Patagonia

How ethical is Patagonia?

Patagonia is an activewear brand owned by Patagonia Inc. and has a high score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Activewear Ratings Table.

With a GSG score of 79, Patagonia can be considered an ethical brand. Patagonia hasn’t yet applied for Ethical Accreditation, but its high score would mean that if it did, it would be able to display The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Mark on its products.

We encourage other companies in the Activewear sector to follow Patagonia’s example and adopt more ethical policies and practices.

What does Patagonia do?

Patagonia is an American brand which was founded in California in 1973. Patagonia is committed to 1% for the Planet, where a minimum of 1% of annual sales are donated to sustainable causes. The brand also offers recycling and swapping services to its customers.

In which areas does Patagonia perform well?

Patagonia performs well across all of The Good Shopping Guide’s research assessment. The brand scores particularly well for its Environmental Report, which is comprehensive and includes evidence of the progress being made in terms of sustainability. It also scores highly in our Animal Welfare, Organic and Code of Conduct criteria.

We found no Human Rights or other criticisms, therefore Patagonia scores well across all of our ethical criteria including Human Rights, Nuclear and Fossil Fuels.

What can Patagonia do to improve its score?

The above benchmark score that Patagonia is awarded with on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Activewear Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

As Patagonia already receives a top score in the Ethical Activewear sector, The Good Shopping Guide encourages it to get in touch and apply for Ethical Accreditation. After sending in its application, Patagonia will be offered the use of The Good Shopping Guide ethical mark.

However, Patagonia could improve its score by reconsidering its manufacturing sources, as it has received criticism regarding the use of forced labour in the past, and therefore only achieves a middle rating for our Human Rights criterion.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands accredited by The Good Shopping Guide can display our ethical mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable brand.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to attain Ethical Accreditation, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.