The North Face Outlet brand was established in 1968 in San Francisco, when Douglas Tompkins and Kenneth "Hap" Klopp created an equipment retail store that eventually acquired the name The North Face. This name was chosen because the north face of a mountain in the northern hemisphere is generally the most difficult face to climb.[4] By the 1980s, skiwear was added to the line of products, and eventually camping equipment was added as well. The North Face is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the VF Corporation.

As of 2012, The North Face was co-located in Alameda, California, with its corporate sibling, JanSport. JanSport, in 2007, was the world's largest backpack maker and together, JanSport and The North Face manufactured nearly half of all small backpacks sold in the United States.

Participating in an Eco-fair in New YorkThe North Face's logo designed by California designer David Alcorn in 1971, consists of a slightly skewed quarter-circle with two lines running within it. This image is an interpretation of Half Dome, a massive granitic monolith in Yosemite National Park viewed from the west, with the sheer north (or northwest) face of Half Dome to the left.

The North Face maintains strong links with the outdoor community through sponsoring athletes, including Lizzy Hawker, winner of the Ultra Trail Tour du Mont Blanc in 2005, 2008 and 2010.