LL Bean

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LL Bean Sustainability Profile

Sustainability Summary

  • Good On You - Not good enough
  • Ethical Consumer - This information is locked, visit Ethical Consumer's website
  • B Corp - No
  • Trustpilot - No
  • This is an unclaimed profile. LL Bean has not joined Sustainability Tracker to verify their sustainability credentials. We gathered what we could from public sources.
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L.L.Bean shows a mixed sustainability picture. It publishes a sustainability page and reports some data on emissions, materials, packaging, and labor. It also says it uses renewable energy in stores and offices, offers repair services for some items, and has a one-year warranty. Independent ratings, however, say it still relies on high-impact materials and does not publish enough detail on some topics. It also has public partnerships focused on outdoor access, mental health, and community support. Overall, the brand appears to be making some real efforts, but its public reporting is still incomplete and its third-party ratings are not strong.

Positive Sentiment Found
Public sentiment is mixed but includes some clear positives. Good On You rates L.L.Bean “Not good enough,” yet it still notes that the company uses renewable energy in its direct operations and has some supply-chain tracing and animal-material alternatives. Commons Earth gives the brand an “Acceptable+” style score and points to useful steps such as repair services, a one-year warranty, public emissions reporting, and a 2023 footprint figure of 282,005 tCO2e. It also highlights progress on reducing virgin plastic in packaging and the use of recyclable paper packaging. Press coverage around the brand’s community work and Mental Health Month campaign is also positive, especially the long-running partnership with Mental Health America and the company’s donations to outdoor-access and community groups.

Common Criticisms:
The main criticism is that L.L.Bean still looks weak on environmental and labor transparency. Good On You rates it “Not good enough” overall, with 2/5 in Planet, People, and Animals. It says the brand uses few lower-impact materials, does not publish a full breakdown of materials, and has no clear evidence of meaningful water or biodiversity action. It also says the company partly traces its supply chain, does not show that it pays living wages, and did not disclose enough worker protections during Covid-19. Commons Earth adds that the brand still relies on high-impact fibers like conventional cotton, polyester, nylon, and spandex, and that its emissions targets are not SBTi-approved. Together, these sources suggest some progress, but also major gaps in public detail and stronger proof.

About LL Bean

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LL Bean Sustainability Actions

Publishes sustainability information

L.L.Bean has a sustainability page that shares information about materials, packaging, energy use, production waste, labor practices, and current projects. Independent reviewers note that the page exists, but they also say it is not clear how often the information is updated. The brand also takes part in the Outdoor Industry Association’s annual disclosures, which are industry reports that companies use to share environmental and social data in a standard way.

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Reports emissions data

The brand publicly reports company-wide emissions and breaks them down by scope, which means it separates direct emissions, energy-related emissions, and other indirect emissions. Commons Earth says L.L.Bean’s 2023 estimated footprint was 282,005 tCO2e, or tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, a common way to compare greenhouse gases. The same source says the company has short-term emissions targets that are aligned with climate science, but they are not approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi, a group that checks climate targets).

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Uses repair and warranty services

L.L.Bean offers repair services for select items and a one-year warranty. These services can help keep products in use for longer and may reduce waste by delaying replacement. Commons Earth says this is one of the brand’s stronger sustainability points because it supports slower consumption and helps keep items out of landfill.

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Works on packaging changes

Commons Earth says L.L.Bean has tried to cut down on virgin plastic in its packaging and uses recyclable paper packaging in some cases. It also says the company has reported progress toward a goal of making packaging 100% plastic-free by 2025. That goal is a past target, so it is treated as an action here rather than a future commitment.

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Supports outdoor access projects

L.L.Bean has funded community projects that improve access to green space and outdoor activities. In 2021, it said it had committed nearly $30 million over the previous decade to community and outdoor-access work, and it announced $6 million in new contributions that year. Its partners included groups such as the Trust for Public Land, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and the Outdoor Foundation. The projects were aimed at helping more people spend time outside, especially in underserved communities.

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See All (6)

LL Bean Sustainability Commitments

2025

Plastic-free packaging goal

Commons Earth says L.L.Bean set a goal to make its packaging 100% plastic-free by 2025. This is a future-facing target in the source material, even though the reporting also says the company had already made progress toward it. The public material does not clearly confirm whether the target was fully met.

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About LL Bean

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Sustainable Development Goals

LL Bean is committed to advancing these Global Goals to promote prosperity for people & planet.

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This information references https://www.llbean.com/ and was sourced on 30/04/2025. Is this your business? Suggest an edit

Frequently Asked Questions

Has L.L.Bean published a sustainability report?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, L.L.Bean has a public sustainability page, but it has not clearly published a full standalone sustainability report in the material provided. Commons Earth says the brand shares information on materials, packaging, emissions, labor, and progress, and that it also takes part in the Outdoor Industry Association’s annual disclosures. That means some data is public, but the reporting is not as complete as a formal annual report. Consumers who want more detail can check the brand’s sustainability page and ask for the latest update directly.. Sources: The Commons Earth, L.L.Bean sustainability - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/612/l.l.-bean, https://www.llbean.com/sustainability

What is L.L.Bean's sustainability rating?

Confidence: High. As of July 2026, L.L.Bean has mixed third-party ratings. Good On You rates it “Not good enough” with 2/5 for Planet, People, and Animals. Commons Earth gives it an “Acceptable+” style rating and says the brand has some useful steps in place, such as repair services, emissions reporting, and packaging progress. These ratings suggest the company is doing some things well, but still has major gaps in materials, labor transparency, and climate action.. Sources: Good On You, The Commons Earth - https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/llbean, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/612/l.l.-bean

What sustainability certifications does L.L.Bean have?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, the material provided does not show that L.L.Bean holds a major company-wide sustainability certification such as B Corp. Commons Earth says some products or materials use RDS and bluesign-certified inputs, which are standards linked to animal welfare and safer textile production. That is useful, but it is not the same as a full brand certification. The brand also appears to use some recycled or certified alternatives in animal-derived materials, according to Good On You.. Sources: The Commons Earth, Good On You - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/612/l.l.-bean, https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/llbean

What is L.L.Bean's carbon footprint?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, Commons Earth says L.L.Bean’s 2023 estimated emissions footprint was 282,005 tCO2e, which means tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. That is a standard way to combine different greenhouse gases into one number. The same source says the company reports emissions by scope, meaning it separates direct emissions, energy-related emissions, and other indirect emissions. The brand does share some climate data, but its targets are not SBTi-approved, so consumers still do not get the strongest level of independent climate validation.. Sources: The Commons Earth, L.L.Bean sustainability - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/612/l.l.-bean, https://www.llbean.com/sustainability

Is L.L.Bean's packaging sustainable?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, L.L.Bean has made some packaging changes, but the picture is incomplete. Commons Earth says the brand has worked to reduce virgin plastic and uses recyclable paper packaging in some cases. It also says the company set a goal to make packaging 100% plastic-free by 2025 and reported progress toward that goal. That shows movement in the right direction, but the public material does not fully confirm how much of the packaging is now plastic-free.. Sources: The Commons Earth, L.L.Bean sustainability - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/612/l.l.-bean, https://www.llbean.com/sustainability

Is L.L.Bean ethical on labour and supply chains?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, the available third-party evidence suggests L.L.Bean has some labor policies, but there are still concerns about transparency. Good On You says the brand partly traces its supply chain and has a Code of Conduct that covers ILO principles (basic international labor rules), but it found no evidence of living wages or strong worker financial security. It also said the company did not disclose enough worker protections during Covid-19. Commons Earth adds that the brand publishes the names and locations of most supply-chain partners, which is helpful, but not enough to remove all concerns.. Sources: Good On You, The Commons Earth - https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/llbean, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/612/l.l.-bean

What is L.L.Bean doing about sustainability?

Confidence: High. As of July 2026, L.L.Bean says it is working on sustainability through several channels. It reports emissions, uses some renewable energy in stores and offices, offers repair services for select items, and has a one-year warranty. It also says it is reducing plastic in packaging and supports community and outdoor-access projects through partnerships. Independent reviewers agree that these are real steps, but they also say the brand still relies on high-impact materials and does not publish enough detail on some key issues.. Sources: L.L.Bean sustainability, The Commons Earth, Good On You - https://www.llbean.com/sustainability, https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/612/l.l.-bean, https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/llbean