Green in Cardiff: Patagonia launches its flagship surf store in north county San Diego
by
Alex Wilson
SURFERMAG.com Correspondent “I feel like I've finally come home,� said Gerry Lopez, standing in the new Patagonia Surf Store in Cardiff, next to a massive rack of his and Fletcher Chouinard's hand-shaped boards. Lopez was on hand to celebrate the brand's first surf-exclusive location this past Saturday night, and was taking a moment from greeting guests during the store's public opening to comment on the reasons he's proud to be part of it all. For him, it comes down to the ethos Patagonia represents. “They have a lot of the same beliefs that I do,� he said simply. Over the lifespan of the company, Patagonia has developed a reputation for greener manufacturing practices in an action-sports industry generally disinterested in protecting the environment upon which it's built. Privately owned by Yvon Chouinard and his wife Malinda, Patagonia provides goods, services and jobs, and in the process turns a massive profit. But instead of maximizing income through typical and often dirty manufacturing and business standards, Chouinard has instead steered his people and company toward a quality product made in a more environmentally sound way. It's a brand with a conscience. “Surfers are intelligent people,� said Cardiff Patagonia Manager and surf journalist Devon Howard. “They're looking around wondering why they can't have products that are better for the Earth. Yvonne's goal is to try to use business as a catalyst for that. It may sound idealistic and romantic, but that's what he does. He walks the talk.� Glancing around the store at displays erected throughout, all aimed at explaining the products and the materials from which they've been made, Howard clearly has a point. Patagonia's shirts are woven from organic cotton; shorts are constructed from recycled plastic bottles. Each year, the company donates one percent of its annual gross product to environmental causes, and in 2006, it has instated an 18-month campaign to investigate the connection between a healthy marine environment and “the vitality of human life.� It's a high-minded approach to manufacturing and one that both their consumers and employees seem to identify with. “Working for a company with an environmental focus is a dream come true,� said Cardiff Patagonia board retailer Chris Del Morro. Howard, the store's manager, agreed. He also added that during its first week of operation, the Cardiff outlet posted record sales for a Patagonia location of similar size, an obvious indication that the community's residents are both liking what they're finding there and are wholeheartedly endorsing the brand and its green image. Not everything in Patagonia's catalogue can be categorized as completely good for the Earth, however. Surfboards are one example, and the Cardiff shop carries them in abundance. Even when constructed of EPS epoxy, which all of Patagonia's boards are, they don't mix well with any ecosystem during their manufacturing and breakdown stages, no matter how the issue is approached. But then, this isn't necessarily the goal. Instead, the ideal Patagonia is working toward, by carrying only EPS boards, is to use a material that's better for the environment, because it's less toxic. Epoxy is stronger, which in turn leads to less waste and less overall production, and ultimately, less adverse environmental impact. The company endorses this material and many others like it, because those materials are better than the standard and because they represent the best realistic solution to problems inherent in manufacturing and commerce. And in the long run, this kind of approach can make a difference and can lead to shifts in large-scale industrial paradigms. Additionally, it teaches us that we all have an ability to do our part to protect the world in which we live, whether it's buying greener products or just educating ourselves about the possibilities of what can be done. True to form, Lopez summed up this sentiment in a patented utilitarian way: “Being onboard at Patagonia has been a huge educational process for me,� he said. “I thought I was environmentally aware before this, but it turns out that I was a turkey.� Click here to see the Malloy brothers interview on In The Lineup d |
