Patagucci... JK Patagonia

A retail brand that I believe is socially and ethically responsible is Patagonia inc., or as my friends and I call it, Patagucci. This company was founded in the city I live, Ventura, CA. It has a strong reputation as a good quality outdoor brand and I have encountered it a lot at my job as a fashion buyer for Buffalo Exchange. They have a cult like following and their items are usually deemed highly desirable. My store also donates 5 cents to charity when guests opt out of using a bag, and one of the donations we contribute to is part of the Patagonia Action Works program called Ventura Land Trust. 

As for Patagonia's social responsibility they say "We're in business to save our home planet. We aim to use the resources we have - our voice, our business, and our community - to do something about our climate crisis. We hold our suppliers (and ourselves) to the highest environmental and social standards in the industry. We lean on industry tools and standards to manage this process, and when rigorous enough standards don’t exist, we create them. Over the years, we have developed several programs to investigate our impact across our business, from our farms to our stores (Patagonia Inc., n.d.)." These programs include: Fair Trade, Fair Labor Association, Regenerative Organic Certified Program, Migrant Workers, and Living Wage. 

However, the company has been accused of being involved in incidents in which they were not conducting business ethically. A current legal issue the brand faces is being named in a lawsuit for forced labor practices in China. Patagonia, among other brands, are accused by the European Center for Constitutional Rights of "directly or indirectly abetting and profiting from the forced labor of Uyghur Muslims in the region, which supplies more than one fifth of the world’s cotton (Adegeest, 2021)."

Overall I believe this company is truly green for the environment and not just for profit. They are leaders when it comes to environmentalism by being so actively involved in projects that take initiative to enact change and better practices. Far too many companies, especially 'fast fashion' brands, are not taking responsibility for their impact on the world around them, and simply pass the burden onto the consumer. When called out on issues, Patagonia takes the obstacle as an opportunity to do better, and people respond to that kind of integrity with respect and loyalty. It's very apparent this company is centered around their "why," their values and morals.

References:

Adegeest, D. (2021, December 7). Nike, Patagonia named in European lawsuit as being complicit in “forced labour” practices in Xinjiang, China. FashionUnited. https://fashionunited.com/news/fashion/nike-patagonia-named-in-european-lawsuit-as-being-complicit-in-forced-labour-practices-in-xinjiang-china/2021120644306

Patagonia Inc. (n.d.). Corporate Social Responsibility - Patagonia. Patagonia. https://www.patagonia.com/social-responsibility/