Patagonia is involved in many innovative, eco-friendly ventures which are clear with the fabric and procedures it uses to manufacture its supply. The company is currently venturing on creating an entire plant-based, green swim costume in association with Yulex. The rubber used, comes from a Guayule plant, which creates a non-biodegradable, organic byproduct. Utilizing this after processing is a step towards replacing petroleum inspired synthetic material by it.
Patagonia too uses H2No fabric technology to make a durable resistant free swim wear, not consisting polytetrafluoroethene (PTFE) chemical compound which is sufficiently harmful for environment, and is used to make breathable membrane of the swimsuit.
The company Patagonia was started by Yvon Chouinard in Burbank; a city in Southern California, at his parents’ backyard. Today, the firm’s headquarters are located in Ventura, which besides being nearer to home has natural habitat benefits of its own.
Supply chain of Patagonia is definitely more complex but greener now as compared to when it was established. It is spread over 45 factories and suppliers in 14 different countries. Today, Patagonia uses gray goose down in their insulated garments due to its excellent compressibility. They too offer multiple styles and shapes of these garments having different grades; the higher is the down’s grade, the more efficient it is. Since down clothes being complex to manufacture; the company makes sure that the employees or workers who are manufacturing the product aren’t negatively health-effected by it in any way, by extreme inhalation of the fiber. They are required to wear masks and the manufacturing areas are strictly sealed. Providing a health-check by the company definitely serves as a positive aspect for its human resource development and growth.
Apart from being beneficial for the company to produce their product with the best raw material, it has also served controversial for the firm, the treatment and processes of feeding the geese to fatten the livers for foie gras, and for mass production although they deny it, claiming that Traceable Down is used by them to ensure environmental health check.
The company also uses multiple types of e-fibers for manufacturing its clothing line. These fibers use fewer amounts of toxins and synthetic irrigation which is a plus for company’s eco-friendly policies. The company constantly evaluates and checks its materials to assess environmental hazards it may be posing. They follow serious code of conduct and fair labor policies to ensure the firm doesn’t get involved in ethnic propagandas.
The company faces a major issue regarding the process variability of its product. It naturally creates a higher risk for negative marketing for the company and down sale of its products, for being involved in controversies regarding the manner of production and processing of down goose. Patagonia has denied the case and has ensured that they use the Traceable Down in their Ultralight down products.
Patagonia has made many social endeavors to safeguard environment. It has worked with bluesign Standard along with many others to ensure improving environmental processes during production. Patagonia has been working with them since 2000 and currently its products are bluesign-approved until 2015. The five important factors which the bluesign assesses are namely: resource productivity, safety of consumer, water emission, air emission, and employee’s safety and health.
Works Cited
Aschim, H. (2013, June 20). Patagonia's Plant-Based Wetsuit. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from Cool Hunting: http://www.coolhunting.com/tech/patagonias-plant-based-wetsuit.php
Evo . (n.d.). Patagonia H2No Fabric Technologies. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from Evo : http://www.evo.com/patagonia-h2no-fabric-technologies.aspx
Patagonia. (n.d.). Becoming a Responsible Company -bluesign Standards. Retrieved November 2013, 2013, from Patagonia: http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=68401
Patagonia. (1967). Company Info: Our History. Retrieved 11 6, 2013, from Patagonia: http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=3351
Patagonia. (n.d.). The Footprint Chronicles: Our Supply Chain -Reference Library. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from Patagonia: http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=68363
Patagonia. (2013, July 10). The Footprint Chronicles: Our Supply Chain -The Lowdown on Down. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from Patagonia: http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=86213
