Patagonia is synonymous with outdoor adventures and sports. The brand creates clothing and gear “for the silent sports” with a focus on surfing, skiing, snowboarding, climbing, and trail running.
Patagonia is a brand known for its outdoor clothing and environmental sustainability efforts (Credit: Urban Images / Shutterstock)
Its activewear is a favorite amongst athletes, celebrities, and influencers. No closet is complete without a Patagonia jacket for your next adventure. The brand has evolved with changing values to become a sustainable outdoor clothing brand.
We’re sharing everything you need to know about the brand and how to spot fake Patagonia clothing and jackets.
What is Patagonia?
Patagonia is a brand for those who love to experience life outdoors in sustainable clothing. The company was launched in California by Yvon Chouinard in 1973. It’s expanded internationally with stores in over ten countries and factories in over a dozen.
Yvon Chouinard, a rock climber, environmentalist, and philanthropist, founded Patagonia in 1973 (Credit: Terry Straehley / Shutterstock)
The brand began with a focus on creating hand-forged mountain climbing gear inspired by the adventures of Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard. It gradually expanded beyond hiking gear to include more outdoor sports, including surfing and related products.
Patagonia’s fleece vests are amongst their most recognizable and best-selling products.
Patagonia is famous for its fleece vests, as well as its down jackets
As an outdoor brand, Patagonia has grown a legion of loyal customers, building a reputation for itself as a leader in corporate governance, environmental, and social issues.
In 2022, Chouinard announced that the ownership of the Patagonia brand would be donated to a trust, the Patagonia Purpose Trust. The company’s profits will be used to tackle issues related to climate change and protect undeveloped land across the globe.
Patagonia is a brand you’ll be right at home with if you’re shopping for sustainable outdoor activewear that will take you from hiking mountains to catching waves.
Patagonia’s Sustainability Measures
Clothing has a shorter lifespan than ever before. Fast fashion means that most clothing is destined for landfill.
Patagonia is encouraging its customers to give their old clothing a second life with its Worn Wear website. Customers can send in clothing in good condition to be repaired, cleaned, and sold again.
Patagonia is giving customers’ old clothing a second life by repairing, cleaning, and reselling them again to extend the life of gear
The success of Worn Wear led to the launch of ReCrafted in 2019 to create and sell clothing using scrap fabric from used Patagonia clothing and jackets.
Patagonia turns scarps into new gear with its ReCrafted process, making clothes from repurposed materials
Patagonia is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2025 with a circular economy strategy built into its product design.
The brand had previously been popular for corporate workwear before it announced in 2021 that it was no longer adding corporate logos to clothing to improve its lifespans.
Where Are Patagonia Clothes Made?
Unlike other American brands, Patagonia doesn’t claim to be a ‘Made in America’ company. Patagonia has always sourced at least half of its products outside the United States, with the percentage of American-made products continuing to decrease over time as the manufacturing landscape has changed.
Patagonia has factories across the world, with three located in the United States, specifically in Los Angeles, Texas, and North Carolina. Its fishing crampons continue to be made in California, close to the company’s headquarters.
Patagonia sources at least half of its products outside the United States, with three factories across the US and 13 in China (Credit: Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock)
There are over 40 factories used to manufacture Patagonia products, and 13 of these factories are in China. Although there is criticism that comes with a ‘Made in China’ label, Patagonia is transparent about its production process.
Patagonia clothing and jacket can be made in any of the company’s factories, from Thailand to Portugal and Sri Lanka. You can check where your Patagonia clothing and jackets are made by reading the product description on the official Patagonia website. Each listing includes information on how the garment is made and what factories it’s made in.
How Warm Are Patagonia Clothes?
Outdoor clothing brands that cater to hiking and extreme sports are famous for making bold claims. Many of these brands will provide guidance on the temperature ratings of their clothing.
Patagonia doesn’t provide a temperature rating on their clothing because warmth is determined by the thickness and layers
Patagonia is an exception to the rule. It doesn’t provide a temperature rating as it’s too subjective. Factories and conditions such as humidity and clouds will affect how cold a temperature feels. Another consideration is how your body acclimatizes to different temperatures and climates.
The warmth of a Patagonia garment will be determined by its thickness. If you’re hiking at low temperatures, shop for a thicker Patagonia jacket. Layers will often determine how warm Patagonia clothes feel. Most of Patagonia’s garments are designed to create a layering system with performance fabric to provide extra insulation.
Washing Instructions for Patagonia Clothes
Patagonia clothing and jackets come with an extensive array of washing instructions. You’ll find the specific washing instructions for your Patagonia garment on the white tag inside your garment. Following these instructions will ensure that your garment has a long lifespan.
It’s typically recommended that your Patagonia clothes should be washed in cold or warm water with mild, non-toxic, and biodegradable laundry soap. Dry your Patagonia garments on a line instead of using a tumble dryer.
None of the clothing made by Patagonia requires dry cleaning. They’re low-maintenance clothing that can be cared for at home. Patagonia doesn’t recommend using fabric conditioners, and most garments don’t need ironing.
You can find Patagonia’s extensive washing instructions and garment care at Patagonia.
How to Identify Patagonia Clothing
The reputation of Patagonia for producing high-quality means that it’s another brand that is popular amongst counterfeiters. Its heritage also means it’s a brand you’ll commonly find on resale websites, including Depop, Vinted, Thrifted, and eBay.
You want to know how to identify Patagonia clothing before you start shopping for pre-loved Patagonia clothes and jackets.
You should find the unique five-digital style code printed on the white tag inside the clothing (Credit: iFixit)
Every Patagonia garment has a unique five-digital style number that you’ll find printed on the white tag inside the garment. ‘STY,’ ‘STYLE,’ or ‘ITEM’ will appear in front of the number.
The number will represent the year and season in which it was made. You can check the CPSIA certificate on the Patagonia website.
Examine the quality and stitching of your Patagonia jacket
The easiest way to spot a fake Patagonia jacket is by examining the quality. Counterfeit garments will typically be poorly stitched with uneven threads and colors that don’t match the brand’s seasonal shades. The most counterfeited Patagonia products are from its lifestyle range.
Use these tips and tricks when shopping to know how to spot fake Patagonia clothing and jackets. Check the style identification code to identify your Patagonia clothing and compare it to the information on the official Patagonia product listing.