Patagonia

Our “Planet” rating evaluates brands based on the environmental policies in their supply chains, from carbon emissions and wastewater to business models and product circularity. Here we rate Patagonia “Good”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It uses a medium proportion of lower-impact materials including recycled materials, and it publishes an aggregate breakdown of materials used.
• It uses lower-impact materials that help limit the chemicals, water, and wastewater in its supply chain.
• It’s set a science based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in both its direct operations and supply chain but there’s no evidence it is on track.
• It offers clothing recycling to consumers to help address end-of-life textile waste.
• It supports industry organisations that work to address the impacts of microplastics.

Workers’ rights are central to our “People” rating, which assess brands’ policies and practices on everything from child labour to living wages and gender equality. Here we rate Patagonia “Good”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It traces most of its supply chain.
• Some of its supply chain is certified by Fair Labor Association (FLA) and Fair Trade USA including all of the final stage of production.
• Its Code of Conduct covers ILO principles.
• It audits some of its supply chain including all of the final production stage.
• To reduce the risk of modern slavery, it prohibits its suppliers from charging workers recruitment fees.
• It ensures some workers in the final production stage are paid living wages.
• During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, it disclosed some policies to protect workers in its supply chain from the virus.

Brands’ animal welfare policies and, where applicable, how well they trace their animal-derived products are the focus of our “Animals” rating. Here we rate Patagonia “Good”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It appears to use leather, wool, cashmere, and down.
• A high proportion of its animal-derived materials consist of recycled or certified alternatives to conventional cashmere, wool, and down.
• It doesn’t appear to use shearling, fur, angora, exotic animal skin, alpaca, or mohair.
• It states that it sources wool from non-mulesed sheep.

Based on all publicly available information we’ve reviewed, we rate Patagonia “Good” overall.