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This guide is here to help set your brand up for success working with DICK’S Sporting Goods. Learn how to align with DICK’S’ sustainability initiatives, like implementing right-size packaging, reducing waste, and maximizing recyclability.

In this guide, you’ll find an overview of DICK’S Sporting Goods’ sustainable packaging requirements, overall impact goals, inspiration for updating your packaging, and more.

For individual guidance about creating sustainable packaging that stands out at DICK’S Sporting Goods, reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to help.

Table of Contents

• At a Glance: DICK'S Sporting Goods Sustainability Goals
• About DICK'S Sporting Goods
• Deeper Dive: DICK’S Sporting Goods’ Sustainability Goals and Commitments
• DICK’S Sporting Goods’ Sustainability Goals for Vertical Brands
• Sustainable Packaging Goals for Suppliers of DICK’S Sporting Goods
• Frequently Asked Questions About DICK’S Sporting Goods
• How EcoEnclose Helps Brands Working With DICK'S Sporting Goods
• Additional Resources

DICK'S Sporting Goods has four pillars of sustainability and social responsibility that they use to guide their business: 

• Leveling the Playing Field
• Clearing Hurdles
• Raising the Bar
• Protecting Our Home Court

Within these overarching pillars, they are striving to reduce their environmental impact by:

• Reducing packaging waste
• Designing packaging for recyclability
• Using recycled packaging content
• Sourcing more sustainable products
• Implementing rental and take-back programs
• Providing clear information to help athletes make sustainable purchasing decisions

EcoEnclose is well-positioned to help brands design their packaging to fit DICK’S Sporting Goods vendor requirements and sustainability goals. Reach out to us if you’d like support:

• Designing “right-sized packaging” to eliminate unnecessary waste

• Replacing single-use plastic or polyethylene with sustainable alternatives

• Maximizing the use of post-consumer waste in all materials

• Securing How2Recycle® labeling

• Maximizing curbside recyclability

• Helping design clear packaging labels to highlight sustainable attributes

Founded in 1848, DICK’S Sporting Goods is a leading omnichannel retailer for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. The company is headquartered in Pittsburgh and operates more than 850 retail locations. Their stores include:

• DICK’S Sporting Goods
• Golf Galaxy
• Public Lands
• Moosejaw
• Going Going Gone!
• Warehouse Sale stores

They carry an impressive variety of athletic, outdoor, and fitness products. DICK’S Sporting Goods works to create confidence and excitement by inspiring, supporting, and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams.

For brands in the athletic and outdoor spaces, becoming a vendor for DICK’S Sporting Goods can help you grow your brand recognition and provide increased access to target customers.

If you are working with DICK’S or aiming to do so, keep reading for tips on designing packaging that can help you land the deal and elevate your shelf presence and promotion with the retailer.

DICK’S Sporting Goods is working to address its entire value chain and promote responsible, sustainable choices for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts.

The four pillars of their sustainability program reflect this overall vision.

Click to enlarge. Source: DICK'S Sporting Goods

DICK'S Sporting Goods is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

By 2025, they have pledged to use the Higg Facility Environmental Module auditing tool to evaluate 100% of their vertical brands and Tier 1 suppliers.

They’re working on redesigning tags for select vertical brands to use less material and maximize recycled content.

Another key part of their goals for vertical brands is prioritizing and clearly labeling sustainable products with organic content, recycled content, or preferred fibers. 

They also display certifications from Fair Trade, bluesign, and Leather Working Group on relevant products. 

As they continue to refine their vertical product lines, DICK’S is also shifting to a set of approved, tested fabrics for their fabric library that will be the core sources of material for products. This helps improve transparency, quality, and consistency and reduces the amount of remnant fabric and material waste generated when a specific product line ends.

Click to enlarge. Source: DICK'S Sporting Goods

DICK'S Sporting Goods has no publicly available requirements for sustainable packaging for suppliers. However, there are things you can do to make sure your packaging aligns with the sustainability goals the company has set.

Per their Vendor Code of Conduct, DICK'S Sporting Goods expects all its vendors to “share its commitment to by responding to challenges posed by climate change and working towards protecting the environment.”

To fulfill this commitment, they require all vendors to:

• Act in an environmentally responsible manner.

• Comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations regarding hazardous materials, air emissions, waste, and wastewater discharge.

• Adhere to all applicable laws regarding the prohibition or restriction of specific substances, including product content labeling and labeling for recycling and disposal

• Work to minimize vendor’s impact on surroundings and global resources.

In addition to working to comply with DICK’S Sporting Goods’ sustainable packaging requirements, we encourage brands to consider:

• Maximizing recycled content across all materials, especially post-consumer content

• Choosing responsibly sourced and/or certified Virgin inputs when required

• Designing for ready recyclability, including curbside and thin film recycling

• Avoiding "compostable" plastic packaging that is rarely environmentally preferable

• Evaluating opportunities for reusable packaging thoughtfully

• Reducing waste through swaps like zero waste label release liners

• Piloting innovative materials like Black Algae Ink or Seaweed Film Windows

Rather than a list of specific requirements, DICK’S mainly provides overarching goals and guidelines for sustainable packaging. Some of their initiatives include:

• Maximizing recyclability
• Right-sizing packaging to reduce waste
• Choosing responsible suppliers
• Avoiding single-use plastics
• Prioritizing eco-friendlier materials in packaging and products

DICK’S Sporting Goods has a comprehensive list of Restricted Materials that they limit or ban in their products. Restricted materials include:

• PVC (banned from all DICK’S Sporting Goods products)
• Formaldehyde
• Flame Retardants
• Dimethylformamide (DMF)
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Phthalates
• Heavy Metals

Their Restricted Materials List includes more information on where these materials are commonly found and the thresholds for each material.

While the company does not mandate third-party certifications, they do have several labels they encourage, such as:

• Fair Trade
• Bluesign
• Forest Stewardship Council
• Leather Working Group
• How2Recycle

Brands can maximize their chances of being stocked by DICK’S through clear, transparent labeling for all materials and sustainability attributes and by pursuing relevant certifications when possible.

DICK’S Sporting Goods uses an online portal to accept new vendor submissions. To submit products, you must create an account that includes business, product, and contact information.

Are you currently working with DICK’S Sporting Goods or looking to have your brand carried in their store?

EcoEnclose is ready to help you develop packaging solutions that align with DICK’S Sporting Goods’ sustainability goals and help you put your best foot forward.

Here are specific ways we’ve helped supplier brands for DICK’S Sporting Goods:

Right-Sized Packaging Design

Since DICK’S has focused on eliminating packaging waste in recent years, you can stand out by choosing efficient packaging.

EcoEnclose works with your brand and product line to find areas where you can reduce packaging waste and choose the best size, shape, and type.

Recyclability

Since DICK’S wants to make recycling easy for athletes, they prefer readily curbside recyclable packaging. This typically means choosing recyclable mono-materials such as paperboard, glass, aluminum, or PET plastics. When two materials are needed, making them easily separated is another key aspect of recyclability.

EcoEnclose reviews your secondary packaging and replaces existing non-recyclable materials with readily and widely recyclable options.

How2Recycle® Labeling

To align with DICK’S Sporting Goods’ commitment to clear recyclability labeling, EcoEnclose helps brands navigate the How2Recycle® request and labeling process.

Recycled Content

DICK’S Sporting Goods prefers products and packaging with high recycled content.

EcoEnclose can help you make the transition to 100% recycled poly films, paperboard, and pouch material in a cost-effective way.

Sustainability Feature Labels

One of DICK’S Sporting Goods’ pillars is giving athletes the information they need to make environmentally responsible decisions. This includes having key sustainability, sourcing, and material information on packaging.

EcoEnclose looks at your current packaging and ensures your sustainability credentials are clearly and attractively displayed.

Custom Branding

Our team can help you develop or refresh your packaging branding and design so you stand out to DICK’S Sporting Good Customers on shelves and online.

Our unique Sustainable Packaging Framework helps streamline decision-making, and our rigorous standards for all products ensure your packaging meets and exceeds the sustainability standards set by DICK’S Sporting Goods. We leverage our experience working with hundreds of brands, from the smallest startups to the most robust enterprise brands, to help you create a working packaging strategy.

To get started, you can request free samples, explore our extensive resource library, or get in touch for a free consultation.

• DICK’S Sporting Goods Sustainability Strategy
• DICK’S Sporting Goods 2022 Purpose Playbook
• DICK'S Sporting Goods Non-Merchandise Suppliers
• DICK'S Sporting Goods Merchandise Suppliers
• DICK'S Sporting Goods Vendor Code of Conduct
• DICK’S Sporting Goods New Supplier Checklist
• DICK’S Sporting Goods Restricted Substances and Materials List

EcoEnclose is the leading sustainable packaging company that provides eco-packaging solutions to the world’s most forward-thinking brands.

We develop diverse, sustainable packaging solutions that meet our rigorous research-based standards and customers’ goals. We drive innovative packaging materials to market and consistently improve the circularity of existing solutions.