The responsible company

I've read and heard about Yvon Chouinard and Patagonia for a while, enjoyed his book Let My People Go Surfing very much, but today is the first time I've actually shopped at Patagonia.

How awesome it is to be shopping at a company that you know has its heart in the right place.

 Here are some of the cool things I've picked up about them.

• They strive to make timeless clothes, not fashion items, so that you may keep them and use them longer instead of throwing them out and buying new.
• They have built up a large department of people who can repair your clothes when they break, so you can keep it and don't have to buy new clothes.
• They have a partnership with eBay to help you sell your used clothes, so they may be passed on.
• They even have a section on their website dedicated to helping you resell your used clothes.
• They realized that cotton is one of the most damaging materials, environmentally, economically, and socially.
• They work on using materials that don't damage the environment and which the planet can renew.
• They take care to make good-quality products that will last a long time.
• They treat their employees with respect.

I bought a couple of short-sleeved shirts. They were $75 each. I thought that was a little expensive. I felt like they should cost $50. Maybe I'm wrong - I'm not that great with prices. (I remember a candidate for prime minister in Denmark being asked in an election what a quart of milk cost, and not knowing the answer, and that seemingly meaning he was out of touch with ordinary citizens … I'd have no idea - and I don't care!). 

But my point is: Am I willing to pay an extra $25 for a shirt from a company that does business the way I just outlined?

Hell yes! Any time.

So I bought a couple of shirts and Phoebe got some nice stuff as well, and we walked away feeling great about the purchase.

It makes me happy and proud to see companies rewarded financially for doing the right thing at a big scale.