Patagonia’s founder has given away his company to help fight climate change—7 other clothing brands dedicated to going green
On Wednesday, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard announced that he was transferring ownership of the company to the Holdfast Collective environmental nonprofit to help fight the climate crisis.
"Earth is now our only shareholder," Chouinard declared in the statement posted on Patagonia's website. From now on, every dollar received by Patagonia will go towards combatting the environmental crisis that continues to threaten the globe. If Patagonia's profits stay the same, it's expected that $100 million will go towards this cause annually.
Patagonia isn't the only clothing brand dedicated to protecting the planet we call home. If you want to shop at companies like Patagonia that are environmentally conscious, we've got you covered with a list of stores that are dedicated to going green.
Columbia's water tower provides clean drinking water to thousands of people.
Columbia doesn't just provide a variety of outdoor apparel; it also provides drinking water to 15,000 people per day. Since 2016, Columbia Sportswear has partnered with Planet Water to bring clean water to disadvantaged communities worldwide. Since the beginning of the partnership, Columbia has built 24 water towers across the globe. The company also aims to reduce its emissions by 30% by 2030. “Now, more than ever, we have to do our part to ensure the outdoors is for everyone,” said Abel Navarrete, vice president of Columbia's Sustainability and Community Impact Division.
With The North Face Renewed, you can shop reused, sustainable clothing.
The North Face is a premier brand for outdoor wear and has made great strides in sustainability. Thanks to its Renewed line, you can buy clothing and gear that's been repaired and reconditioned for new use. It also offers new sustainable products marked with an "Exploration Without Compromise" badge, which signifies they are made with 75% or greater recycled, regenerative or responsibly sourced renewable materials. The North Face hopes to use 100% responsibly sourced materials and eliminate single-use plastics by 2025.
Madewell partners with a variety of sustainable organizations.
No matter what you buy from Madewell, you can rest assured you're shopping from an environmentally-conscious company. Madewell partners with a variety of organizations to give back. For example, during Giving Tuesday, Madewell helped plant 15,000 trees by matching every $1 donation to the National Forest Foundation. The brand has also partnered with Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green™ program to turn old jeans into housing insulation. By 2025, the company hopes that 100% of its key fibers will be sustainably-sourced and free of non-recycled plastics.
Rothy's stylish shoes are made from recycled water bottles.
Rothy’s has made a name for itself with its stylish shoes and bags. Remarkably, every item you see on its site is made from recycled water bottles. More than 125 million water bottles have been repurposed into the thread to make Rothy’s shoes. If that wasn't enough, over 400,000 pounds of coastal, marine plastic waste has been collected for use in Rothy's handbags and accessories. Its products continue to be sustainable even after you buy them because of their durability and the fact that they’re machine-washable, meaning that they last longer.
When you buy from Outdoor Voices, you're buying clothes made from sustainable materials.
Almost every aspect of Outdoor Voices has sustainability in mind. Its activewear is designed to last and is made with closed-loop materials that can be indefinitely recycled. The company is reducing its use of traditional materials in favor of sustainable alternatives, such as packaging that is made of recycled materials. If that wasn't enough, its headquarters runs a carless commuter program and its storefronts use sustainable materials such as recycled rubber flooring.
Allbirds is working to emit zero emissions by 2030.
Allbirds uses sustainable and energy-non-intensive materials such as Marino sheep wool in order to reduce its carbon footprint. According to the company, one recycled plastic bottle equals one pair of shoelaces. The brand aims to cut its emissions in half by 2025 and have net zero emissions by 2030. In the meantime, Allbirds is funding initiatives that offset carbon emissions such as working with a cattle grazing project in Argentina to discover more about regenerative wool.
Each product you buy from United by Blue removed one pound of trash.
United by Blue has been dedicated to protecting the environment since its creation, with the company organizing its first community cleanup the same week that it sold its very first t-shirt. "The overwhelming amount of trash in the environment is polluting our beaches, choking our wildlife, and contaminating our drinking water – and we’re committed to doing something about it," writes the company on its mission page. For every product purchased, United by Blue removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways, with its running total being 4,321,016 pounds of trash already cleaned. The company has several community cleanups scheduled for the rest of the year and offers a cleanup kit for purchase if there isn't a cleanup being held near you.
