How GSI Outdoors Defines an ECO Product

At GSI Outdoors, the ECO designation signifies that a product meets the following sustainability standards in design, materials, and packaging. All products are evaluated using criteria detailed in the USA Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Green Guides and the Global Recycling Standard (GRS).

Eco Product Design

We design our products for repair and recyclability at the end of life reducing material usage overall.

Sustainable Materials

We strive to use materials that are post-consumer recycled, repurposed, or made from renewable sources like bamboo.

Packaging

We are committed to using minimal packaging and recyclable materials such as paper card, vegetable oil-based inks, and the elimination of single use plastic packaging whenever possible.

How GSI ECO Products Are Evaluated

GSI Outdoors uses a rigorous scoring system in the eco evaluation of our products. Each product is evaluated across three key criteria's - a combined score of 51% or higher to earns the ECO ball designation.

Eco Product Design

32%

OF TOTAL SCORE

Scored to how we choose what our products are made of:

Made from post-consumer recycled materials
Made from 25% or more recycled materials
Use repurposed or renewable materials

All or noting scoring.

Sustainable Materials

48%

OF TOTAL SCORE

Materials carry the most weight in our product scoring since this is where our designs have the greatest potential ecological impact:

Is it made from post-consumer recycled materials?
Is it made using 25% or more recycled content by weight?
Does it use repurposed or renewable materials like bamboo?

This score is either all or nothing.

Packaging

20%

OF TOTAL SCORE

Scored to how we design our packaging.

No plastic is used in packaging
Uses recycled content
Prints with plant-based inks
Uses FSC-certified paper
Uses less material than standard packaging

Three of five earns a maximum score

How the Final Score Works

As you can see, each area is weighted differently. Materials carry the most weight because that’s where we can make the biggest environmental impact. A quick example:

Category	Points Earned
Packaging (met 2 of 3 goals)	13%
Sustainable Materials (met goal)	48%
Product Design (met 1 of 2 goals)	16%
Total	77% ≥ 51% ✓ ECO Approved

Only products that score above 51% get the ECO BALL Icon.

Only Products That Pass Get the ECO BALL Icon

Even if a product does not receive enough points to meet our ECO criteria, we still strive to use sustainable materials and packaging supporting thoughtful designs wherever possible. We track these initiatives as part of our commitments to environmental footprint reductions on our sustainability journey.