Patagonia

Patagonia was founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973 in Ventura, California, growing from his earlier business making climbing hardware for the Yosemite walls he spent his early climbing career on. The brand’s move into clothing followed the practical needs of the climbing and outdoor community, and the business philosophy that Chouinard developed across five decades has made Patagonia the most cited example in the sustainable business conversation of a company that has built environmental practice into its core operations rather than treating it as a marketing layer on top of a conventional business.

The 1% for the Planet pledge, which Patagonia initiated and has maintained for decades, commits 1% of annual sales to environmental organizations. In 2022, Chouinard transferred ownership of the company to a trust and a nonprofit organization, effectively giving the company to the planet: future profits go to environmental causes rather than private shareholders. This is an unusual corporate structure for a consumer brand, and it is the clearest expression of the philosophy that Chouinard has articulated in his writing about business: that a company that makes outdoor clothing and equipment should be actively working to protect the environment that gives its products their meaning.

The Georgetown store at 3104 M Street NW carries the full Patagonia range: the fleeces in their many weights and constructions, the shell jackets for rain and wind, the baselayers, the casual clothing that extends the brand beyond purely outdoor technical use, and the wetsuits and climbing gear that the brand continues to produce for the activities its founder built his career around. The Worn Wear program, which provides free repair for Patagonia garments that develop wear and tear, and the secondhand Worn Wear sale of repaired pieces are available through the brand’s website rather than directly through retail locations.

The DC market is a significant one for Patagonia. Washington’s policy and advocacy community has a high concentration of people who work on environmental issues, and for whom the Patagonia brand carries additional meaning beyond the product quality. The surrounding outdoor recreation geography, Rock Creek Park and the Appalachian Trail a short drive west, provides the context for the technical outdoor gear the brand specializes in.

Hours run from 10am Monday through Saturday and 11am Sunday, with 8pm closing on weekdays and Saturday and 7pm on Sunday. The website at patagonia.com provides the full range including the Worn Wear secondhand selection. The R1 fleece, the Nano Puff jacket, the Torrentshell rain shell, and the Capilene baselayer are among the specific Patagonia products that Georgetown customers return for repeatedly. These are garments that have been in the product line for years, refined in successive versions, and worn by customers who have come to rely on their performance in the specific conditions they were designed for. The Washington climate, with its range from humid summer heat to cold and rainy winter, makes the layering system that Patagonia’s product range enables useful for commuters who spend time outside regardless of the season. The M Street store is open 10am-8pm daily.