Patagonia is promoting its “buy less, wear for a longer time” philosophy ahead of the Christmas shopping frenzy. The brand has created a film, “Worn Wear,” to celebrate individuals who make the most of their clothing and wear it as long as it’s physically possible. As part of the campaign, Patagonia also partners with peer-edited repair manual iFixit that provides tips on how to revive old pieces of clothing.
The 27-minute film Worn Wear is a collection of “stories we wear”— “it is an exploration of quality—in the things we own and the lives we live.” In this piece, Patagonia narrates the stories of its customers and gear they love and wear for years. The film stars people who live in a surf camp in Baja, Mexico and at an organic farm in Ojai (California), a family that harvests maple syrup in Contoocook (New Hampshire), a champion skier, a National Geographic photographer, and a legendary alpinist. The eight individuals in the video share their thoughts on now to treat the clothing we wear in the most sustainable way.
The film will be screened on Black Friday in select retail stores (see the list of the venues here) to inspire people to think twice before buying new pieces of clothing they don’t really need—or if they have purchased one, how to use it for decades. Patagonia has also teamed up with the iFixit magazine to publish a series of guides for Patagonia gear, helping people repair the worn pieces instead of sending them to the landfills. To make it even easier, the brand also starts selling the “Expedition Sewing Kit” priced at $30, which contains needles, threads and materials you need to repair the Patagonia apparel in the field.
To make this suitability-focused initiative yet more engaging, Patagonia is encouraging like-minded people to share their own story of long-term connection with some brand’s piece. Submissions of up to 500 words are to be accompanied with a photo of the garment (vintage is preferred).
“Clothing is more than just something we wear. An article of clothing can help to pinpoint a moment in time, it can stimulate fond memories, it can save a life, it is with us through blood, sweat, tears, laughter, and it is certainly there for our near disasters and our proudest triumphs in life. Patagonia gear is built to last and to be there, time and again, as we adventure throughout our lives,” says the brand.