Patagonia Surf Worn Wear Tour 2018
Known best for producing some of the toughest gear in the industry, Patagonia is a brand that strongly believes in holding our strongest memories in our favourite clothes by keeping them in action for as long as possible, with any rips or tears acquired along the way only adding more personal value over time. Capturing the spirit of adventure and the necessitated demands of everyday living, Patagonia clothing offers something for everyone, no matter your style or schedule.
Black Friday 2011 saw Patagonia release one of their most memorable ad campaigns to date - “Don’t buy this jacket” titled a flat lay image of a new jacket release and below an introduction to their Common Threads Initiative programme stressing the need for customers to think twice before buying something new. A plan as to how shoppers can reduce, repair, reuse, recycle and reimagine the products they already own summarised Patagonia honestly explaining the energy needed in their production process whether the product be organic or created using recycled materials, persuading customers away from buying anything new if they didn’t really need it.
Fast forward seven years and their game plan is stronger than ever. Patagonia have numerous initiatives to inspire customers to buy less and think twice before purchasing anything they think they might need - but probably don’t - when time and energy could be better spent repairing, reusing, re-selling and recycling when it looks like their jacket, wetsuit, fleece etc has reached its end.
In 2013, following the success and feedback of customers getting creative with repairs, Patagonia ambassador Keith Malloy and his wife Lauren, began a tumblr blog asking customers to share their stories about their favourite piece of Patagonia that they own and celebrate the memories associated with it’s rips and tears, creating a garment that they describe as better than new. Entitled ‘The Worn Wear Initiative: The Stories We Wear’, the blog is still going strong now and is updated regularly if you want to grab a bit of inspiration.
Better yet, check out the 2018 Worn Wear Initiative tour that is hitting up the South West UK through 30th August - 16th September 2018. Starting their UK road trip at the HOHouse in Newquay, the tour stops at various spots from Newquay up the coast to North Devon and invites people to bring along something that needs some TLC - all brands are welcome, one item is allowed per person and this year the tour welcomes wetsuit repairs, just make sure your suit is dry. In true Patagonia style, all repairs are free.
Check out the opening event in Newquay at HoHouse celebrating with beers, a pizza truck, live music and Patagonia ambassadors Nomad Keith and Lauren Malloy. Tour dates can be found here.
