Patagonia vs. The North Face - A Closer Look at Two Popular Brands (2023)

Patagonia and The North Face are popular outdoor brands that sell a variety of outdoor gear and apparel. In addition to backpacks, handbags, sleeping bags and accessories, the two American companies offer a wide range of outdoor clothing, with The North Face having a much more extensive product range and also selling tents.

Patagonia has six apparel activity areas—for both men and women—including trail running, mountain biking, surfing, rock climbing, winter sports and fly fishing. The online store also sells children's and children's outdoor clothing, as well as workwear, sleeping bags and books. What is interesting is that there is no hiking or hiking clothing collection and no shoe sales.

A quick look at The North Face's retail offering shows clothing and gear for men, women and kids in categories such as jackets and coats, sweaters, pants, shoes, accessories, bags,Sleeping bagand other camping gear. Various activities are also covered, including mountaineering, snow sports, cross-country skiing, cross-country skiing,go,Trailrunning, training and climbing.

In addition to specialized outdoor sports, The North Face has also expanded its clothing line to include casual lifestyle options.

By focusing on product lines, the main difference between Patagonia and The North Face is the large number of products sold under the TNF brand, compared to Patagonia, which focuses on fewer lines.

History of Patagonia vs. The North Face

Both Patagonia and The North Face were founded five years apart on the California coast.

History of Patagonia

It was 1953 as a teenagerYvon Chouinard(opens in new tab)discovered the passion for climbing. Five years later, at the age of 19, he decided to teach himself the blacksmith trade.

His goal was to make climbing hooks for himself and friends, and sell some to others to climb in places like the rock climbing mecca of the United States.Yosemite(opens in new tab).

Chouinard's next steps in building an outdoor clothing empire came in 1965 when he teamed up with Tom Frost to launch Chouinard Equipment. They ran the company for almost a decade and during that time it grew to become the largest supplier of climbing equipment in the United States.

During this time, Chouinard became more aware of the environmental impact of outdoor activities when he noticed that his iron spikes were damaging rock structure. This led to a reinvention of an aluminum disc instead of an iron clamp.

As the line of clothing and gear grew, Chouinard decided to start Patagonia, which was founded in 1973 in Ventura, California. In due course, Chouinard Equipment was sold and became Black Diamond Equipment. Patagonia's range has expanded to include today's sports.

It has long been said that much of Patagonia's success is due to its reputation for caring about its employees and the environment, and for selling quality products. These items are usually more expensive, but consumers seem willing to pay more for a company that focuses on justice, philanthropy, and the environment.

More recentlyPatagonia announced a major restructuring to become a not-for-profit company. In September 2022, Chouinard announced that future profits would go toward "saving our home planet." Patagonia has donated 2% of all stock and all decision-making authority to a trust that will oversee the company's mission and values.

The other 98% of the company's stock goes to a non-profit organization called the Holdfast Collective.

History of the North Face

The North Face was founded in 1966 when a young hiking couple, Douglas and Susie, opened a small camping and rock climbing shop in San Francisco. Two years later, they sold it to Kenneth Klopp, who moved it to Berkeley in Northern California and began making products in-house.

Over the next three decades, the company was bought and sold several times.

The 1980s were good for TNF in terms of trading and profits, but the company finally declared bankruptcy in the early 1990s. He managed to survive and returned, but was later charged with accounting fraud.

In 2000, VF Corporation bought TNF and still manages the brand. TNF has also become more environmentally conscious, as have many outdoor brands, although it's fair to say Patagonia is decades ahead in terms of its ethical and environmental promises, promises and actions.

Patagonia vs. The North Face on the environment

It's worth taking a look at the environmental impact of the outdoor industry, with a focus on Patagonia x The North Face. Concerns about climate damage are generally greater among both industry and consumers.

However, there is still a good amountgreen laundryin the world of manufacturing and distributing outdoor clothing and gear. It is important to delve deeper into the truth about planet-friendly action.

Look closely: Patagonia

Patagonia has long had a reputation for taking the environment and ethics very seriously. It all started with Chouinard's sudden realization that his iron spikes were damaging the rock. Throughout the brand's history, Patagonia has always focused on environmental and social issues.

Chouinard has shown he is not afraid of campaigning and action, and since then Patagonia has been known for fighting all sorts of issues, such as a campaign against proposals to develop Yosemite Valley in the late 1980s.

If you take a closer look at Patagonia's products, you'll see a lot of recycled materials, with more than half of the fabrics being certified.bluesign®, while its cotton is all certified byGlobal organic textile standard(opens in new tab).

The brand has tooCarry(opens in new tab)System that discourages customers from always buying new clothes and offers free repair and reuse service. And mailed but unwanted products are repaired and resold as used or recycled to minimize landfill waste.

so there isPatagonia Action Works(opens in new tab), which aims to educate the public about conservation and support other organizations working with the same goals.

In addition, Patagonia has strong ethical concerns and commitments that show they care about the lives and livelihoods of the people who make their products. That's what Patagonia is forFairtrade Certified™(opens in new tab).

Patagonia is also one B-Corp(opens in new tab)Company, which means that employees, community and environment are on the side of the shareholders in decision-making processes.

A closer look: The North Face

While The North Face can't claim the same commitment to the environment over the decades, the company has introduced some commitment targets in recent years, such as: B. its recycling program,renewed(opens in new tab), as well as report that they plan to responsibly source all materials and phase out single-use plastics by 2025.

TNFsThermoBall Eco collectionnow also uses 100% recycled materialsexplore deeply(opens in new tab)supports non-profit organizations with the goal of getting more people outdoors.

But let's see what the eco-watchdogs say

A key consumer watchdog,Ethical Consumer(opens in new tab), provides an in-depth look at various outdoor companies and the truth behind their environmental claims and ethics. Brands include Patagonia and The North Face.

Ethical Consumer gives Patagonia an enthusiastic review, which is rare for an outdoor brand. The website states, "Our research revealed few negative ethical issues with Patagonia. The company performed well in several categories in our ranking system, including climate change, pollution and toxins, human rights, supply chain management, animal rights, social finance and political activities.”

certified animal for bass

Ethical Consumer reveals that Patagonia and The North Face are two of the few outdoor companies, which also include Mountain Equipment and Fjallraven, to have developed their own standards. Patagonia has themBackwards traceable global standard(opens in new tab)(TDS) und The North Faceresponsible descent pattern(opens in new tab)(RDS).

TDS and RDS were also acquired by other companies. These standards ensure that down does not come from plucked live or force-fed animals, only from animals raised for their meat, and that every step of the supply chain is audited by an external certification body.

So does the PFC

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs), a compound widely used in this industry for its water-repellent properties, have been a major climate concern for decades.

Ethical Consumer ranked outdoor clothing brands from best to worst based on their use of PFCs.

Both Patagonia and The North Face receive a “medium” rating for their use of PFCs, but with an expected phase-out date.(This information was updated in February 2022).

It was also recently reported that 78% of Patagonia's materials are PFC-free, with a goal of achieving all by 2024.

microfibers

Microfibers are also an environmental concern, and the outdoor clothing industry relies heavily on synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, acrylic, and spandex, which are known for dropping small bits of the nasty plastic onto the planet.

Patagonia is at the forefront of microfiber reduction efforts and has funded much of the research done to date. In 2016 theBrand in partnership with the University of California(opens in new tab)Assess microfiber loss during washing.

The research found that Patagonia's "premium" fleeces shed significantly less in the wash over their lifetime than a "low-quality generic brand fleece." Additionally, a 2021 Changing Markets Foundation report supports Patagonia's findings. He reports: "Cheap clothing made from synthetic fibers is much less robust."

recycled polyester

Because it's light, strong, and flexible, polyester is commonly used in outdoor products such as tents, backpacks, and sleeping bags. However, there are a number of reasons why polyester is not good for the environment.Green Choices has a good summary(opens in new tab).

Many outdoor clothing products are advertised as using recycled polyester but actually use a mix of recycled and other fabrics.

Patagonia can be credited for using the highest percentage of recycled polyester overall, although consumer advocates note that other brands have had ambitious goals to increase their use of recycled materials in the near future.

workers rights

Patagonia is also a leader in this area and many of its products are sewn in Fair Trade certified factories.

How about a second-hand purchase?

While outdoor brands require their wares to be sold to make a profit and survive, some are running a campaign to encourage consumers to buy used products or repair them where possible.

Both Patagonia and The North Face sell used products through the ASOSvintage Marketplace.

Patagonia also operates a return service for old equipment, where they commit to relocate, reuse or recycle. However, items must be returned to the store and there are a limited number of UK stores. Patagonia also offers a free repair service.

CO2 management and reporting

Once again, Ethical Consumer rated outdoor brands on their carbon management and reporting. Both The North Face and Patagonia received the highest rating. The two brands also received the same "average" rating for their policies on the use of toxic chemicals, meaning they're "taking some steps in the right direction."

Fazit: Patagonien vs. The North Face

Although both Patagonia and The North Face sell similar outdoor clothing, there are some differences between the two popular brands. The main differences focus on the greater variety of products and larger sales lines that TNF offers.

Patagonia has more credibility and focus on environmental and ethical issues, which are now much more demanded by consumers when shopping.

The preference for one brand or another depends on the product you are looking for, your budget and your ecological conscience.

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