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The rise of Patagonia: How rock climber and activist Yvon Chouinard created one of the world's biggest outdoor brands from the trunk of his carhttps://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/the-rise-of-patagonia-how-rock-climber-and-activist-yvon-chouinard-created-one-of-the-worldaposs-biggest-outdoor-brands-from-the-trunk-of-his-car/slidelist/94266333.cms2022-09-17T15:48:06+05:30

The rise of Patagonia: How rock climber and activist Yvon Chouinard created one of the world's biggest outdoor brands from the trunk of his car

Bethany BironSep 17, 2022, 15:48 IST

Patagonia was founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard, who is married with two children, now in their 40s.

The company was built out of Chouinard's love for the outdoors. He was a passionate mountain climber at the ripe age of 14.

Chouinard grew interested in climbing while a member of the California Falconry Club, when a leader taught the group how to scale cliffs to find falcon nests leading to a "lifelong love or rock climbing," according to the company.

As Chouinard expanded his climbing experiences, he grew his network of friends in groups like the Sierra Club and learned to scale iconic peaks like Tahquitz and Yosemite.

Chouinard began teaching himself how to be a blacksmith in 1957, starting with making pitons, which are spikes mounted into rock to help support a climber. He quickly developed a following, and began selling them from his parents' backyard in Burbank, California, to friends and family.

His real passion, though, was being outside, climbing and surfing along the California coast. He continued selling the gear from his car to support himself, but "profits were slim," and Chouinard would eat discounted tins of cat food for sustenance.

Ready for a new adventure, in 1965 Chouinard teamed up with Tom Frost to create Chouinard Equipment, with a focus on redesigning climbing tools to make them "stronger, lighter, simpler, and more functional."

Inspired by Chouinard's use of a rugby shirt he picked up in Scotland — which worked well on climbs because the collar stopped slings from digging into his neck — the company decided to take a stab at making its own apparel.

Over the next few years, Patagonia introduced rugby shirts, raincoats, gloves, mittens, and hats to its catalogue.

In 1973, the company opened its first store, Great Pacific Iron Works in Ventura, California. Today it serves as the company headquarters.

Throughout the next decade, Patagonia worked on developing new forms of apparel — including specialty outerwear and long underwear — designed to keep climbers warm and dry.

The company experimented with different types of fabrics and materials. It also began using its signature bright, bold colors for its clothing.

By the late 80s and early 90s, the company established a culture known for its community spirit and love of outdoor sports.

Its headquarters had no private offices, and employees were allowed to wear whatever they pleased.

Employees were encouraged to take surf breaks. Chouinard's laid-back approach to management is detailed in his memoir, "Let My People Go Surfing."

It was also during this period that the company made an increased effort to support environmental efforts, and in 1988 Patagonia kicked off its first major campaign to protect Yosemite Valley.

Similar efforts continued over the years, and the company began making regular donations to grassroots environmental organizations. It later debuted its 1% for the Planet effort, in which 1% of all sales are directed to these groups.

Patagonia continued to make waves on the sustainability front, including with major campaigns like the 2011 Black Friday "Don't Buy This Jacket" ads, which urged customers to reduce their consumption.

Despite its focus on activism, Patagonia hasn't been impervious to controversy. In 2015, an expose from The Atlantic reported that internal audits showed "multiple instances of human trafficking, forced labor, and exploitation in Patagonia's supply chain."

Over the past decade, the company continued to expand its reach, including launching its own line of food, designed for hiking and camping called Patagonia Provisions.

Today, Patagonia has more than 70 stores globally and operates two distribution centers.

In April 2017, Patagonia announced the launch of Worn Wear, a program in which customers can return old gear and apparel, and receive credit toward a new item.

The company then mends the used items and resells them on its Worn Wear website.

In 2020, Patagonia took its activism to new heights when it sued former President Donald Trump over plans to reduce the size of two national monuments in Utah. The lawsuit came in tandem with an awareness campaign, "The President Stole Your Land."

In an unprecedented move, Chouinard announced this week he is giving away Patagonia, with all profits going into a new trust established to fight climate change.

The company, which is valued at around $3 billion, will now be owned by the Patagonia Purpose Trust and Holdfast Collective.

Often described as a "reluctant billionaire," Chouinard still embodies the same adventurous and unfettered spirit of his youth. According to The New York Times, the 83-year-old who was born in Maine "wears raggedy old clothes, drives a beat-up Subaru" and "does not own a computer or a cellphone."

"I never wanted to be a businessman," he wrote in his Wednesday statement. "I started as a craftsman, making climbing gear for my friends and myself, then got into apparel."

He continued: "Despite its immensity, the Earth's resources are not infinite, and it's clear we've exceeded its limits. But it's also resilient. We can save our planet if we commit to it."

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