In 1973, alpinist Yvon Chouinard founded Patagonia, Inc., now one of the most well-known American retailers of outdoor clothing. Patagonia has hundreds of stores in over 10 countries spanning five continents.
Yvon worked to ensure the company led on ethical environmental standards. Since 1985, Patagonia has set aside 1% of net revenues to finance grassroots environmental groups in the U.S. and abroad. Between 1985-2019 Patagonia contributed $116 million to the 1% for the Planet® non-profit.*
And in May 2013 Patagonia launched Tin Shed Ventures which provides seed funding to environmentally and socially responsible start-ups.
Patagonia now has a program called Worn Wear that lets you buy used, trade in, or fix your gear.
This isn’t an ad for Patagonia. It’s a call for other companies to follow their lead.
How can you help? When you choose between products and opt for one made by a socially responsible company, write to the competitor and tell them why you didn’t buy their product.