Patagonia Celebrates their 50^th Anniversary

It all began with Yvon Chouinard making climbing gear that was sold out of the trunk of his car. In the early 1970’s, Chouinard became concerned about the environmental impact of his climbing equipment and decided to pivot and shift the focus of his company to more environmentally friendly products. He founded Patagonia in 1973 to produce clothing and gear for outdoor enthusiasts that were both high-quality and sustainable.

The company’s name was inspired by the region of Patagonia, which stretches across the southern parts of Argentina and Chile. Chouinard was drawn to the rugged and remote nature of the region and felt that it embodied the spirit of adventure that he wanted his company to represent.

When is a Clothing Brand More Than Just a Clothing Brand?

Patagonia was a pioneer in brand transparency and used its platform to raise awareness and advocacy for environmental issues.

Back in 2002, Chouinard co-founded 1% for the Planet, and started a global movement that convinced other businesses to donate 1% of their sales to fight climate change. They call it their self-imposed Earth tax.

In 2011, Patagonia took out a full-page ad in the New York Times for Black Friday to address the issue of consumerism and persuade people to not buy anything they don’t need. The “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign fueled consumer sentiment and, also, helped Patagonia’s sales.

In 2012, Patagonia became certified as a B-Corp. To qualify, a business must meet rigorous standards along with legally binding accountability that takes into account the interests of workers, the community and the environment.

In 2017, Patagonia sued the Trump administration in response to a decision to shrink the Bears Ears monument in Utah and pulled out of the Outdoor Retailer trade show in protest against Utah state leaders.

Most recently in 2022, Yvon Chouinard read a statement, “Instead of extracting value from nature and transforming it into wealth, we are using the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the source. We’re making Earth our only shareholder.”  What does this mean exactly? The Chouinard family retains full control with 100% of the voting stocks, but all the profits that are not reinvested back into the business will be funneled through a non-for-profit entity that will focus on fighting climate change.

Take the Patagonia Pledge:

REDUCE
WE make useful gear that lasts a long time.
YOU don’t buy what you don’t need.

REPAIR
WE help you repair your Patagonia gear.
YOU pledge to fix what’s broken.

REUSE
WE help find a home for Patagonia gear you no longer need.
YOU sell or pass it on.

RECYCLE
WE will take back your Patagonia gear that is worn out.
YOU pledge to keep your stuff out of the landfill and incinerator.

REIMAGINE
TOGETHER we reimagine a world where we take only what nature can replace.

We are all in. You?

We raise a glass to Patagonia’s 50^th and we look forward to what’s next.

Read More:

Activism: https://www.patagonia.ca/activism/