Responsible Use of Information

  • The Eco Index scores are for INTERNAL USE only. It may be shared within a company’s supply chain as necessary. The scores are NOT to be shared publically or used for marketing purposes.
  • The Eco Index is intended to be used as an educational tool, promoting continuous environmental improvement for companies and suppliers.
  • It is noted that the impact within each lifecycle or between indicators varies by product type or material type. However, this Eco Index does not weigh the importance or impact of one indicator compared to another indicator or one lifecycle stage compared to another lifecycle stage.
  • The order of the indicators, metrics and items listed within the guidelines is not based on priority or impact.
  • The eco index is meant to compare a product, material or process to a similar product, material or process. It is not intended to compare unlike product, materials or process to each other. For example a company may use the Eco Index to compare one backpack to another backpack or one material to another material for a similar application. The Eco Index should not be used to compare two dissimilar products (e.g. comparing a shirt to a shoe) or two materials used for different applications (e.g. a cotton textile to an injected molded plastic).
  • Every material, process and product decision has environmental tradeoffs. Materials, products or processes that have a reduced environmental impact in one lifecycle stage (materials, manufacturing, use and care, etc.) may have a greater environmental impact in another lifecycle stage compared to another material, process, or product. A material, process, or product may rate well for one environmental lens (e.g. water) but poorly for another environmental lens (e.g. energy). When considering a material, product or process it is critical to consider all the environmental impacts (water, energy, greenhouse gas, solid waste, toxics, etc.) at every life cycle stage (material feedstock, production, use and care, etc.). For example it is important to consider the impacts of growing or extracting the feedstock, processing the materials, manufacturing the product, the use of the product by the consumer, etc.
  • The Eco Index only addresses environmental considerations. It is the responsibility of the company using the index to balance cost, performance, and quality requirements.
  • The Eco Index does not cover legal and regulatory requirements. It is the responsibility of each company to ensure that the company and their suppliers meet all legal and regulatory requirements.
  • Certifications, Standards and Labels listed in the Eco Index are only EXAMPLES. The OIA EWG, EOG SWG and ZWA are not endorsing or recommending any standard, label or certification. Each company must decide which certifications, standards, and labels are appropriate for their company and their supply chain.
  • The Eco Index applies to all Outdoor Industry hard-good and soft-good products (e.g. shoes, apparel, backpacks, skis, tents, sleeping bags, camp stoves, etc.), the materials (intermediate products) that make up those products including packaging, and the related processes (e.g. the facilities where those product take place).