Patagonia: From Mountain Trails to Trailblazing
“I am dead serious about saving the planet.”
Who knew an athletic wear brand could be so popular on Wall Street? This niche combination, I’m sure, has led you all to believe I am talking about Patagonia. But it’s not just the finance bros that are rocking it. From teens to grey-haired hikers alike, I find myself somewhere in the mix. Wearing the brand gives a feeling of support to the environment - something Leonardo DiCaprio would be proud of. If you have felt this sway of sustainability towards environmentally-conscious purchases, you might want to add another sweater to your cart, as the founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, has just donated the company’s profits to fight for climate change.
It has always been about the hand-me-downs for Yvon Chouinard. His original intention was for the clothes to last for years, not fashion seasons. This definitely rings true with Patagonia’s chilled-out & vintage look, making the clothes appear timeless. This exists down to the apparel’s threads as Patagonia has taken the lead in using recycled nylon and polyester fabrics. Sure, the brand might have had some mishaps along the way, but Patagonia has taken the time to re-evaluate their brand and clothing production process. ‘A risky business decision’, as Wall Street may put it.
The riskiest decision, or rather boldest of them all, was just taken recently by Chouinard in deciding to transfer Patagonia’s ownership to a non-profit called Holdfast Collective. With the brand being valued at three billion dollars, this move is definitely not common in the fashion industry. This is on brand for Patagonia, though, as they have always been trailblazers for sustainability in clothing.
This epiphany started with Chouinard seeing his name being listed as a billionaire in a Forbes magazine and how much it “pissed him off.” This was never his intention, as he always had a longstanding disregard for business norms and needed to find a way to relieve himself of the company’s fortunes. It seems Chouinard also disliked nepotism babies, as he ruled out the option of passing down the company. The non-profit route being the most optimal one will advocate for the environment just as the company has always done before. In simple terms, every dollar received will be used to “fight the environmental crisis, protect nature and biodiversity, and support thriving communities, as quickly as possible.”
This has definitely blown Patagonia’s possible greenwashing claims out of the water (pun intended). Hopefully its environmental activism will open up a conversation about much needed action in the fashion industry. With sustainability simply being a buzzword used to trick consumers, corporations seem to be taking little action to reduce their environmental harm.
