The power of Patagonia

• Patagonia takes the lead among outdoor brands in the outerwear sector
• Sustainability is the key focus in Patagonia’s brand strategy
• Patagonia’s iconic fleece is not only seen in outdoor wear but has become a trend piece

When one thinks of high-quality outdoor wear, Patagonia is the iconic brand on everyone’s mind. With a consistent focus on sustainability and on creating long-lasting pieces of pristine quality, the brand has stood the test of time and remains among the most popular brands in the outdoor gear sector.

With a key focus on its impact on the planet, Patagonia stands out even more today, seeing as environmentally conscious brands are a key factor that consumers take into consideration when making a purchase decision.

The world was first introduced to Patagonia in the 1970s, and from the get-go the outdoor activewear brand set out to have a positive impact on the planet. Whether it be through environmental responsibility and protection or through social responsibility, Patagonia keeps sustainable fashion at its forefront.

How does Patagonia’s offering compare to other outdoor wear giants, and how has it remained an iconic brand throughout the years?

Hiking, rock climbing, snow trekking or even surfing, Patagonia covers its bases and offers a wide assortment of outdoor clothing for both men and women in all sorts of weather conditions and surfaces. The brand represents the most even repartition of categories in its assortment, potentially giving the American brand its competitive edge.

However, Patagonia, unlike other outdoor clothing brands, places outerwear as one of its top priorities, with a 30% share of its assortment. Although other brands like The North Face have a significant presence in outerwear, Patagonia takes the lead with its vast assortment of jackets.

Within Patagonia’s outerwear assortment, a key category is the fleece, a fabric and clothing item that the brand pioneered in the 1970s, making it its most iconic piece. A simple polyester pile fabric, transformed into a piece that virtually every outdoor clothing brand carries today.

Patagonia’s desire for a positive impact on the planet, however, drove it to create the fleece out of recycled materials, and the brand continues to improve the iconic piece’s environmental impact today.

The fleece is also one of The North Face’s most popular pieces, showcasing its strong influence within the outdoor wear industry. The iconic piece, however, has also evolved into a major fashion trend and has been sported by some of the fashion industry’s biggest influencers.

The fleece has seen a surge in popularity over the last few years, appearing on numerous trend lists. The Patagonia fleece in particular was listed among the hottest fashion pieces of the first quarter of 2021, further boosting Patagonia’s visibility, brand awareness, and popularity.

Where Patagonia focuses on its overall environmental impact and sustainability initiatives, The North Face has pursued a strategy centered around high-profile luxury collaborations. These partnerships have increased the brand’s fashion credibility and helped it appear among the hottest trends of the quarter, notably through the Gucci x The North Face and MM6 Maison Margiela x The North Face collaborations.

In the long run, what will reign supreme among outdoor apparel brands and their outerwear assortments? Will it be a comprehensive commitment to sustainability across every aspect of the business, or the growing popularity and prestige of luxury brand partnerships?

Patagonia not only creates sustainable collections, but is also involved with environmental responsibility in different aspects, such as its 1% of sales going towards helping restore the environment and its “Worn Wear” section, in collaboration with resale market “Trove”, where customers can purchase pre-worn pieces in order to extend their lifecycle and limit consumption. What also stands out within Patagonia is its strategy for adding new items to its assortment.

Retviews data showcases Patagonia’s strategy to maintain a lower level of new additions each month, in comparison with its competitors. The sustainable brand’s new ins represent a significantly lower share than those of its competitors, mainly between April and July, where the share was perpetually close to zero.

This coincides with the brand’s environmental focus and advertising campaigns such as the “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign on Black Friday, raising awareness about the importance of limiting consumption.

Get an in-depth look at the data behind Patagonia’s sustainability strategy and how the brand has become a sustainable fashion leader in the latest Retviews report.