Patagonia Social Impact

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Environmental and Social Impacts of Patagonia, Columbia, and The North Face “It’s important that we don’t think of business as separate from life, separate from the environment.” says Rose Marcario, Patagonia’s president and chief executive officer. While Patagonia is a fair-trade certified, environmentally aware company, Columbia seems to be just the opposite. It is clear that The North Face has tried to follow in the footsteps of their biggest competitor, Patagonia. Patagonia, Columbia Sportswear, and The North Face are all outdoor apparel and sports gear stores, but they each have a very different approach to the social and environmental issues of the fashion industry. Patagonia, being the most ethical of the three companies, has made …show more content…

However, they appear to be somewhat concerned with their environmental impact. Columbia promises to have no forced or slave labor, no child labor, no discrimination, and a safe, hygienic workplace for all of their employees. (“How Sustainable is Columbia”). However, there is no mention that this applies to their supplier chains. The code of conduct for Columbia Sportswear applies only to their own immediate employees; this does not include the impoverished factory workers. Many of these workers do not even get paid a fair living wage for the extensive hours they work everyday, not to mention the often unpaid overtime. Due to these unfair wages, many workers even have to bring their children to work with them. These factories are harsh, cruel establishments where children do not belong. Despite their dismissal of worker conditions, CSC has made a formal statement that says all factory partners have to prevent purchase of any rawhide from cattle raised in the Amazon (“How Sustainable is Columbia”). Columbia is a part of the bluesign paper network, which sets and controls standards for environmentally friendlier and safer production (“How Sustainable is Columbia”). Columbia’s OutDry Eco jacket is one of their most environmentally friendly products. The inside of this jacket is made from 100% recycled polyester, which is made from 21 plastic bottles. The jacket is only available in one color, white. This is because it is dye free, which saves over 13 gallons of water. The trims and hangtags are also made from recycled materials and are printed with soy-based ink. It does not stop there though; these jackets are packaged in a poly bag that is made from sugar cane instead of petroleum. Helen Sahi, the senior director of sustainability adds that “What’s interesting about this green polyethylene is we’re not using food out of the food system…. We’re not

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