The activist outdoor company that exists to save the planet.
Photo credit: Patagonia
Patagonia is an outdoor apparel and gear company founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard, widely regarded as one of the most influential impact-driven businesses ever built. The company makes high-performance clothing and equipment for climbing, surfing, skiing, trail running, and fly fishing, with a supply chain built around organic cotton, recycled materials, and Fair Trade Certified factories. In 2022, Chouinard transferred ownership of Patagonia to the Patagonia Purpose Trust and the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting the environmental crisis. This structure ensures that all profits not reinvested in the business go directly to environmental causes, approximately $100 million per year. Patagonia operates one of the most scrutinized and respected environmental programs in consumer goods, including its Worn Wear repair initiative, product take-back programs, and decades of activist grantmaking through its 1% for the Planet founding membership.
