Patagonia: either pull the line or go organic

Yvon Chouinard was always the odd man out. A French Canadian who came to California as a boy, he spent a lot of time alone, often out surfing. His interests expanded to climbing, where he scouted out a number of climbing trails to rock formations that were difficult to access. Concerned about the effects of his beloved sport on the natural habitat, he revolutionised mountain climbing by designing crampons that could be removed from the rock after use instead of staying behind and rusting.

When he was in his 20s he opened a clothing store for mountaineering, Patagonia. He later expanded the range to other outdoor sports. His company became the market leader, but was much more famous for the fact that 10 per cent of its profits or one per cent of turnover – whichever was higher – went to support environmental groups.

When Chouinard learned about the environmental damage associated with conventional cotton farming, he felt Patagonia should either stop producing the entire cotton clothing line or radically switch to organic cultivation. The company chose the latter.

Patagonia, www.patagonia.com. Patagona clothing is sold in better sporting goods stores in some 30 countries. Consult the website for the location nearest you.