Patagonia: Sustainable Waste Management Practices

This report discusses Patagonia's sustainable waste management practices using the waste hierarchy pyramid. It covers their background, key sustainable challenges, and current practices of reducing, reusing, recycling, and reimaging waste. Patagonia's focus on sustainability and triple bottom line approach is highlighted.

PATAGONIA

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Background of company and key sustainable challenge.............................................................3
By using the waste hierarchy pyramid, the current practices of Patagonia is discussed.............4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Waste hierarchy can be defined as tool which used in evaluation of process which helps
to protect resources, environment and energy consumption from the most favourable action to
least favourable. This report is based on the case study of Patagonia. Substantiality is stands for
meeting own needs without compromising the ability of future generation in order to meet their
own needs. Moreover, Lozada, (2020) also stated that the hierarchy is established to priorities the
prefer programme based on the suitability. An integrated approach is necessary to solve the
waste management. In addition to this, Kaza and et.al., (2018) also stated that the main aim of
waste hierarchy is to extract the optimum advantage from the products and generate less amount
of waste. Moreover, it will help to reduce pollutants, greenhouse gases, save energy, create jobs
and optimum utilization of resources. Likewise, Lozada, (2020) also stated that waste
management can be done by reduce, repair, reuse, recycle and reimagine.
MAIN BODY
Background of company and key sustainable challenge
The Patagonia was established in the year 1953 by the founder Yvon Chouinard. The
entrepreneur was keen and highly interested with rock climbing and started a company to arrange
the track for other enthusiasts. The passion of entrepreneur migrated to San Fernando in
California in order to start a business of tracking. During the time of rock climbing the
entrepreneur faced an issue of lack of resources and equipments that can allow to climb the
mountains. In such a time entrepreneur aimed to focus over meeting the need and requirements
of the climber related to equipments. As the trade occurs the demand of the equipment went high
that further allow the entrepreneur to expand the operations. In the year 1965 Chouinard aimed to
partner with Tom Frost in order to create Chouinard equipments (Lozada, 2020). Further in the
year 1972 the entrepreneur started the business name as Patagonia which was engaged selling
clothing line that look attractive and support the climber to protect against all the challenges of
climbing. The organisation is switched towards a more quality products that is built with cotton
which allow the climbers to entertain extra protection. The sustainability practice of company is
keen towards improving the quality of products even at a higher price range. This would allow
the organisation to constantly attracting to customers to buy the products offer by the Patagonia.
Company adopted a triple bottom line concept where they tried to focus on planet, people and

prosperity. In 1972 the equipment was launched that involve use of aluminium checks to change
the dimensions. The triple bottom line model allowed the company to improve its brand value in
the market as company also contributed a specific percentage of share of profit to protect the
nature and environment. The 1% of the profit share is dedicated to the cultivation of nature and
environment.
Company has faced plenty of issues like social, environmental and economic issues. The
business expansion decision of the Patagonia has faced a economic challenge as banks and
financial institutions were not ready to provide the financial help and support to the business
venture. This could further resist the business entity to expanding the business at the
international level. Financial resources are also among the core need business contain in order to
maximise the overall business revenue. The role of financial resources is to allocate all types of
resources to the company that can drive the business expansion decision-making done by the
business entity (Easdale and Aguiar, 2018). Further the Patagonia faced a social issue in the
form of resistance from the climber to buy company equipments. As the product of company was
more costly than other brands to the quality of the product. This could further create a social
challenge for the company. On the other hand environment related issues was also faced. This
involves the exploitation of natural resources. This also imposed the organisation to get involved
with various corporate social responsibility functions.
By using the waste hierarchy pyramid, the current practices of Patagonia is discussed
The waste hierarchy follow 5 R that is: reduce, reuse and recycle which are commonly called as
five R's of waste hierarchy. This will provide guidance to create sustainable life.
Reduce
Before any incident occur in the environment, communities need to take certain steps to
reduce the toxicity and amount of any incident generated waste. Under the stage of reduce, it is
required to reduce the solid material wastage. Patagonia use organic cotton in order to save the
environment in order to create sustainability (Nanda and Berruti, 2021). The main aim of
Patagonia is to close the loop on the life cycle of its product. As company is producing high
quality of product which will run for the long time. Moreover, it also refuses their customer to
buy product through organizing campaign. Further, it has also posted advice on its official

website for their customer on how to deal with clothes related problems so that it helps to reduce
the wastage.
Repair
Under the stage of repair, all the product must be optimum utilize to the highest
possibility. It also provides more focus on giving the products second life before it becomes
waste. As Patagonia offers free services for the repair of the product if it appears otherwise, it
charges nominal or fair price. Moreover, company also try to get their customer's product back
on the same position as before within 10 business days.
Reuse
In order to take maximum benefit or optimum advantage, organization put more
emphasis on reuse of products. In addition to this, Patagonia also encourage their customer who
don't want to reuse their product then donate, give charity and sell the company back. Company
also provide facility to consumers ability to sell the product with the help of common threads
website and ebay.
Recycle
Recycle can be defined as produce the new products from the wastage material. It is a
process or way of collecting and processing wastage material and convert it into the new finished
goods. Patagonia has converted 34 tons of recycled clothes in to the new one (Sharma And et.al.,
2020).
Reimagine
Under the reimagine stage, world should be reimagined where there is no wastage of
products and people are aware of situation which will be occurred due to the wastage of
resources. Moreover, Patagonia also urge to their stakeholder to see the world in different way in
which products are only purchased when nature want to replace it. Further, Patagonia also run so
many campaigns to make the people aware the importance of resources.
CONCLUSION
Waste management is necessary to protect and save the environment. With the help of
wastage management, any organization can take maximum benefit of available resources.

Environment should be the first priority of any organization. Patagonia company use 5R's which
stands for reuse, recycle, reimagine, repair and reduce. Moreover, it also encourages their
customer recycle their product by selling back to the company in the form of resell. In addition to
this, company also provide organic cotton product which will help to protect the environment.
Moreover, sustainable practices are also important in order to better utilization of resources.
Company also use different types of sustainable approaches in order to save environment by
running awareness programme.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Easdale, M. H. and Aguiar, M. R., 2018. From traditional knowledge to novel adaptations of
transhumant pastoralists the in face of new challenges in North Patagonia. Journal of
Rural Studies. 63. pp.65-73.
Kaza, S. and et.al., 2018. What a waste 2.0: a global snapshot of solid waste management to
2050. World Bank Publications.
Lozada, P. P., 2020. How Patagonia apply Triple Bottom Line in their marketing strategy.
Nanda, S. and Berruti, F., 2021. Municipal solid waste management and landfilling technologies:
a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters. 19(2). pp.1433-1456.
Sharma, H. B. And et.al., 2020. Challenges, opportunities, and innovations for effective solid
waste management during and post COVID-19 pandemic. Resources, Conservation and
Recycling. 162. p.105052.
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