Compass: Charting the Evolution of Outdoor Gear

Patagonia History

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1970

Yvon Chouinard (as Chouinard Equipment) imports cotton rugby shirts for climbers

sew first pair of Stand Up Shorts

open first retail store, Great Pacific Iron Works in Ventura, California

1972

Patagonia incorporated as Great Pacific Iron Works, about 12 employees

1973

Foamback rainwear launched

1975

debut Pile jackets, which would soon account for over half of all sales

1976

introduce casual 'sportswear' (mostly in cotton), sales pass $2 million USD

1977

Yvon Chouinard profiled in New Yorker magazine

1979

introduce 'no pill' double sided Bunting fleece

1980

release long underwear made of ‘expedition weight’ brushed polypropylene

made first Patagonia Kids clothes - a pile jacket and vest

1981

Patagonia and Chouinard Equipment incorporated within Great Pacific Iron Works

1982

first Patagonia catalog printed

launch Baggies shorts

release Shelled Polypropylene Jackets

1983

sell 237,000 pairs of Baggies Shorts

sales growth increased 140%

1984

debut non-breathable 3 layer (with inner scrim) Sealcoat Rainwear (developed with Mont-Bell of Japan)

sales growth purposely slowed to 35%

Yvon Chouinard closes the doors (for a day) to deliver State of Patagonia Address to 170 staff

Patagonia Environmental Program begins to donate 10% of pre-tax profits to environmental and social activists

1985

replaced entire line of polypropylene underwear with new Capilene polyester

introduced pill resistant Synchilla fleece clothing (Malden’s Polarplus - later known as Polartec)

received over 15 dealer (retail shop) enquiries to stock the brand each week, 700 per year

open first dedicated Patagonia retail store in San Francisco

1986

sales pass $24 million

1988

sales now $96 million

introduce their first waterproof/breathable fabric - H2No Storm (Toray Entrant) in the Storm Jacket

1989

hired consultancy to assess environmental impact of wool. cotton, polyester and nylon (all had problems)

introduce range of 650-750 loft down garments

founding member of Conservation Alliance. (with REI, The North Face and Kelty.) [Now more than 160 member companies]

1991

20% of staff retrenched and products lines slashed by 40%

1993

introduce Gore Fabric shellwear, under branding Super Alpine, Pneumatic and Super Pluma, (Pullover weighs 410 grams)

introduce PCR (post consumer recycled) Synchilla, with 80% recycled drink bottle content

1994

PCR Synchilla wins a Backpacker Magazine Editors Choice Award

1995

Sales approach $154 million

1996

Organic cotton is used in all cotton clothing lines

New York Times praises company for almost 60% women in managerial positions.

1999

introduce Regulator fleece midlayers, developed with Malden Mills (now Polartec) lighter, warmer, more compressible

2002

Yvon Chouinard co-founds 1% For the Planet, with Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies, (in 2007 700 members and $30 million)

2004

?? Common Threads Garment Recycling Program launched (customers can return garments for recycling)

2005

?? recycled polyester is used in clothing

Yvon Chouinard authors book "Let My People Go Surfing"

2006

development of the Regulator Wetsuit, using recycled polyester, wool and limestone-based neoprene

2007

recycled Nylon 6 is used in clothing

2008

30 stores and $300 million in sales

2009

$330 million in sales, (26 stores, including six 'outlet' locations, in the U.S)

Patagonia, Inc. now