[Yuderka]

Yuderka Tejeda
Contemporary Issues in the Fashion Industry
BUF4700

Patagonia’s mission to a Sustainable world

Fashion can be many things, an emotion it invokes, a special memory it arouses, or as an everyday form of self-expression. however, for some fashion is how they feed their children and keep a roof over their head. Fashion is can also be detrimental to their well-being. We live in a society that often values profit margins over human beings. Unethical manufacturing practices are a stain in the fashion industry. Sweatshop workers are overworked and underpaid, they are forced to work under unsafe conditions. They often on a piece-by-piece compensation system to incite productivity through pressure. Another issue in the fashion industry is its detrimental impact on the environment. The main culprit for this is fast fashion. According to the Columbia University climate school, fast fashion is responsible for 10% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions as well as 20% of global water waste. The production also uses more energy than the aviation and shipping sectors combined. It has a terrible impact on the water supply using up to 93 billion metric tons of clean water each year. It’s also responsible for a huge portion of landfill waste with 53 metric tons of clothing being discarded each year. Fashion doesn’t only impact negatively the people who produce it but also the people who live in the surrounding areas where fashion is manufactured. People who live in developing countries are often exposed to food and water that’s contaminated with microplastics that make their way into the rivers and thus become part of the food chain.

Yvon Chouinard is the founder of Patagonia. He was an avid mountain climber who got his start making pitons, which is a tool for rock climbing after teaching himself to blacksmith. His pintos became a demanded commodity in the mountaineering community so it became a business. He didn’t make a huge profit-making the pintos but it was enough to get by while living in his truck and doing what he loved the most, climbing at the Rockies. Then he partnered up with Tom Frost they started selling rugby shirts with were ideal because they were built strong for the rugby sport. The collars kept the hardware from cutting into his neck when climbing. With his love of nature and climbing came Patagonia

In a lengthy post shared on the Patagonia website, they emphasized the importance of making sure that everyone involved in every step of the manufacturing process from farming to production was treated humanely and were provided with safe and healthy working conditions. In 1999 they accepted to join a task force created by President Clinton to put an end to child labor and unethical practices. They have been working within their supply chain to reduce their environmental footprint according to their website. They have successfully achieved being at 100% renewable energy but acknowledge they still have hurdles they’re determined to overcome.

Their mission is to protect nature, they want to be pioneers in sustainability. They also highlight the importance of quality garments that last and can be recyclable or repairable.

They manufacture in 16 different countries including China. On their website, they claim it is due in part to the lack of availability of US textile manufacturing facilities due to trade agreements that increased outsourcing. Patagonia pushed back against NAFTA and paid nationwide newspaper ads in opposition because not only will this eliminate jobs for American workers but it would have a detrimental impact on the environment. Patagonia is a machine made with organic cotton and made to last and be easily reparable. They use an independent verification firm called blue sign technologies which ensures that companies are taking the proper actions to minimize environmental harm.

According to Forbes Patagonia brings in 800 million in revenue per year so they are successful, but they also state on their website that to ensure their workers get a fair wage they must pay more which may explain the price tag Patagonia markets to ages 18-35 with disposable income and love for the outdoors. Patagonia however, has expanded far beyond the backcountry into the cities where fashionable people wear it with pride.

works cited
Patagonia Clothing: Made Where? How? Why? (n.d.). Patagonia. Retrieved March 5, 2022, from https://www.patagonia.com/stories/patagonia-clothing-made-where-how-why/story-18467.html

https://www.earth.columbia.edu/