UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rates how effectively a fabric blocks ultraviolet radiation from reaching your skin. A UPF 50 fabric lets through only about 1/50th (2%) of UV, blocking roughly 98%. Unlike SPF, which rates sunscreen against UVB, UPF measures clothing against both UVA and UVB, and depends on the fabric's weave, color, weight, and treatments.
Man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCFs) are semi-synthetic fibers made by chemically dissolving and reforming natural cellulose, usually from wood pulp — including viscose/rayon, modal, and lyocell (e.g., Tencel). They feel soft and natural like cotton and are biodegradable, but their sustainability depends heavily on responsible forestry and clean production processes, which closed-loop lyocell does best.
Infinna is a regenerated cellulose fiber made by Infinited Fiber Company from cotton-rich textile waste, breaking down discarded fabrics and reforming the cellulose into a new fiber that looks and feels like natural cotton. As a true textile-to-textile recycled fiber, it offers a circular alternative to virgin cotton and conventional viscose for more sustainable apparel.
NetPlus is a material made from 100% recycled fishing nets — collected from coastal communities to keep them out of the ocean — and reprocessed into nylon. Used by Patagonia and others for brim hats, pack components, jacket fabrics, and trims, it tackles ghost-net ocean pollution while reducing reliance on virgin nylon.
Biobased polyester is polyester made partly or wholly from renewable plant-derived feedstocks (such as sugarcane or corn) instead of fossil petroleum. Most current biobased polyester is only partially bio-based, replacing a portion of the petroleum inputs to cut fossil dependence and carbon footprint while performing like conventional polyester in fabrics.
Recycled nylon is nylon fiber regenerated from waste sources such as discarded fishing nets, industrial scraps, and old textiles and carpets, rather than virgin petroleum. It matches virgin nylon's strength and abrasion resistance while cutting fossil-fuel use and diverting waste, and is widely used in durable outdoor fabrics for packs, shells, and apparel.
Recycled polyester (rPET) is polyester made from recycled feedstock — most commonly used plastic bottles, and increasingly textile waste — rather than virgin petroleum. It performs essentially like virgin polyester in fabrics while reducing fossil-fuel use, energy, and waste, which is why it's now widespread in outdoor apparel fleeces, shells, base layers, and insulation.
Solution dyeing (dope dyeing) is a coloring process in which pigment is added to the liquid polymer before synthetic fibers are extruded, so color is built into the fiber rather than dyed onto finished fabric. It dramatically reduces water, energy, and chemical use versus conventional dyeing and produces highly colorfast, fade-resistant fabrics, making it a favored sustainable coloring method.
Yulex is a natural rubber derived from sustainably sourced (often FSC-certified) hevea rubber trees, used as a plant-based alternative to petroleum-based neoprene in wetsuits and other gear. It cuts the carbon footprint and fossil-fuel dependence of traditional neoprene while delivering comparable stretch and insulation, popularized in the outdoor world by Patagonia's wetsuits.
The bluesign system is an independent standard and certification for responsible textile manufacturing that controls the chemicals, resources, and processes used to make fabrics — managing chemical safety, water and air emissions, worker safety, and resource efficiency from input chemicals onward. A bluesign label signals a product or material was made to these stricter environmental and safety criteria.