Our Factory Partners

Bataan, Philippines

Backpacks and Bags

Known for producing best-in-class technical items, this factory partners with us in reducing fabric waste through our Del Día products. Here’s how Del Día works: the factory collects unused materials produced by other brands in its facilities, and we turn those scraps into backpacks.

Located in Bataan, Philippines, this factory is Cotopaxi’s principal pack maker. Known for producing best-in-class technical items, it partners with us in reducing fabric waste through our Del Día products. Here’s how it works: the factory collects the unused material produced by other brands in its facilities, and we turn those scraps into backpacks. Beyond working with us in a win-win effort to advance sustainability, this factory also completed the Higg Index facility module, which means they are committed to fair social labour and environmentally sound practices.

The Higg Index measures everything from water usage to workers’ wages, and facilities who complete the module demonstrate a commitment to operating beyond both compliance and transparency. In addition to our remnant program, Cotopaxi also has a standing relationship with the workers who produce our Del Día products. Every Del Día bag is unique because we leave the colour choices and final creative decisions to our sewers, who we see as integral makers.

Tianjin, China

Insulation & Outerwear

Located in north-eastern China, this factory is one of Cotopaxi’s principal suppliers. An independently owned factory that champions progressive and thoughtful leadership, it produces our jackets and insulation pieces. Beyond developing excellent product using responsibly sourced down (RDS certified), the factory’s owner, George Huan, prioritizes the well-being of his workers through a variety of offerings that are not found among most competitors.

One of the many reasons we’re honoured to partner with George and his team stems from their commitment to addressing the needs of their employees. For example, most factory workers face the hardship of needing to reside near their work at the expense of living with their families. George chose to resolve this issue by providing transportation for all workers to and from the factory. In addition to this internal program, Cotopaxi was also able to work with factory employees to provide an on-site, organic garden to supplement their lunches with additional healthy produce.

The factory’s leadership stand ready and willing to consistently improve the facility’s sustainability and efficiency, which they demonstrated by agreeing to a rigorous third-party audit supported by Cotopaxi that measured the factory against the industry’s highest standard. With the help of Cotopaxi, this factory is now working to make the necessary improvements to meet this highest standard of operation within the next few years.

Chinnakarai, India

Logowear & Tees

Based in Southern India, this Fair Trade Certified factory produces our organic cotton t-shirts. Beyond meeting the rigorous social and environmental Fair Trade Certified factory audit standards, this factory’s leadership is all in when it comes to supporting worker-led initiatives.

Cotopaxi proudly participates in the facility’s Fair Trade program by giving an additional 1% of our ordering costs back to workers. Currently, workers use the additional funds from the Fair Trade program to finance a free breakfast program, education grants, and periodic, onsite medical clinics. Beyond factory programs, Cotopaxi uses organic cotton instead of conventional, which is far better for the environment and for the health of our product makers.

Shanghai, China

Headwear

Additionally, the facility’s lean manufacturing practices allow them to produce high quality products with minimal environmental impact. Leadership actively accounts for the factory’s carbon footprint by using energy efficient machines, going paperless, and contributing to local conservation efforts. The factory’s leaders are also committed to workers’ rights protection, health and safety, career growth programs, democratic management through a sanctioned, trade union committee, and additional vocational training.

On top of the facility’s internal practices and programming, its leadership provides charitable support within its communities of operation, such as support for the elderly and disabled. We’re honoured to partner with such a beneficent and forward-thinking supplier, and look forward to combining efforts around “Doing Good.”

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Activewear

With over 45 years of technical design and manufacturing experience, this factory produces all of Cotopaxi’s athleisure products. One of the most well-respected manufacturers in their vertical, the factory is also a leader in terms of community impact and sustainability. 

The factory adheres to best practices by restricting hazardous chemicals, sharing a publicly available code of conduct, and going through third-party audits. In addition, the factory goes above and beyond by LEED certifying its buildings, making them one of the greenest operators in the game. They also have long-standing partnerships with local non-profits, such as Cambodia’s Room to Read, which focuses on literacy and gender equality. The facility has worked with various partners to build many schools and libraries, as well as to sponsor secondary school education for hundreds of girls. 

One of the few factories to go through the Higg Index module and score the highest possible—which measures recycling, emissions, water usage, waste, and energy efficiency—this facility is operating beyond compliance and is leading the way in terms of being a truly “smart factory.” 

Jawa Barat, Indonesia

Woven Apparel and Gloves
Located in West Java, Asmara Karya Abadi is a leader in sustainable, high-quality outdoor products, especially woven shirts and pants, as well as gloves. One of the reasons we chose to partner with them is our shared passion for environmental quality and research. Working with many globally reputable brands, this facility has led the industry by using recycled materials to create technical apparel and accessories without compromising performance.

As a Sustainable Apparel Coalition member, Asmara is already tracking its water, waste, and energy usage against reduction targets, and we’re excited to support these efforts. Through vertical integration, Asmara also empowers its suppliers of fabric and trim to benefit from its commitment to sound environmental and social practices. And with in-house fabric development and design, as well as onsite testing capabilities, this sourcing partner is well-positioned to take ownership of the entire manufacturing process in order to comply with rigorous standards.

We’re also thrilled to work with Asmara because they already have a foundation that provides education assistance for the children of employees, as well as supports efforts that benefit the planet.

What We Do When Problems Arise

As a single Benefit Corporation, we are limited in our ability to move the needle on global human rights. We strive to remain vigilant and honest about the challenges we face, and we’re committed to dealing with those issues quickly and transparently. We discuss our findings and how we’re addressing them in an impact report we release each year.



Sustainable Materials

We design our products to be as waste mitigating as possible. Currently, 94% of our products contain repurposed, recycled, or responsible materials—what we call the Three R’s. Focusing on more eco-friendly materials limits our dependence on fossil fuels and diminishes waste. By 2025, we hope to make 100% of our products using at least one of the Three R’s.

Remnant

All products in our (Re)Purpose™ Collection use remnant fabric, which is fabric left over from other companies’ larger production runs. That’s what makes our Del Día bags one of a kind: they're made of unused, high-quality nylon that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill—uniquely reassembled and given new life. Our Teca products use leftover deadstock that allows us to make products without contributing to the impact of producing virgin fabric.

Recycled

When we prioritize recycled fabrics in our design processes, it limits our dependence on fossil fuels for sourcing raw materials and reduces landfill usage. Our Teca Cálido Jackets; Amado, Abrazo, Teca fleeces; and our activewear contain recycled content.

Responsible

To qualify as a "responsible" product at Cotopaxi, that item or material must carry a third party sustainability designation such as Fair Trade CertifiedTM or Global Organic Textile Standard. We’re constantly seeking new ways to design our products in a more sustainable way and look to partner with credible certifications and collaborators. We use cruelty-free RDS-certified down in all our down jackets, including our Fuego and Solazo products. Many of our items are made in a Fair Trade Certified™ facility.



Climate Neutral
We are Climate Neutral Certified, meaning we’ve successfully measured our emissions and have purchased vetted and verified carbon offsets to become carbon neutral. Just one more step in our goal to make a big impact with as small a footprint as possible.

Gear For Good®

We’re constantly looking to improve how we make our products. Our promise is that we’ll make the most durable gear we can in the most sustainable way we know how. With our revenues, we’ll work tirelessly to lift people out of extreme poverty. In short, your product will last and will make a lasting impact.