We love what the Chouinard family has just done with the company they have been building since 1973. Purpose-led apparel company, Patagonia announces the transfer of shares to a not-for-profit organisation. Instead of creating wealth for investors, Patagonia has pledged to use the wealth brought in by their sustainable products to protect the source of all wealth, our planet.
As a purpose and impact led brand, built on the idea of giving back to the planet. Patagonia have put everything they have into helping combat the reason they exist as a brand.
Starting a company with social good in mind intentionally or developing into that space makes little difference in our view. The importance lies in the purpose and the bigger idea that a company, any company can and arguably always should exist as a force for good in the world.
The personal determination and risk attached to starting any business can be vast and underestimated. It takes a lot hard work and belief to succeed, the story of Patagonia is inspirational for any start up, plotting a path and showing how you can turn something you love into a global business but also and importantly showing the world it was never about you or your family amassing great wealth it was about doing things differently, finding a better way, fighting a system that only rewards the wealthy few and leading a new way.
At Taylor Yates our intention has always been to grow a Social Good business with giving back central to why we exist. We are on a mission to create a new luxury model that shapes a responsible, progressive and inclusive future for fashion.
We currently plant a tree for every sale, our tree everyday plus a percentage of each sale is donated to GLOW, a beautiful charity based in Belfast which exists to give life opportunities to women.
The few having control of so many global resources is not the future we want for ourselves or our children. Let's hope the path that the Chouinard family have shown the world is followed by many more of the huge brands and corporations to help tackle climate change and poverty around the globe.
If there’s one thing we can learn from this, it’s that mission and purpose as a brand is everything.
"We're in business to save our home planet"- Yvon Chouinard
