As a fashion lover, I’ve always had a niggling sense of guilt knowing how much of an impact the industry has on the environment. But there is one brand that stands as a beacon of hope in fashion sustainability. That brand is Patagonia.
The story behind Patagonia is truly inspiring. It’s a tale of how one man really can change the world.
Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, didn’t set out to become a world-leading brand owner. He just wanted to pursue his passion for rock climbing. On his climbing adventures, he noticed that his equipment was damaging the landscape, so he designed a rock-friendly alternative.
Fast forward to 1973, Patagonia was born.
Ever since, the B-label company has been involved in various environmental and political campaigns. Patagonia puts its money where its mouth is, donating 100% of sales from Black Friday to environmental groups — which has so far totaled around $10 million.
Yvon has now reached billionaire status as a shareholder in Patagonia. In September 2022, he released a statement titled Earth Is Now Our Only Shareholder.
In this open letter, he describes how he considered selling the company and donating the profits to charity, but he couldn’t trust that the next owner would put the planet at the heart of the brand.
Instead, he’s given away his shares to a trust that will protect Patagonia’s values. The rest of the stock is going to a non-profit called The Holdfast Collective, which will “use every dollar received to fight the environmental crisis, protect nature and biodiversity and support thriving communities.”
Possibly the best part about the brand is that they no longer want to call themselves “sustainable”.
Why not? I hear you asking. They sound pretty sustainable!
Because they recognize that despite their best efforts, by operating in this space they’ll always be contributing to the problem. We love a self-aware, accountable brand.
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