1973 : Founding Patagonia The founding of Patagonia in 1973 provided Yvon with a larger platform to implement his sustainability vision . From the outset , Patagonia was designed to be a company that would inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis . Yvon ’ s approach was revolutionary for its time , prioritising environmental impact alongside product quality and profitability .
One of Patagonia ’ s earliest sustainability initiatives was the switch to organic cotton in 1996 . After learning about the harmful effects of conventional cotton farming , Yvon made the bold decision to transition the entire Patagonia line to organic cotton within 18 months , despite the significant challenges and costs involved . This move set a new standard for the industry and demonstrated Yvon ’ s willingness to prioritise environmental concerns over short-term profits .
Walk into Patagonia ’ s headquarters in California and you will see the company ’ s core belief etched into the building : “ We ’ re in business to save our home planet .”
1 % for the Planet Yvon ’ s influence extended beyond Patagonia . In 2002 , he co-founded 1 % for the Planet , an alliance of businesses that pledge to donate 1 % of their sales to environmental causes . This initiative has since grown to include thousands of member businesses and has channelled millions of dollars into environmental conservation efforts .
Patagonia ’ s sustainability initiatives Under Yvon ’ s leadership , Patagonia implemented numerous groundbreaking sustainability initiatives .
The company introduced its “ Worn Wear ” programme in 2013 , encouraging customers to repair and reuse their
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