balanced approach to sustainability is evident throughout their supply chain, and they donate 4% of profits to social causes, emphasizing both environmental and social responsibility.
   • Style Connection: Offers high-quality, durable garments with a classic European aesthetic that could appeal to those seeking sophisticated, long-lasting pieces.
   • Sizes: 3XS-3XL.

9. Patagonia

   • Focus: Environmental activism, recycled materials, ethical labor.
   • Sustainability Merits: Patagonia is a pioneering force in sustainable outdoor apparel. They have "Good" labor practices, extensively use recycled polyester, and are committed to reducing energy use and emissions. Their "Worn Wear" program encourages repair and resale, embodying circularity.
   • Style Connection: Offers robust, high-performance outdoor clothing that shares Barbour’s emphasis on durability and protection against the elements, albeit with a more technical, modern aesthetic.
   • Sizes: 2XS-3XL.

10. CARPASUS

    • Focus: GOTS certified cotton, local manufacturing, living wage.
    • Sustainability Merits: This Swiss menswear brand specializes in fine shirts and accessories, using GOTS certified cotton and manufacturing locally to minimize its carbon footprint. CARPASUS meticulously traces its supply chain and ensures workers receive a living wage, setting a high standard for ethical production.
    • Style Connection: While primarily shirts, their commitment to quality and classic style aligns with the longevity and timelessness often sought in Barbour products.
    • Sizes: EU 36-46.

11. WAWWA

    • Focus: Organic, fair trade, vegan-friendly, zero waste.
    • Sustainability Merits: UK brand WAWWA prioritizes the Earth and its inhabitants. They create organic, fair trade, and vegan-friendly clothing using lower-impact non-toxic dyes and actively reuse offcuts to minimize textile waste, striving for a positive social impact.
    • Style Connection: Offers durable, conscious clothing with a focus on ethical production, providing a modern, responsible alternative for casual outerwear.
    • Sizes: XS-2XL.

12. BEDI

    • Focus: Circularity, upcycled materials, slow fashion, Canadian-made.
    • Sustainability Merits: Canadian brand BEDI creates handmade bags, knits, and outerwear with a strong circular ethos. They use innovative lower-impact materials like upcycled airline seat leather, fish nets, vegan cactus leather, and sustainably grown cotton. Their pieces are built for life and designed for utility and longevity.
    • Style Connection: Offers unique, durable outerwear with a focus on artisanal quality and innovative sustainable materials, appealing to those who value craftsmanship and environmental responsibility.
    • Sizes: XS-XL.

13. Sheep Inc

    • Focus: Responsibly sourced merino wool, animal welfare, innovation.
    • Sustainability Merits: A knitwear brand that prides itself on responsibly sourcing the finest merino wool. Their core principles revolve around respect for nature, harmony with the environment, and robust animal welfare practices, often integrating traceable sheep information for consumers.
    • Style Connection: While focused on knitwear, their commitment to high-quality, traceable natural fibers resonates with the durability and material integrity expected from brands like Barbour.
    • Sizes: XS-2XL.

14. Neem

    • Focus: Transparent supply chain, environmental safeguarding, menswear.
    • Sustainability Merits: Hailing from the UK, Neem focuses on men’s clothing with a core emphasis on a transparent supply chain and active environmental safeguarding. They often use recycled and organic materials in their collections.
    • Style Connection: Offers menswear with a focus on classic style and longevity, providing ethical alternatives for everyday garments that complement outerwear choices.
    • Sizes: S-2XL.

15. NIKIN

    • Focus: Tree planting, ethical production, "wear your morals."
    • Sustainability Merits: This Swiss brand makes a direct environmental impact by planting a tree for every product purchased. They use organic and recycled materials and promote transparent production, allowing consumers to literally "wear their morals."
    • Style Connection: Offers casual apparel and outdoor gear, appealing to those who want their clothing to reflect a clear commitment to environmental restoration.
    • Sizes: XS-2XL.

16. tentree

    • Focus: Reforestation, Earth-first approach, fair labor.
    • Sustainability Merits: Canadian brand tentree plants ten trees for every item sold, contributing significantly to ecosystem regeneration and creating planting jobs globally (over 65 million trees planted to date). All products are made in fair, safe working conditions using lower-impact and recycled materials.
    • Style Connection: Provides a range of outdoor and casual apparel with a strong environmental mission, offering practical and ethically sound choices for everyday wear and light outdoor activities.
    • Sizes: XS-XL.

17. Komodo

    • Focus: People and planet first, responsible materials, living wage.
    • Sustainability Merits: UK brand Komodo prioritizes ethical production, utilizing responsible materials like GOTS-certified cotton and hemp. Crucially, they ensure that most of their suppliers pay a living wage to their workers, addressing a critical social aspect of sustainability.
    • Style Connection: Offers a diverse range of menswear and womenswear with a focus on natural fibers and ethical production, providing stylish and responsible options.
    • Sizes: UK 8-16.

The Future of Heritage Brands and Consumer Choice

The "Not Good Enough" rating for Barbour serves as a powerful reminder that even deeply established and beloved brands are not immune to scrutiny in the rapidly evolving landscape of sustainable fashion. While Barbour’s repair program demonstrates a commitment to product longevity, the call for greater transparency and verified improvements in labor, environmental, and animal welfare practices is clear. As consumers become more discerning and demand accountability, the market for truly sustainable alternatives will continue to grow, pushing all brands, including heritage icons, to elevate their ethical standards. The choice now rests with consumers to support brands that not only offer quality and style but also align with a vision for a more responsible and equitable future.

Editor’s Note: This article is based on the Barbour rating published in February 2025 by Good On You and may not reflect claims the brand has made since then. Our editors curate highly rated brands that are first assessed by our rigorous ratings system. Buying through our links may earn us a commission, supporting the work we do. Learn more about our editorial mission at goodonyou.eco/our-editorial-mission/. Feature image via Neem, all other images via brands mentioned. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion and beauty brands’ impact on people, the planet, and animals. Use our directory to search thousands of rated brands. We updated this article on 2 February 2026. Our editors frequently make updates to articles to ensure they’re up to date. We refreshed our selection to reflect brands with recent ratings.