Patagonia is an American clothing brand well known to fans of mountain tourism. The history of this cult company could be a screenplay for a movie. Let’s find out a bit about its founder Yvon Chouinard.
The Patagonia logo shows the outline of the Fitz Roy panorama. This brand was established in the United States (in the city of Ventura in sunny California) over 40 years ago, in 1973. The originator of the company is an American climber Yvon Chouinard, who initially dealt with the production of climbing hooks (himself learning blacksmithing for years), but decided that they irreversibly damage rocks and switched to clothing
At first, the brand’s creator sold climbing shirts and shorts, designing the patterns and choosing the materials himself. Over time, Patagonia’s clothing became more and more technologically advanced. One of the biggest sales hits was the Foamback nylon rain jacket. Interestingly, Chouinard used material intended for toilet seat covers to sew the prototype
Yvon Chouinard has successively launched clothes made of materials he designed himself. A good example is Synchilla; a fabric that imitates natural wool, which does not melt (commonly known as fleece). To this day, many models of outdoor clothing made of Synchilla can be found in the company’s product offer. The owner of Patagonia also became famous for introducing colorful clothing for climbers and mountaineers, which was an unusual approach several decades ago. In 1991, the company went through a financial crisis, but today it is doing well. There is no shortage of fans of the brand around the world.
Unlike many popular chain stores, Patagonia cares a lot about the environment. Interestingly, it was the first company in the United States to publish its outdoor collection catalog on recycled paper. Since 1985, 1% of the company’s annual profits have been donated to nature conservation (so far, Patagonia has already donated nearly $50 million to this cause). And since 1996, the brand has been using only organic cotton for its clothing, which deserves praise. Polyester and nylon, on the other hand, are usually recycled. The materials used to sew the company’s products are extremely durable – when you buy Patagonia clothing, you’re making a sound investment for years to come.
The brand’s wide range includes, but is not limited to, specialized clothing dedicated to climbers and mountaineers. We can also find clothing designed for sports enthusiasts such as:
Patagonia offers clothing for men and women and even children.
There is no denying that clothing signed with the Patagonia logo is not for everyone. It is worth noting that behind the high prices there is also great quality. Clothes of this brand are functional, simple, durable and comfortable. Buying a ski jacket for 1000 PLN or a sports backpack for 500 PLN, we can be sure that these items will serve us for years
Patagonia is a brand of reliable clothing that meets the expectations of even the most demanding customers. Almost from the very beginning, Yvon Chouinard, the founder of the company, did not want to make as much profit as possible, but rather to protect the natural environment, which is not a common approach in today’s clothing industry.
