One of the most recognizable names in outdoor sports, Patagonia has made the environmental not just a central issue in its business philosophy, but as a member of the '1% for the planet' business alliance, contributes one percent of net annual sales to grassroots environmental groups.

In addition to creating a product that is strong, lightweight, comfortable and versatile, Patagonia insists that the environmental harm from its manufacturing process is kept to a minimum. This means evaluating growing practices and raw materials, minimizing dyes and finishes, investing in innovative technologies and keeping waste to a minimum.

In 1996 they converted their entire sportswear line to 100-percent organically grown cotton. Cotton is one of the most chemically intense crops with 10-percent of all agricultural chemicals in the United States being used to produce cotton, grown on just one percent of all major agricultural land. Growing organically takes more time, requires more skill and costs more, but it is a measure the company felt bound to implement with benefits not just to the environment, but the quality of the product.

In 1993 Patagonia was the first outdoor clothing manufacturer to introduce fleece into the product line, made from post consumer recycled plastic soda bottles. Today, over 30 products use fleece and the company has saved over 86 million soda bottles from the landfill.

Building new facilities, such as the Reno Service Center that acts as a distribution center for North America, set new challenges in introducing environmental features into building design and function and the company hopes that the measures introduced will pay off in future energy savings of up to 35-percent. Recycled materials and 'reclaimed' wood were also used in the company's 'Firehouse' building along with energy saving technologies such as lighting "zones" that use motion sensors to shut off unneeded lights. In 1998, Patagonia became the first California company to buy all its electricity from newly constructed renewable energy plants.

In addition to its own business practices, Patagonia reaches out into the community and supports grassroots organizations through its grant program. They fund activists who take radical and strategic steps to protect habitat, wilderness and biodiversity, and have given more than $19 million to more than 1,000 organizations since the program began.

All the figures presented are from the Patagonia website and you can read more at

http://www.patagonia.com/