Yvon Chouinard founded Patagonia, partly, thanks to his fans by the sport. Particularly, by his taste and fans to the climbing. It initiated in this discipline when so alone were 14 years old, but is something that has accompanied him during the rest of his life. During some of his expeditions, Chouinard decided to begin to manufacture his own tools to use during his adventures with the aim to create reusable articles. In 1957, Chouinard, in a deposit of scrap to be able to elaborate the piece that needed and like this introduced in the world of the smithy. His first creation is done from an ancient blade of harvester, and seeing the efficiency of his own objects, began to commercialise them in a small way. In 1970, and after some years in which it established economic agreements with 'mates of fans' and providers, gave place to 'Chouinard Equipment'. Prácitcamente, without realized about the situation, they had turned into the biggest provider of teams of climbing of the United States. Gradually, was incorporating to his catalogue apt clothes for the climbing, but did not want that the textile business and the one of the tools were under the same mark, thus it was born 'Patagonia'.
From the start 'Patagonia' has been conscious of the environmental half crisis and of the importance of the performance and of the awareness. Thus, from the beginning, they decided that a % of his profits and sales, would go allocated for organisations that struggled against the climatic change with the intention to contribute his grain of sand. Besides, they engaged in the research of respectful cloths with the environment to cause the lower possible impact. An example of this, is the use of hemp or the polyester recycled.
The past week to official a step more by part of his founder, Yvon Chouinard, in his moral obligation with the defence of the environment: he decided transfer 98% of the company to Holdfast Collective, a non-profit organisation. In economic terms, this donation supposes that Chouinard will have to pay 17,5 million dollars in taxes, although later, the company will be exempt to pay taxes put that it is a non-profit entity. Chouinard Has declared in The New York Times, that is an operation that "consecrates the intention and the values of the company". As it explained Yvon in a press release issued by part of the textile company, "Needed to find a form to allocate more money to the fight against the crisis and at the same time keep intact the values of the company."
From now, all the profits that generate the company, will devote to defend the planet. The family of Chouinard also renounce to the control of the company, since 100% of the titles without right to vote have remained in hands of Holsfast Collective.