Why We Chose It: Sustainably made, very comfortable
Price: $100
Weight: 212g

There’s a lot to be said for a good fleece, especially one made for the trail and one that’s eco-friendly to boot. That’s the case with Cotopaxi’s Teca, a vibrant insulator that’s made from leftover fabric from Polartec’s production line. 

What’s It Best Suited To?

This is one of those items that crosses over perfectly between the trail and your every day life. It’s got that casual look that wouldn’t look out of place in a city, but then all those useful qualities that Polyester brings in fleece form, including insulation even when it gets wet, a soft and comfy feel, and that ability to dry out super quickly. 

The Features

As you can probably guess, there’s not much to talk about in terms of technical features here. What you see is what you get: a full zip, collar, two zipped handwarmer pockets and elastic binding at the hem and cuffs. 

Why We Chose The Cotopaxi Teca For Our Green Gear Guide

As I’ve already touched upon, the Polyester they’ve used to make the Cotopaxi Teca’s fleece is all recovered material – stuff that would otherwise have just gone straight to the landfill. Rather quirkily, this means that Cotopaxi are only able to make a certain amount of fleeces in each colourway, so you could say each one is a limited edition. 

Cotopaxi are one of those companies that seems to have the environment right at the core of what they do. Yes, most brands will say that but Cotopaxi seem to be able to walk the walk as well talk the talk. After all, they’re one of the few outdoor brands to have B Corp status, a stamp of approval for businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance. They also make sure to donate 1% of their revenue to non-profit schemes and organisations that help to alleviate poverty.