REI Co-op accelerates climate action through new renewable energy projects and more sustainable materials

The co-op supported its broader sustainability work with innovative partnerships in 2025.

SEATTLE, Dec. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Over the past year, the co-op took meaningful steps to reduce our impact on the planet and support the long-term health of the places and communities we love. This work reflects our climate strategy, bringing cooperative action together to drive change with speed and scale.

“When companies come together, climate action becomes more real and more lasting,” said Andrew Dempsey, Director of Sustainability, REI Co-op. “We’re grateful for the partners who’ve helped make this work possible. We’re focused on continuing this work and backing solutions that make a real difference for communities and help keep the outdoors healthy for the future.”

A key part of the co-op’s efforts in 2025 supported local clean energy projects in the communities where we operate. Over the past year, we worked with partners to help develop several new renewable energy initiatives, including:

• A new 2.5MW community solar project in Woodbury, MN being developed by US Solar. This initiative will enable nearly 500 low-to moderate-income households to subscribe to renewable energy, reducing utility bills and adding clean power to the grid near REI’s Bloomington store.
• An aggregated Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with Carhartt and other partners, helping to accelerate renewable energy development in Texas by adding 18.5 MW of solar energy to the grid.

Alongside new clean energy projects, we also marked progress on work already underway. In South Carolina, we celebrated the launch of a renewable energy project with Ever.green, adding more clean power to the grid and building on earlier investments.

Over the past year, REI extended its partnership with Sol Systems and Nester Hosiery, one of our largest U.S. manufacturing partners, through a new three-year renewable energy certificate purchase.

Our partnership with Sol Systems also expanded beyond energy. In 2025, We worked together to support environmental education at Florida Atlantic University’s Pine Jog Center. Through the Community Impact Program, up to 48 high school students will participate in immersive, college-credit-bearing residential programs focused on climate resilience and ecosystem science.

Students will gain hands-on field experience studying South Florida’s wetlands, rivers, and coastal ecosystems, connect with environmental scientists, and return to their communities as ambassadors for climate resilience. The program builds on our renewable energy investments across Florida and shows how clean energy can support people as well as the planet.

Supporting climate solutions rooted in nature

Over the year, we also took steps to support climate solutions that work with nature. REI became the first retail company to join the Symbiosis Coalition, a group working to accelerate the deployment of nature-based carbon removal like reforestation and agroforestry projects. These efforts help support healthy ecosystems while expanding access to climate solutions for organizations of all sizes.

Reducing impact through better materials

In addition to energy and climate solutions, we made progress on reducing the impact of the materials we use in REI Co-op brand products. REI signed a three-year agreement with Ambercycle to purchase 200 tons per year of their innovative cycora® regenerated polyester that uses recycled textile waste as a feedstock to make new, high-quality materials. This step will help REI cut emissions, reduce waste and move toward a more “circular” lifecycle for the products we make.

By pairing clean energy projects with community programs and choosing lower-impact materials, we continued to make practical progress across our climate work over the past year.

Learn more about our impact work at rei.com/impact.

About the REI Co-op
REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of 24 million members who expect and love the best quality gear and outstanding customer service. In addition to the co-op’s many stores across the country, outdoor enthusiasts can shop at REI.com, REI Outlet or the REI shopping app. Everyone is welcome to shop REI, but members who join the co-op enjoy a range of benefits. REI is a purpose-driven and values-led company dedicated to enabling life outside for all.

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SOURCE REI Co-op