This Strange New North Face Release Is a Sign of the Times

When does an insider insight become just plain obvious to everyone? And when does a once burgeoning trend become so well established that it’s more like a norm?

There are already mountains worth of damning evidence highlighting how outdoor aesthetics have invaded everyday fashion.

Gorpcore was coined to describe the trend in 2017. A few years later, in 2020, the r/gorpcore subreddit popped up. In 2022, Outside published “How the Outdoors Influence High Fashion.”

Last year, The New York Times proclaimed that we should “be ready for anything with a mix of runway looks and outdoor gear.” This spring, the Gray Lady published another trend piece on Outdoorsy Men’s Wear That Suits the City Too.

Other outlets, including us, noted that the stream of influence has flowed both ways. In 2019, Gear Patrol Magazine featured a story on how lifestyle gear was changing the outdoors industry.

But if a picture can be worth a thousand words of commentary, then a physical product should speak volumes more. And in the case of The North Face Remade Tech Tie, it does.

Tying Trends Together

End

The North Face REMADE Tech Tie is the latest collaboration between the iconic outdoor equipment maker and the UK-based fashion retailer End. It’s part of a small REMADE capsule collection celebrating the 30th anniversary of the company’s  Himalayan Down Parka.

At first glance, the skinny black tie reminds me of one of the countless bootleg products—seemingly generic clothing basics with a recognizable brand logo shoddily slapped on the front—that littered touristy street markets in major asian cities during my time abroad. The truth is, of course, far more thoughtful.

The rear label clearly states that the tie is handcrafted from reclaimed materials. The logo is also embroidered – not hastily screen printed.

Like the blending of outdoor and street style, using recycled materials to create new gear, a.k.a upcycling, is also now a well established outdoor trend.

The North Face launched its first pilot program around refurbished used goods, dubbed Renewed, in 2018. The first iteration of the Remade upcycling program, limited initially to 50 pieces, quickly followed that same year.

Plenty of brands have joined the upcycling movement both before and since then. REI now has an entire section of its online store dedicated to gear made from recycled materials.

Given the mission of the REMADE program, crafting simple neckties made from swaths of used technical materials feels like a clever (and low-lift) strategy for turning old outdoor gear into coveted fashion treasures. But apparently, making a tie out of technical jacket fabric isn’t as easy as it seems. As the collection’s launch page states, “keeping the sharp edges and keeping it really clean was quite tough and not what that fabric is designed to do.”

Plus a Touch of Exclusivity

End

Making an upcycled tie from discarded outdoor apparel won’t move the needle much if no one will buy it. That’s at least one explanation for why The North Face might’ve cautiously decided to make the item a limited release and soon-to-be collector’s item.

Though the tie is technically priced at just $79, which is pretty damn reasonable these days, earning the chance to pay that amount requires signing up for a draw on End’s release launch website and keeping your fingers crossed. Based on the countdown timer on End’s site, winners of the draw should be notified by the end of the day, October 10th, 2024.

But this dabble in fashion isn’t a money play by The North Face either, at least not in the way you might expect. 100% of the collection proceeds will go to the UK-based outdoor climate-focused charity group Protect Our Winters UK.

Related Topics