What’s next? Started by a self-taught blacksmith - Patagonia celebrates 50 years of BUSINESS UNUSUAL

VENTURA, Calif. — Patagonia turns 50 this year and the outdoor apparel company that was started by a self-taught blacksmith is focused on what’s next. Any hope of a thriving planet—much less a thriving business—is going to take all of us doing what we can with the resources we have. At Patagonia, that means being in business to save our home planet and having a lot of fun along the way. 

Join us in looking at what we’ve achieved together, and at the work that lies ahead, to put the planet and people over profit – WATCH THE VID HERE

Since our founding, Patagonia has remained committed to building quality products and doing less harm to the planet. That’s why we’re proud of these 10 pivotal moments when we prioritized the planet over profit: 

 * Changing our business model to protect the places we love by switching from pitons to chocks for alpine climbing (1972)

 * Giving our first environmental grant to a nonprofit that helped save a local surf break (1972), which led us to start giving away 1% of annual sales (1985) and co-found 1% For the Planet (2002)

 * Switching from conventional cotton to organic cotton after formaldehyde sickened our employees (1996)

 * Placing the “Don’t Buy This Jacket” ad on Black Friday (2011)

 * Becoming the first certified B Corporation in California (2012)

 * Establishing Patagonia Provisions (2012)

 * Finding new ways to give back to the planet: Donating 100% of our Black Friday sales to environmental nonprofits (2016)

* Suing the Trump administration to protect Bears Ears National Monument (2017)

 * We are in business to save our home planet becomes our new purpose (2018)    

 * Changing our ownership model: Earth is now our only shareholder (2022)

In our next 50 years, Patagonia will relentlessly focus on quality—quality products, quality connections to nature, quality capitalism. We’ll move away from things that hold us back—expect more collaboration instead of competition, especially as we tackle existential crises like climate change.  

Together, we’ll answer the hardest questions: Can capitalism evolve? What does quality capitalism look like? How can we better rally our community to address the root causes of the climate and ecological crisis? Who are the unexpected partners that will join along the way?

Patagonia is turning 50 and is focused on what’s next. 

Find out more at www.patagonia.com.au/50 and www.patagonia.co.nz/50

 - Supplied by Elle Murrell for Patagonia 

FROM BELINDA BAGGS: 

“I'm proud to be part of a family and company who puts saving our home planet ahead of profits. From the top down, I’ve witnessed so many of my colleagues contribute to making real change. In our daily work we are constantly challenged to always take that one step further toward action on protecting the oceans, waves, and one another,” tells Patagonia surf ambassador Belinda Baggs. “Over the years I've learnt so many valuable lessons at the company, from understanding  responsible business, to how to better support grassroot organisations,” adds Belinda, who is also the co-founder of Surfers for Climate.

“There's no business to be done on a dead planet just like there's no surfing, trail running or healthy happy humans and all living things. We must step up now to be the change we want to see. Patagonia is not sitting idle as our climate is threatened and always stays focused on the solutions. I'm excited about the future and potential of what our outdoor and ocean loving communities can achieve together with a shared goal of saving the places we all love so very much.”