The North Face wants to make Earth Day a national holiday

The North Face wants us all to switch off and put down our phones this Earth Day.

The outdoors brand has launched a major ‘Explore Mode' campaign in the run-up to Earth Day on April 22 -- which it is also proposing should be an official holiday.

The label will kick off ‘Explore Mode' this week by teaming up with musicians, artists and culinary influencers to host experiences that it hopes will "encourage people to disconnect digitally and engage with their surroundings." The brand is also practicing what it preaches by closing 113 of its stores in the US and Canada on Earth Day, as well as its headquarters, in a bid to encourage living in the moment. Additionally, it is partnering with 15 global organizations to launch a Change.org petition in a bid to make Earth Day an official holiday.

"The North Face is no stranger to exploration and this Earth Day we are proud to join our partners and fellow explorers in a global effort to make Earth Day a national holiday," said Tim Bantle, Global General Manager of Lifestyle at The North Face, in a statement. "We believe that when people take time to appreciate the Earth, they feel more connected to it and are more likely to protect it. Explore Mode urges us to unplug from our digital lives to connect in real life to the world, each other, and ourselves in the effort to move the world forward."

Singer Ella Mai, chef Angela Dimayuga and model and activist Gabrielle Richardson will be on hand in New York to host events such as a 1990s throwback party, a cooking demonstration and an interactive art exhibition. Events will also take place in global cities including London, Manchester, Munich and Paris.

The development is the latest big move for The North Face, which unveiled multiple environmentally-friendly initiatives last year, such as a "Bottle Source" apparel and accessories collection crafted from recycled bottles recovered from waste streams in Yosemite and "The North Face Renewed," a collection sourced from returned, defective or damaged apparel.