Yvon Chouinard is the founder of outdoor clothing maker Patagonia. Chouinard learned early in his life as an alpinist, surfer and fly fisherman the seriousness of the environmental crisis—and he made this the focus of his company. In the 1980s he instituted Patagonia’s earth tax, pledging 1 percent of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. Since then Chouinard co-founded the Fair Labor Association, One Percent for the Planet, the Textile Exchange, the Conservation Alliance, and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. In addition, Patagonia has been a B Corp member since 2012. Also in 2012, Patagonia started a food division, Patagonia Provisions, and began publishing books. He is the author or co-author of Climbing Ice, Let My People Go Surfing (Penguin Press), The Responsible Company, Simple Fly Fishing and Pheasant Tail Simplicity: Recipes and Techniques for Successful Fly Fishing. Chouinard continues to surf and fly fish. Since 2017 he’s also sued the Trump Administration to protect public lands, worked to establish Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC), and authorized the donation of the $10 million “evil” tax cut. In an unprecedented move in the US, in 2022, he and his family created the Holdfast Collective, a group of nonprofits, and gave the company to it. Patagonia now donates all profits to organizations working to combat the environmental crisis.
