Sustainable Tips for Autumn Hikers

Look after the kit you already own

Outdoor clothing has to work hard, particularly through a wet British autumn. Dirt, sweat and repeated use can all affect how well technical clothing performs, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the garment itself is worn out.

Waterproof clothing is a good example. If your jacket has stopped beading water as effectively as it once did, cleaning and reproofing it may be all that’s needed to restore its performance.

Páramo waterproofs are designed so their water repellency can be renewed using Nikwax® aftercare products. Washing them correctly removes contaminants while reproofing restores their durable water-repellent finish.

The same principle applies to the rest of your walking kit. Clean mud from boots rather than leaving it to dry into the materials, follow the care instructions on other technical clothing, and deal with small problems before they become bigger ones.

Keeping something in use for longer is one of the most straightforward sustainable choices you can make.

Buy for years, not for one trip

Eventually, something will need replacing. When that happens, take a little time over the decision.

It’s easy to buy for an immediate need – a particularly wet weekend away, perhaps, without thinking about whether the same piece of kit will work for the rest of your walking excursions.

Consider the conditions you encounter most often and choose accordingly. Look at durability and repairability as well as performance, and don’t assume that having the latest, new technical features automatically makes something a better choice.

Versatility helps too. A jacket that works across several seasons or a layering system you can adjust throughout the year is likely to see considerably more use than something bought for a very narrow set of conditions.

Great ethical outdoor gear should earn its place in your wardrobe for a long time.

Give old outdoor clothing another life

There will eventually come a point when a piece of kit no longer works for you. That still doesn’t necessarily mean it belongs in the bin.

If it remains usable, selling or passing it on gives someone else the opportunity to get more wear from it. Páramo takes a similar approach through our own Recycling Scheme 

Returned garments that can be refurbished are assessed, cleaned and reproofed before being sold on for another owner to use. Clothing that is beyond economical repair can instead be sent for recycling.

The construction of Nikwax Analogy® clothing helps here. Without the mixed-material membranes and taped seams found in many conventional waterproofs, its polyester can be more readily recovered. Páramo is working towards a closed-loop system in which polyester from old garments can return to new technical clothing.

That work has already moved beyond the trial stage. Chemically recycled yarn made using old Páramo clothing and textile waste has been incorporated into the Pump Liner® of the Halkon® 360 Jacket and Aspira 360 Expedition Smock.

So before throwing old walking clothing away, check whether the manufacturer has a take-back or recycling scheme. It may still have a purpose to serve.

Leave the route as you found it

Some of the best eco-friendly hiking tips are also the simplest.

• Take litter home with you, including food waste and tissues. 
• Stick to established paths where required, particularly across sensitive habitats 
• Follow local signs and seasonal restrictions.

Autumn brings its own considerations. Wetter ground is more easily damaged, so cutting around muddy sections can gradually widen paths and affect surrounding vegetation. Where it’s safe to do so, following the established route rather than creating a new one helps limit that erosion.

If you’re walking with a dog, keep it under appropriate control around livestock and wildlife and always follow the rules for the area you’re visiting.

Being outdoors responsibly is largely about remembering that you’re sharing the landscape with other people, wildlife and the communities who look after it.

A more sustainable autumn outdoors

You don’t have to change everything about the way you hike to make better choices.

Use your existing kit for longer. Look after it properly and repair it when something goes wrong. When you do need something new, ask a few more questions about where it came from and how long it’s likely to last.

Then give the same thought to how you travel and how you treat the places you visit.

None of those changes are particularly dramatic. But collectively, they can help reduce the impact of spending time in the landscapes we head outdoors to enjoy in the first place.t.