Patagonia won't sell products to non eco-conscious companies

When last year Patagonia changed its mission to "We are in business to save our planet" he was not joking at all. The demonstration is what happened to Binna Kim, president of a communication agency called Vested that represents hedge funds, banks, fintech and asset management companies, including Morgan Stanley. The woman tried to order items from the Californian brand for a customer and received a refusal.

Among the reasons, spread via an e-mail from a third-party supplier of Patagonia products, we read:

"Patagonia has nothing against your client of the financial industry, it's just not an area they are currently marketing through our co-brand division…the brand is really focused right now on only co-branding with a small collection of like-minded and brand aligned areas; outdoor sports that are relevant to the gear we design, regenerative organic farming, and environmental activism."

The brand also added that it hopes to collaborate with more "mission-driven companies that give priority to the planet" and hopes to add other B Corp companies, that is, that meet a certain standard of respect for the environment, social responsibility and transparency for its customers. In a nutshell, Patagonia will sell its customized products only to companies that have fully embraced the charitable and environmental causes. This decision is shaking all the aspiring young fintech industry titans who in recent years, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley, have traded their formal jackets for a more casual look by electing the Patagonia vest (in fleece or down jacket) as their new uniform, a sort of status symbol also celebrated in countless memes and Instagram tribute accounts like @midtownuniform. They "are desperate", but the planet will perhaps benefit from the new mission of Patagonia.