Columbia Sportswear has announced a five-year partnership with the U.K.'s National Parks, making the brand the official outfitter of their 300 rangers and the rest of their staff. The American brand will provide “tested tough” clothing for up to 2,000 members of the parks' staff. The company will provide various performance pieces, including the OutDry Extreme Eco Jacket, a sustainable waterproof jacket manufactured without PFCs (perflourinated compounds). The contract will allow the Lake District National Park to spend more of their budget on apprenticeship programs and other issues. The announcement was accompanied by a campaign featuring a well-known British TV presenter, Julia Bradbury. The 15 National Parks in the U.K. are visited by more than 100 million people every year, free of charge. Ten of these parks are located in England, three in Wales and two in Scotland.

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