First certified in 2023, Obōz Footwear has earned B Corp recertification under B Lab’s new global standards.
“Good, Better, Best. That’s how we think about being a B Corp,” said Amy Beck, president of Obōz. “It means using business as a force for good. It pushes us to be better, and it keeps us striving for the best in the places we hike, the lives of our people and the footwear we make.”
Last year, B Lab, the nonprofit that certifies B Corps for their social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability, overhauled its certification, replacing a points-based assessment with mandatory requirements across seven Impact Topics, including Fair Work and Human Rights, Climate Action, Environmental Stewardship, and Circularity. There is no longer an overall score or partial credit, every requirement that applies to a company must be met and verified by an independent third-party auditor.
Highlights of Obōz’s progress in the 2026 fiscal year include:
• 85% of its footwear range using at least 20% environmentally preferred materials by weight, up from 63% the year before
• 100% PFAS free. All Obōz products are 100% PFAS free from intentionally added PFAS across non-wicking treatments and membranes, verified through independent testing.
• 22% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions at its Bozeman head office from the prior year
• 280,000+ trees planted through veritree and Trees for the Future
• 244 volunteer hours by Obōz employees, from trail building and stewardship to local community projects
• Six U.S. states where Obōz has registered as a packaging producer under Extended Producer Responsibility regulations, which shift the cost of managing packaging waste from local governments and taxpayers to the brands that introduce it to the market
he foundation of our approach to circularity,” said Abigail Cook, marketing and ESG manager at Obōz. “We can change what goes into a shoe, but every component still must be built to last. The longer a pair stays on the trail, the longer it stays out of a landfill.”
Obōz chooses materials and components for how each style is actually used, and shares guidance on cleaning, waterproofing, drying and storing footwear to extend its life. Footwear returned through the brand’s warranty program is put back into use where possible. In August, Obōz hosted a sample sale in Bozeman that drew hundreds of community members, giving those samples a second life and keeping them out of the waste stream.
Protecting the places people hike remains central to the brand. Obōz’s work with The Conservation Alliance to protect wildlife habitat, watersheds, roadless areas and recreational access earned the brand the Alliance’s 2025 Outstanding Partnership Award. Obōz also supports the Continental Divide Trail Coalition and, closer to home, Wild Montana, which works to protect public lands across the state, and Gallatin Valley Land Trust, which conserves open space and expands trail networks around Bozeman.
“B Lab built the new system to keep raising the bar, and that’s the point,” added Beck. “We plan to have 100% of our product line over the preferred-materials threshold by 2030, and we won’t stop there.”
Obōz recertified alongside parent company KMD Brands and sister brands Kathmandu and Rip Curl. All must meet additional requirements at Year 3 and Year 5.
To learn more about Obōz’s B Corp certification, visit https://obozfootwear.com/pages/b-corp.
About Obōz Footwear
Born outside Bozeman, Montana, Obōz builds premium, trail-ready footwear and is known for lasting quality, out-of-the-box fit and comfort, and a dedication to service. As a certified B Corp, Obōz is committed to doing the work required of a purpose-driven company transforming our business as a force of good. This includes 20 consecutive years of planting trees for every pair of shoes sold– over 7 million trees to date. For more information about Obōz, visit Obozfootwear.com. True to the trail since 2007.
