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Clothing brand Royal Robbins has been at the forefront of sustainable travel gear for the last 56 years. Its founders—the late Royal Robbins and his wife, Liz Robbins, both renowned climbers whose life work took them to some of the world’s highest points—conceived of the idea, fittingly, on Half Dome. Their goal? To start a clothing line for climbers and adventurers that combined their own adventurous spirit with the clean climbing movement they helped to platform. Both follow a do-no-harm motto—in the case of clean climbing, removable, non-damaging gear like nuts and chocks are used over pitons and bolts, so as not to damage rocks.
The Royal Robbins team has kept that same regard at the forefront of the brand in the decades since, prioritizing transparency in the production process, ethical sourcing, and waste reduction, making them a pioneer of preservation and sustainability, two values that are more important than ever in a world that can no longer ignore the negative impacts of fast fashion. To help counteract the 92 million tons of clothing waste in the world, the brand creates durable adventure clothing with natural benefits that please travelers and the earth.
With two new collections on the horizon ideal for avid outdoorsmen, I sat down with Joanne Steinbauer, Royal Robbins’ senior director of product, to talk through Royal Robbins’ ethos, her favorite products, and how travelers can get involved with the brand's sustainability efforts.
This story is part of April's sustainability package, highlighting travel brands that are prioritizing environmental and social responsibilities in a meaningful way.
What was your introduction to the brand?
I started my career in New York, and I've worked in all different areas of the industry. I have a background in high fashion, and I’ve done mass market, children’s wear, and athleisure. I was intrigued by Royal Robbins when looking at its amazing history and extensive industry knowledge. As an avid triathlete, Royal Robbins allowed me to combine my passions. I enjoy being outdoors, and it allows me to use my own experiences and adventures to help with designs and new products.
Regarding partnerships, what standards do you hold your partners and suppliers to?
We work with a lot of different vendors when it comes to material, trim vendors, and factories. We have a very strict code of conduct. Everyone we work with adheres to the restricted substance list [Editor’s note: This includes certain mercury, nickel release, and polybrominated biphenyls (a flame retardant).]. We’re part of the broader Fenix group, and they are an industry leader in that area. We’re constantly monitoring the corporate social responsibility reports for all our vendors.
The brand uses a lot of natural fibers such as hemp, Tencel modal, and cotton. What are the practices around cultivating these materials?
Over the years, we’ve created a close bond between our team and the mills we use. Liz and Royal were one of the first brands to use hemp as a clothing material. Traditionally, for outdoor gear, we’ve seen a utilitarian yarn used because we thought it was the most durable and the softest. Now, hemp has made its way into the conversation, and from a sustainable standpoint, less water is used [in its production], and you can offset the need for pesticides when harvesting. Our mills blend the hemp fibers to create the yarn we use in our clothing. You only need 30% hemp in a product to unlock the natural technologies that hemp provides, such as odor-blocking and temperature regulation, which are favorite features among our camping and hiking customers. It’s a strong fixture in our spring and summer collections
For our winter and fall collections, we exclusively use Merino wool. We have two blends: a Merino recycled polyester and 100% Merino; both are registered under the Responsible Wool Standard which tracks all certifications back to the sheep and the farm, and makes sure all the sustainable practices have been followed and managed.
What are the team’s sustainability targets for the future?
We’re always looking to improve the percentage of organic, recycled, and sustainable fibers that we use. In particular, we used to have an bug barrier treatment that we used about a decade ago, but discontinued after we realized how harmful the chemicals were to the environment and insects—the ones we were trying to keep away, but also the good ones. We’ve been developing another mosquito protection technology collection for the summer collection that features a tight weave of fabric that’ll be breathable for our customers but still helps to prevent mosquitoes from getting through. We want to continue to build out that line and further mosquito protection technology.
What are some ways outside of clothing that Royal Robbins engages the community?
Every year, we sponsor the Yosemite Facelift. It’s a five-day event organized by the Yosemite Climbing Association to clean up trash and maintain trails in Yosemite National Park. Royal and Liz spent so much time traveling around the parks and encouraging young climbers, it’s a chance for our team to connect with our climbing community and rally together to preserve these historic landscapes.
What are some of your favorite pieces from Royal Robbins? How has the brand influenced your travel style?
I love the Spotless collection, specifically the Spotless traveler tank dress and the Spotless traveler short-sleeve dress. I will admit, I have probably about 10 of those in my closet. Royal Robbins can embody easy, casual gear but add a bit of femininity back in the silhouettes, colors, and patterns. I also find that our products are lightweight and packable, which comes as a relief as an overpacker. I want to bring every dress in every pattern I have, and luckily, when it’s a Royal Robbins dress, I can.
I gravitate toward our joggers, sweaters, hoodies, and leggings as my go-to travel uniform. They offer comfort and ease when picking an outfit during such an early morning. In the summer, I’m looking forward to pulling out the iconic Pucker shirt, a short-sleeved, boxy shirt with very simple line work. Liz Robbins designed a men’s version about 25 years ago; it’s been a bestseller for us, and now we’re offering it in a women’s silhouette. It’s super fun and has one of our historic prints that we bought back.
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