Patagonia is a designer of outdoor clothing and gear for the silent sports: climbing, surfing, skiing and snowboarding, fly fishing, and trail running.
Since its founding in 1973, Patagonia has dedicated its influence and resources to preserve the natural world. Starting with an essay urging climbers to rethink their equipment to protect the rock they ascend to pioneering the use of organic cotton, the company has explored how to use business for good. In 2018, Patagonia changed its purpose to “We’re in business to save our home planet,” and in September 2022, Chouinard and his family gave up ownership of the company. Patagonia is now managed by the Patagonia Purpose Trust and a nonprofit called the Holdfast Collective. The Purpose Trust locks in the company’s values, and all money not reinvested back into the business is given as a dividend to the Holdfast Collective to fight the climate and ecological crisis.
Founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, Patagonia is an outdoor apparel company based in Ventura, California. As a certified B Corporation and a founding member of 1% for the Planet, the company is recognized internationally for its product quality and environmental activism, as well as its contributions of nearly $200 million to environmental organizations. Its unique ownership structure reflects that Earth is its only shareholder: Profits not reinvested back into the business are paid as dividends to protect the planet.
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