How MuskOx Makes Sustainable, Durable Flannel Shirts Without Animal Fibers

Author

Tanner Bowden

Photographer

MuskOx

How MuskOx Makes Sustainable, Durable Flannel Shirts Without Animal Fibers

From Detroit to Portugal, these hard-working 100% cotton flannels support the environment and wildlife conservation—and fit and feel damn good, too

Published: 10-01-2024

About the author

Tanner Bowden

Tanner Bowden is a Vermont-based writer, editor, photographer, former wilderness educator, and Field Mag Editor-at-Large. He also contributes to the likes of GQ, Men's Journal, Gear Patrol, Outside.

Presented by

It seems impossible that flannel was first made in the 1600s. But it’s true. The light, relatively thin, yet still warm and durable fabric has appealed to all who venture outdoors for centuries without much change. Because why fix what isn’t broken, right? Well, that isn't stopping apparel brand MuskOx from boldly improving the classic flannel by making it more durable and more sustainable—and by supporting wildlife conservation with donations driven by every shirt sold.

The MuskOx vision starts at the source. Rather than using animal fibers like wool or petroleum-based fibers like polyester, MuskOx makes their flannels from ethically sourced 100% cotton fibers (more on why and how further below). MuskOx's Grand Flannel and Field Grand Flannel are both twice the thickness and weight of the run-of-the-mill buffalo check you'll come across. We’ve been wear testing the Grand Flannel ($154) since the temps first dipped below 60 early last month, doing everything from chopping firewood to fly fishing, and can confidently say the cotton material is both super soft yet extremely strong.

The key to this quality is material sourced from the Better Cotton Initiative, a program that works with farmers around the world to promote regenerative practices, stewardship of land and water resources, the safeguarding of biodiversity and soil health, and fair pay and good working conditions for growers. The larger aim of these values is an environment and ecosystem of farming communities that are more resilient in the face of climate change.

MuskOx’s cotton is grown on farms in the U.S. and then shipped to a renowned, family-run factory in Portugal who uses state-of-the-art machines to turn the raw fibers into superior shirts. To further reduce the footprint of each flannel, the factory produces its own electricity from 7,250 solar panels that through energy savings deliver the equivalent environmental impact of planting 15,000 trees annually. The shirts made here are proof that good in leads to good out.

While the average flannel you are likely to find on the shelves is made with one soft side, MuskOx double brushes both the inside and outside of its shirts to make their flannel softer and more durable. Triple flat felled seams are another extra detail that leads to durability (you'll typically find these on top-notch denim). Even the patterns, which MuskOx designs in-house, are totally unique. The buttons? They're made from recycled ocean-bound plastic.

As if that weren't enough, the company donates five bucks from every shirt sold to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, an animal refuge in Portage, Alaska that fosters injured and orphaned wolves, bears, bison, reindeer, and other iconic American species—including muskox. Clearly, MuskOx has a soft side when it comes to sustainability and the environment, but the company believes that a strong approach is needed to safeguard these things. Soft but strong, just like their flannels.

LEARN MORE