Patagonia Opens New Boulder Store With $5,000 Environmental Award
Outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia will put its money where its environmental activism is with the grand opening of its new Boulder store on the Pearl Street Mall on April 5. On that day the company will announce the winner of an online “Voice Your Choice” campaign awarding $5,000 to a local environmental organization selected by the community.
Area residents have cast their votes for Eco-Cycle, Prairie Dog Coalition, Rock the Earth, Thorne Ecological Institute or Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, all Boulder/Denver-based groups working to restore and protect the environment. The campaign has drawn more than 120,000 votes since it kicked off January 17.
“Our Voice Your Choice program has two purposes: helping local environmental organizations continue their work, and raising public awareness about the various environmental projects taking place in the community,” said store manager Katherine Demsky. “Boulder has responded in huge numbers, and we believe it’s because local residents are as passionate about these issues as we are.”
Historic Recycling
The new Patagonia store is located in a historic building at 1212 Pearl Street that dates back to 1875. The building was constructed during a local gold and silver mining boom as the newly prosperous town replaced hastily built wooden storefronts with brick and stone structures. It was occupied by a succession of clothing and shoe stores and then a series of other retailers, most recently Science Works. It was restored to replicate its original appearance by local developers Paul Eklund and Thomas Thorpe last year.
In keeping with longtime corporate efforts to promote sustainable development, Patagonia has added its own environmentally friendly touches such as bamboo hangers and wall fixtures, rubber chairs made from recycled tires, recycled metal tables produced from parts bought from old Midwest factories, and a cash and wrap made from recycled fir flooring as well as recycled tin.
The 2,961-square-foot store carries outdoor sports and lifestyle products tailored to the Boulder terrain and population, complementing the inventory of the Denver store 30 miles away. Items range from layering systems and men’s and women’s surfing apparel to specific products for local sports such as snowboarding, skiing, rock and alpine climbing, trail running, hiking/trekking and fly fishing.
‘Green’ Pioneer
Patagonia’s Voice Your Choice program and historic site selection mark the latest chapter in a corporate commitment to environmental causes that began decades ago with a critical decision by Patagonia company founder and rock-climbing enthusiast Yvon Chouinard. At a predecessor company in the early 1970s, Chouinard decided to abandon a successful but rock-scarring line of piton climbing hardware and replace it with environmentally friendly aluminum chocks that leave the rock face intact.
That decision was the forerunner of Patagonia’s mission to “build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” To fulfill that mission, Patagonia earmarks 1% of sales for a grant program that has given more than $29 million to over 1,000 environmental organizations since 1985.
In addition, the company uses 100% organic cotton for all Patagonia-branded apparel to avoid causing environmental damage from toxic chemicals used in growing conventional cotton. It also has used fleece made from post-consumer recycled plastic soda bottles since 1993, and last year became the first clothing manufacturer to recycle competitors’ garments as well as its own through a program that accepts worn-out fleece, organic cotton t-shirts and Capilene (long underwear) products. The donated garments are recycled into new fibers to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Boulder store is Patagonia’s 24th retail location. Patagonia products are also sold through select retail dealers and through the company’s website as well as through Patagonia retail stores.
About Patagonia
Patagonia is a manufacturer and retailer of outdoor clothing, technical apparel and gear that is noted internationally for its commitment to product quality and environmental activism, including environmental responsibility in product development such as its policy of using 100% organic cotton. Its Environmental Grants Program has contributed over $29 million to grassroots environmental activists since 1985, and its Environmental Internship Program allows employees to work for environmental groups while receiving their full paycheck. The company has been recognized for many years by Working Mother magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” and is a regular recipient of recognition by Fortune and Human Resources Management magazines as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America.”