Impact Report

How Sustainable Is Parks Project?

Founded in 2014 in California, United States by Keith Eshelman and Sevag Kazanci, Parks Project is a clothing brand dedicated to national park restoration.

Parks Project donates half its profit to environmental conservation, education and advocacy, while providing employee benefits. Although it doesn't follow typical fashion sustainability practices like using preferred materials or setting emissions targets, its park restoration and volunteer work make its sustainability efforts noteworthy.

1. Environmental
Sustainability

Parks Project stands out for donating half its net profit ($2.7 million to date) to conservation, restoration, education and advocacy, plus thousands of volunteer hours. However, it lacks emissions reduction targets, circularity initiatives, and relies on non-preferred materials like conventional cotton and polyester.
IMPACT AREA 01

Materials
& Sourcing

  1. In all of Parks Project’s products, the raw material composition, together with all item-level certifications, is fully transparent and available online.
  2. Parks Project uses a small share of preferred materials in its products, with recycled polyester and organic cotton as some of its most-used preferred fibers. Conventional cotton and polyester make up the majority of its fiber portfolio.
  3. Parks Project has donated over $2.7 million to nonprofits supporting environmental conservation, habitat restoration, and park infrastructure improvements across the U.S. 
    Removed 16,588 lbs (7,523 kg) of invasive species and planted 1,850 native plants in 2024, actively restoring habitats and supporting biodiversity in park ecosystems.
  4. Maintained 2,500 feet (762 meters) of park trails in 2024, minimizing visitor impact on park ecosystems.
IMPACT AREA 02

Climate
& Emissions

  1. Parks Projects’ annual emissions information is not publicly available.
  2. It has not set any near-term or long-term emissions reduction targets.
  3. Parks Project uses a low share of low-carbon impact fibers in its collections.
IMPACT AREA 03

Water
& Chemicals

  1. Parks Project references third-party safe chemistry manufacturing standards, including OEKO-TEX STeP and Bluesign, but does not specify the percentage of production covered by these certifications.
  2. Does not have a publicly available list of restricted substances.
  3. Parks Project has supported nonprofits such as Friends of the LA River and the Grand Canyon Conservancy in efforts to restore rivers, protect native fish, address invasive species, and maintain water quality and ecosystems.
IMPACT AREA 04

Circularity
& Waste

  1. Uses a small share of upcycled or recycled materials in its collections.
  2. Operates and encourages local trash clean-up events.
  3. The release of microplastic particles is a risk due to the brand's reliance on synthetic materials, primarily polyester.
  4. No clothing take-back, repair, or resale programs are implemented.
  5. Provides product care information to help extend the lifespan of its products.
  6. Does not report operational waste reduction initiatives or the handling of unsold inventory.

2. Social
Sustainability

Parks Project offers its employees voluntary benefits above legal standards. Although not explicitly vegan, it does not presently appear to use any animal-based materials. However, it lacks supply chain transparency and it’s unclear if and how it ensures workers’ rights in its factories.
IMPACT AREA 05

Animal
Welfare

  1. As of this report, no animal-based materials were found in Parks Projects products. However, it does not explicitly label itself as a vegan brand and in its “Greta Van Fleet” collection in 2021, it used straps made with leather.
  2. It does not have a publicly available animal welfare policy or release other information concerning sustainable animal-based materials sourcing.
IMPACT AREA 06

Workplace
Practices

  1. Parks Project provides its employees with unlimited paid time off (PTO), health benefits, 401k matching, company trips to National Parks, and hybrid working opportunities. These benefits exceed standard legal requirements in California.
  2. Parks Project scored a slightly above-median 19.7 out of 40 in the "Workers" category of its 2024 B Corp Impact Assessment, which evaluates its support for employees’ financial security, career development, workplace conditions, and culture.
  3. It has not publicly stated equality or diversity commitments and does not provide quantitative data on the diversity of its workforce.
IMPACT AREA 07

Supply Chain
Workers’ Rights

  1. Supplier code of conduct is not publicly available.
  2. No disclosure of any identifiable information about facilities in its supply chain is available online, such as the names or addresses of its mills and factories.
  3. No disclosure of the manufacturing country of its products is available online.
•••

Sources

  1. Parks Project – Sustainability Certifications
  2. Parks Project – Volunteer
  3. Parks Project – Park Finder
  4. Parks Project – In Park
  5. Parks Project – Our Contribution
  6. Parks Project – Yellowstone Geysers Trail High Pile Fleece
  7. Parks Project – 2024 Year in Review
  8. Parks Project – Given Back to Parklands
  9. Parks Project – Partner Donations
  10. Parks Project Blog – How Grand Canyon Conservancy Is Protecting the Colorado River
  11. Parks Project Discovery Center
  12. Parks Project – Careers at Parks Project (Archived)
  13. Parks Project – Meet the Maker: Jonny Fritz (Archived)
  14. B Corporation – Parks Project