Patagonia History

The brainchild of Yvon Chouinard, a climbing and surfing enthusiast, Patagonia has grown in 30+ years from climbing equipment company under the name Chouinard Equipment to the preeminent environmentally focused outerwear brand. Born from a need for reusable hard metal pitons, Chouinard Equipment began in a Tin Shed in Burbank, California, and was marketed from the trunk of a car to climbing enthusiasts. In 1972, Chouinard began selling clothing to supplement his climbing catalog. The new clothing company, Patagonia, developed a following due to innovative fabrics like Synchilla and Capilene. Later, Patagonia lead the industry with bright colors, which were positively blasphemous in the then drab outdoor outerwear market. After rapid growth was followed by drastic cuts during the recession of 1991, Patagonia revised its business plan to be more modest and focused on core products. Today Patagonia maintains its focus on sustainable products and social responsibility, and its employees still take breaks to go surfing during lunch.