This fall, one of is getting a new moniker. The company has announced that it will rename its 鈥淪herpa鈥� jackets and vests in an effort to respect the culture and heritage of the Sherpa people of Nepal. From now on, the company will call its fleece products鈥攖hick synthetics designed to imitate the shearling and sheep鈥檚 wool fabrics traditionally used in Sherpa clothing鈥斺€渉igh pile鈥� instead.
The Sherpa people belong to an indigenous ethnic group that has lived in the high-altitude eastern regions of since migrating from eastern Tibet to Nepal in the 15th century. The group played a pivotal role in the development of mountaineering in the region, climbing alongside foreign mountaineers, to the point where many English speakers still use 鈥淪herpa鈥� as a synonym for a high-altitude porter or guide.
That history has led many manufacturers to claim the Sherpa name for their own products: Dozens of companies have used the ethnic group鈥檚 name, including Hollister and Target. It鈥檚 been the namesake of several brands, too, such as Health Sherpa, Sherpa Recruiting, and Marketing Sherpa. Some members of the ethnic group have pushed back against this sort of appropriation. One now-defunct Twitter account called aimed to be 鈥渁 platform for publicly shaming those who have taken liberties with our name.鈥�
The North Face has a long history in Nepal. For decades, the company has partnered with Himalayan locals for branded mountaineering expeditions. It has also supported the and donated to the foundation鈥檚 initiative, which uses education to fight the trafficking of young Nepalese girls.
鈥淲e just wanted to be more true to our own connection to the [Nepalese] community, and we wanted to have a better reflection of that,鈥� Eric Raymond, The North Face鈥檚 director of social impact, .
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In 2019, climber Dawa Yangzum Sherpa became the first Nepali athlete to join The North Face鈥檚 global athlete team. Under this partnership, she became the first Nepali woman to summit Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world. This September, The North Face collaborated with Nikki Shrestha, a Sherpa from Nepal, to highlight the role the outdoors plays in her identity as a Nepalese American.
鈥淚 love that I was born in Nepal and I have this whole culture behind me,鈥� Shrestha says in the Instagram video. 鈥淏ut at the same time, being in the American culture has introduced me to the outdoor world. And now using the outdoor world, I can bond with both cultures.鈥�