How Sustainable is Patagonia Worn Wear?

‍Fast fashion and ultra-fast fashion brands have popularized business models built on underpaid employees, cheap fabrics, and clothes that only last for a few wash cycles.

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The large textile waste and water pollution created by the fashion industry is taking a toll on the planet. 

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Apparel brands like Patagonia are launching different sustainability initiatives to address this problem, and one of them is the introduction of a resale platform.

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About Patagonia Worn Wear

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Patagonia first started its Worn Wear program in 2013 with used clothing sections at its stores in Seattle, Palo Alto, Portland, and Chicago. After a few years of running that program, it launched the official Worn Wear website where consumers can purchase, trade, and sell second-ware Patagonia products.

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Customers can send in their used Patagonia clothing and gear, and Patagonia passes it along to the next person who needs it. In return, customers get a credit to use in-store or online at Patagonia or Worn Wear.

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What makes Patagonia Worn Wear sustainable?

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Patagonia Worn Wear, Patagonia's pre-owned and vintage gear program, emphasizes sustainability by buying, selling, and trading used Patagonia items.

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• The Worn Wear platform gives another life to the gently worn Patagonia products and keeps them out of landfills and incinerators.
• Worn Wear reduces the demand for new products, which reduces the amount of water and energy required to make new clothes.
• Customers can also use the credit they receive for trading in their clothes, further promoting reuse.
• Patagonia also allows its customers to trade in items purchased on Worn Wear, further increasing their life.
• If the used Patagonia gear is deemed ineligible or unsellable but the customer no longer wants it, Patagonia recycles or repurposes it so it stays out of the landfill.

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What certifications do Patagonia products have?

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Patagonia has the following sustainability certifications:

• Certified B Corp: balancing profit and purpose while meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance.
• Fair Trade: support protecting the rights of workers and their environments.
• Forest Stewardship Counci™ (FSC): confirms that the business helps preserve biological diversity and lives of local workers' while ensuring economic viability.
• bluesign®: ensures that no harmful substances enter the manufacturing process at any step in the supply chain.

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This post reflects most of the brand’s sustainability efforts as of December 2023. Brands make more progress over time, so their website may have more recent information.