This Black Friday, investing in the things we already own

…plus all-day Worn Wear Swaps in eight major markets!

Ventura, CA (November 24, 2014) -- Patagonia builds clothing that is made to last – sometimes longer than a person has a use for it. Recycling is great, but the most responsible option is to get those items that are no longer being used into the hands of someone who will put them back into action. That’s what our Worn Wear program is all about.

In fact, by keeping our clothing in use just nine extra months, we can reduce related carbon, waste and water footprints by 20-30 percent each, according to the UK-based group WRAP – simply because we’re making and throwing away less. That’s more impact than any changes Patagonia or any other company could make in fiber choice, production practices, laundering or recycling.

For Black Friday, we’re excited to announce Patagonia is making a strategic investment in Yerdle, an innovative company providing a simple way for people to put goods back into circulation and avoid buying new – capturing the value of what they already own to save money and the planet.

Using Patagonia’s $20 Million & Change investment fund, we’re putting skin in the game to explore new economies that revolve around extending the life of stuff we already own. We simply believe the potential impacts of scaling a new kind of economy based on maximizing the life of consumer goods is too powerful to ignore.

Yerdle is a sharing economy app where people give away things they no longer need, earning “Yerdle Credits” to use in shopping for what they want. Yerdle makes it easy to save money and reduce waste: everything from kitchen tools to toys, camping gear to electronics, finds a new home on Yerdle. Yerdle wants to put the 80 percent of goods that are used less than once a month back into productive circulation.

Patagonia’s mission is to build the best product – one of quality and durability that accumulates character and meaning through extended use and repair – and becomes greater than the sum of its threads. It is better than new.

And on Black Friday, we’re encouraging customers to take a break from the consumer madness and drop by one of our Patagonia Worn Wear Swap events. We’ve partnered with Yerdle to hold these all-day swaps in eight retail stores in major markets (list below). Yerdle will run each event, allowing customers to bring in their used Patagonia clothing and swap it with something off the rack. If customers don’t find something they like, Yerdle will take the used clothing in exchange for Yerdle Credit. Patagonia will provide the food, music and refreshments. Pretty simple!

To publicize our swaps, we’re advertising in regional newspapers under the headline, “Better Than New.” (See an example of the ad, from Denver, attached.)

For Patagonia customers around the country, we invite them to swap on the Yerdle app. Yerdle is launching a Patagonia #WornWear collection on Black Friday featuring thousands of Patagonia items that are ready for their next adventure. Customers can earn bonus “Yerdle Credits” for giving away their own Patagonia items on Yerdle, or for sharing stories on social media.

We launched our investment fund $20 Million & Change in 2013 to help innovative, like-minded companies bring about solutions to the environmental crisis and other positive change through business. Or, in Yvon’s words, to help entrepreneurs and innovators succeed in “working with nature rather than using it up.”

On Black Friday (Nov. 28), Patagonia Worn Wear Swap events will be held in the following retail stores:

• Boston (346 Newbury Street)
• Cardiff (2185 San Elijo Avenue)
• Chicago – Lincoln Park (1800 N. Clybourn Avenue)
• Denver (1431 15th Street)
• New York City – Bowery (313 Bowery)
• Portland (907 NW Irving Street)
• San Francisco (770 North Point)
• Santa Monica (1344 4th Street)

Finally, check out a short video we’re releasing this week about some of our favorite things.