CIRCULARITY

OUR MATERIALS

Every material that goes into a Burton product is evaluated against environmental and social impact criteria and ranked on a preferred-to-avoid scale. That ranking drives sourcing decisions across Softgoods, Hardgoods, and Packaging, prioritizing lower-impact materials and setting clear phase-out targets for higher-impact ones. 

CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT INTEGRITY

Chemicals touch every part of how your gear gets made. Burton has spent over a decade making sure we’re choosing how to manage their use. Here's how it works.

Restricted Substances List (RSL): We use the bluesign RSL, which sets strict limits on harmful substances in the materials we test every season. In many cases, these limits go beyond what regulations require. We also require all leather to be sourced from Leather Working Group Gold certified tanneries, which are audited against some of the most rigorous environmental and chemical standards in leather manufacturing. We hit 100% LWG Gold in 2025. 

A chemical management program is only as strong as the suppliers behind it. We work directly with our supply chain partners to review chemical inventories, identify gaps, and help facilities when issues come up. We work collaboratively because raising the bar on chemical safety is not something any one brand or facility can do in isolation. 

bluesign partnership and bluepass materials: Since 2011, Burton has been one of the longest-standing brand partners of bluesign, a leading system for textile chemical safety. A bluepass certified material means it was produced with chemical inputs managed at every stage of production, from the mill to the final stitch. Unlike regulations that primarily address consumer safety at point of sale, the bluesign system addresses chemical inputs at the factory level, covering worker exposure, emissions, water, and waste in the facilities where your gear is made. When we can't source bluepass certified materials, we specify other vetted chemistry certifications like OEKO-TEX Standard 100. 86% of our materials are bluepass certified as of Winter 2027.* 

*bluesign is transitioning to a unified bluepass certification mark in 2026. The standards behind it are unchanged. Learn more about bluepass certification

PFAS-Free Journey: PFAS, also called forever chemicals, never break down in soil, water, or the human body, and they've been found in drinking water, wildlife, and snowpack worldwide. Burton started tackling this problem in 2014, long before it became an industry conversation. We achieved 100% free of intentionally added PFAS across the line with our Winter 2025/26 collection, including every piece of kids' gear. Maintaining that standard across every style and every season requires constant attention, and we're committed to it. Learn more about our journey to being PFAS free. 

Industry Partnerships: No brand changes an industry alone. We're committed to pushing progress alongside other brands, suppliers, and industry partners. Burton is an active member of the Winter Sports Sustainability Network (WSN) in the EU and the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) in the US, including participation in the OIA's Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition (CCMC).  

The 2nd Lap collection repurposes our surplus materials into unique, limited-run products, keeping materials out of the waste stream. In 2021, we introduced reusable shopping bags from fabric that may have otherwise headed to landfills. Check out our retail stores worldwide for 2nd Lap products. We're also keeping select 2nd quality gear in circulation, offering open-box and direct-from-manufacturer products with minor cosmetic defects at a discount and backing them with our warranty policy. Because you should never let a good thing (or gear) go to waste.

We're piloting resale programs in select markets to keep Burton gear in use longer. Extending product life is one of the most direct ways to reduce a product's overall footprint, and we'll share more as these pilots develop.