Patagonia
Outdoor Apparel · Repair Program · Worn Wear · Patagonia Provisions
Brand Overview
Patagonia was founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard as a climbing equipment company. Over five decades it has become the global benchmark for mission-driven outdoor apparel — a company that builds excellent gear and treats environmental activism as a core business function, not a marketing add-on.
In 2022, Chouinard transferred ownership of Patagonia to the Patagonia Purpose Trust and the Holdfast Collective — an environmental nonprofit. This means every dollar of profit not reinvested in the business goes directly to fighting the climate crisis. It is one of the most significant corporate governance decisions in modern business history.
PWW rates Patagonia 8.4/10 on the PWW Integrity Score — one of the highest ratings on the site — for its Fair Trade certified factories, 1% for the Planet founding membership, Worn Wear repair program, multi-tier supply chain transparency, and unique mission-first ownership structure.
Why PWW Features Patagonia
1% for the Planet
Founding member since 2002. Patagonia has given over $140 million to environmental causes through this commitment.
Fair Trade Certified
Fair Trade certified factories across multiple product lines — worker premiums built into every purchase.
Worn Wear
Patagonia's repair and resale program extends the life of every garment. Free repairs, trade-ins, and a used gear marketplace.
Ownership for the Planet
In 2022, founder Yvon Chouinard transferred company ownership so that every dollar of profit not reinvested goes to fighting the climate crisis.
Worn Wear — The Repair Program
Worn Wear is Patagonia's commitment to keeping clothing in use as long as possible. It includes:
- → Free repairs — Patagonia repairs its garments, in-store or by mail, for the life of the product
- → Worn Wear marketplace — buy and sell used Patagonia gear at reduced prices
- → Ironclad Guarantee — if a product fails for any reason, Patagonia will fix, replace, or refund it
- → Trade-in — return old gear for store credit when you no longer need it
This is a direct implementation of the Clothing Equity framework — extending product life, providing consumer value recovery, and reducing textile waste at the system level.
Patagonia Provisions
Patagonia Provisions is a food brand focused on regenerative agriculture — sourcing ingredients from farms that rebuild soil health rather than deplete it. It extends Patagonia's environmental mission beyond apparel into food systems, demonstrating the brand's commitment to systemic change rather than incremental product improvements.
PWW Evaluation Summary
✓ Strengths
- ✓Worn Wear repair and resale program extends the life of every garment
- ✓Ironclad Guarantee supports product longevity — repairs for the life of the product
- ✓Fair Trade Certified factory participation with worker premiums on every purchase
- ✓Published supplier transparency across Tier 1, 2, and 3 factories
- ✓1% for the Planet founding member — over $140 million given to environmental causes
- ✓Mission-driven ownership structure: profits legally directed to fighting climate change
- ✓Strong use of recycled polyester, organic cotton, and responsibly sourced wool and down
⚠ Areas for Continued Improvement
- ⚠Synthetic fibers remain necessary in many performance outdoor products
- ⚠Recycled synthetics still shed microfibers during use and washing
- ⚠Not a plastic-free apparel company by category design
- ⚠Packaging policies are stronger than many competitors but not yet fully plastic-free
PWW challenges Patagonia to extend its exceptional mission by publishing a plastic-free packaging policy and investing in natural-fiber performance materials.
PWW Integrity Score
MethodologyPWW Integrity Score v1.0
Patagonia
8.4
/ 10
These scores are preliminary and intended to evolve as additional research and data become available. See full methodology.
Affiliate Disclosure
PWW has an affiliate relationship with Patagonia. When you purchase through links on this page, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. This relationship does not influence our editorial assessment. Patagonia's PWW Integrity Score reflects independent evaluation using the PWW framework.
Shop Patagonia
Purchases through PWW links help support independent consumer advocacy, fit research, and educational content at no extra cost to you.
Shop Patagonia Clothing