Patagonia: The Footprint Chronicles http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/footprint/index.jsp Our reason for being is to make the best product and cause no unnecesary harm. Yet we are keenly aware that everything we do as a business - or have done in our name - leaves its mark on the environment. As yet, there is no such thing as a sustainable business but every day we take steps to lighten our footprint and do less harm. The Footprint Chronicles allows you to track the impact of a specific Patagonia product from design through delivery. http://www.thecleanestline.com/images/reader_logo.gif Patagonia http://www.patagonia.com/ 136 27 Mon, 8 Sep 2008 20:00:35 PDT en-us Cashmere Hoody Mon, 8 Sep 2008 20:00:26 PDT The Good:
Cashmere wool is an extraordinarily soft, efficient insulator that works when wet and has natural odor control. Although we don't yet recycle used wool garments, they potentially can be reprocessed.

The Bad:
Cashmere goats thrive in a high-desert climate, where it?s easier to overgraze than not. So it's important (but difficult) to trace the wool to the source.

What We Think:
We think we've, found for the moment, the best possible way to source cashmere. Next step: recyclability.

]]> Down Sweater Mon, 8 Sep 2008 20:00:25 PDT The Good:
We use high-quality goose down, an exceptionally efficient insulator. The down comes from humanely-raised geese and is minimally processed. The light shell is made of recycled polyester.

The Bad:
We had to increase the weight of the shell fabric when we switched to recycled polyester. The zipper is treated with a DWR that contains perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a synthetic chemical that is now persistent in the environment, and the product is not yet recyclable.

What We Think:
We're investigating alternatives to the use of PFOA in water repellents and looking for ways to recycle down garments.

]]> Freightliner Mon, 8 Sep 2008 20:00:24 PDT The Good:
The Freightliner is durable and repairable; it uses recycled polyester for both the hard molded plastic and fabric components. We've eliminated PVC, and use no leather. We've minimized the use of webbing (which to date can't be made of recycled material).

The Bad:
The Freightliner is heavy and its components are not recyclable.

What We Think:
Durability is an environmental benefit. Recyclability would be a plus. So would having in place resources to rebuild luggage (the hard components in most cases will outlast the fabric).

]]> Talus Jacket Mon, 8 Sep 2008 20:00:22 PDT The Good:
This warm, windproof, highly breathable and water-resistant soft shell, for technical use in cold conditions, is recyclable through our Common Threads Recycling Program.

The Bad:
The water-repellent finish contains perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a synthetic chemical that is now persistent in the environment. We're researching alternatives but, for the present, the finish is key to garment performance.

What We Think:
A completely recyclable shell is a great achievement. Next task: a less harmful finish - plus fabric, trims, zippers and zipper pulls with recycled content.

]]> T-Shirts Mon, 8 Sep 2008 20:00:20 PDT The Good:
Lots: We use organic cotton exclusively. Customers may recycle their used tees through our Common Threads Recycling Program. And we knit, dye, cut, sew and print our tees right here in Southern California.

The Bad:
Even organically produced cotton harms the environment; no form of agriculture as practiced is fully sustainable. Moreover, growing cotton is water-intensive. And though the majority of the inks we use are PVC-free, our tees won't be completely PVC-free until spring 2009.

What We Think:
T-shirts, as our most popular clothing item, reflect every bit of environmental knowledge we possess. But every human activity pollutes and, alas, our tees are no exception.

]]> Polo Shirt Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:27 PDT The Good:
We have used 100% organic cotton since 1996 for this product and achieve a high quality with resin-free finishing.

The Bad:
Though this supplier has been supplying us organic cotton for 12 years, organic only comprises 5% of their business. We wish more companies were willing to go organic.

What We Think:
Although more manufacturers use organic cotton, cost and logistics remain formidable barriers to a widespread industry switch.

]]> Pucherware Shirt Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:26 PDT The Good:
The Puckerware Shirt employs a seersucker weave for a nonstick, air-conditioned drape and a blended yarn to achieve the desired performance: 65% polyester for strength, easy care and quickness to dry; 35% all-organic cotton for comfort and softness.

The Bad:
We use recycled polyester in other parts of the line but have had trouble finding the right recycled poly for Puckerware shirts. The fabrics we developed failed their initial lab tests. We don't yet know for sure when we can switch to recycled fabric.

What We Think:
Even a simple environmental problem, like finding suitable, high-quality recycled polyester for blended shirting, can be technically difficult or expensive to solve. We'll keep you posted on developments.

]]> Nine Trails Shorts Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:25 PDT The Good:
The fabric is technically excellent. And Everest Textile, the supplier, has committed to meet the bluesign® standard for environmental health and safety for every product they make. Because Everest is only a few months into the process, this product is not yet certified.

The Bad:
The fabric as yet is neither recycled (we use virgin polyester) nor recyclable (its high spandex content, necessary for performance, precludes recycling). Moreover we use a water-resistant finish that persists in the environment.

What We Think:
To meet the bluesign environmental standard is great, but we have more work to do. The shorts should be recycled and recyclable. And is this finish critical to performance?

]]> Capilene 3 Bottoms Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:24 PDT The Good:
Capilene® 3 polyester employs 64% recycled content without sacrificing performance or comfort and it's 100% recyclable. We've also found a natural way to control odor without reliance on metals or antimicrobials (to which bacteria develop resistance).

The Bad:
To achieve the performance we need and durability, an important attribute for low environmental impact we still use 36% virgin polyester.

What We Think:
We're happy to make an important product with 64% recycled content and 100% recyclable as well. Next step: 100% recycled content, without loss of durability.

]]> Vitaliti Strappy Dress Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:23 PDT The Good:
Vitaliti clothes need to stretch well, dry fast and be slow to wrinkle. To achieve this we use a plaited blend of 61% organic cotton, 30% recycled polyester and 9% spandex.

The Bad:
Because we buy spandex as a commodity we can't trace its environmental impacts to their sources. Moreover, we can't yet recycle products made of cotton/poly blends.

What We Think:
Vitaliti is in many ways an environmentally conscious fabric. But it needs be recyclable. And we need to learn the supply chain of our spandex to determine its environmental footprint.

]]> Sugar & Spice Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:22 PDT The Good:
If one of the three major components upper, TPU frame or outsole wears out faster than the others you can replace it without buying a whole new shoe. The Sugar & Spice also uses minimal glue. And you can leave the dirty, detachable outsole on the doormat when you wish.

The Bad:
Because the individual components are separate, we should be able to recycle them as they wear out. But this practice is new to the footwear industry and we haven't yet developed the infrastructure with our suppliers to accomplish this.

What We Think:
It's a great idea to make a shoe with replacement components and minimal glue. Plus the aesthetics are right. Next task: recyclability.

]]> Wool 2 Crew Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:21 PDT The Good:
The wool comes from superbly run sheep ranches, at the base of New Zealand's Southern Alps, whose environmental standards are stringent and ratio of head to hectare low. Our dyeing factory uses no heavy metals for our goods. And we use a domestic sewing factory that has worked with us for more than 20 years.

The Bad:
The distance the wool travels from sheep to purchasable garment is 16,200 miles. It wends its way from New Zealand to Malaysia to Japan to a Los Angeles port before reaching our Distribution Center in Reno, Nevada. This is not sustainable.

What We Think:
The ranching is sound; the knitting factory employs the best available practices; and the quality of the sewing is first rate. But the multicontinental shipping adds environmental cost.

]]> Synchilla Vest Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:20 PDT The Good:
100% recycled content reduces our dependency on nonrenewable resources. The North American supply chain keeps the production geographically close. And the Synchilla Vest is recyclable through our Common Threads Garment Recycling Program.

The Bad:
Truck travel incurs higher emissions than other transport. Because trucks are used throughout this supply chain, the emissions are higher than for some products coming across the ocean by ship.

What We Think:
Though a supply chain that is geographically close is intuitively better, it is not always the case environmentally.

]]> Eco Rain Shell Jacket Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:19 PDT The Good:
All polyester components (shell and lining) are 100% recycled to save energy and reduce CO2 emissions. The processes used are quite efficient, and produce little waste in the supply chain.

The Bad:
The water-repellent finish contains perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a synthetic chemical that is now persistent in the environment. We're researching alternatives, but for the present the finish is key to garment performance.

What We Think:
It should still be called the Eco Rain Shell because it causes less environmental harm than comparable shells. But the use of PFOA in a key technical component reflects the complexities involved.

]]> Honeydew Shoe Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:18 PDT The Good:
Made from 70% natural latex, a renewable material, which reduces our dependency on petroleum-based options. Stitched construction uses little water-based solvents. The tannery treats its water to U.S. standards and uses steam and solar power to displace fuel consumption.

The Bad:
Footwear packaging is a wasteful business, using too many resources and too much space during transport. Though natural latex avoids petroleum, we don't know anything about how it is extracted. Any use of solvents can be unsafe for workers.

What We Think:
Footwear is new for us and traditionally has been a fairly messy business. We have worked with a supplier/partner to minimize known harms wherever possible.

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