Patagonia

Patagonia's mission statement is certainly reflected in every piece of clothing they produce: "Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis."

Patagonia has always had its feet firmly planted in the outdoors. This has played no small part in their success. As a performance apparel and gear manufacturer they are in the top of their field. Patagonia began life as a climbing tool company created by Yvon Chouinard, an avid climber and outdoors enthusiast. It seemed natural to take the innovative approach that Patagonia was taking with their climbing tools and embrace all aspects of climbing and outdoor gear. Patagonia the brand would expand into active outdoor performance clothing geared towards skiers, climbers, hikers, surfers and others who enjoy demanding outdoor activities. Their current line of men's clothing includes jackets, pullovers, shirts, boxer briefs, boardshorts, swimwear and more types of sports underwear and gear. 

In the early 1980's Patagonia came out with their insulating long underwear. Realizing it made no sense to wear underwear that didn't control moisture and temperature, they began fabricating underwear in ultra-breathable man-made fabrics including polypropylene and the high-tech capiline polyester. Today, Patagonia mens underwear includes features like open-weave stretch mesh to improve airflow, flat-sewn seams and ergonomic design. All of this is geared towards increasing the wearer's comfort, and what is possible in Patagonia athletic apparel. The moisture wicking capacity of the fabric allows for core temperature regulation and keeps you dry- reducing chafing. The ergonomic, flat-sewn seams are also designed to decrease chafing and improve your ability to move while wearing Patagonia. Technology and methods have developed to such a point that the fabrics have become remarkably light in weight, without sacrificing any warmth retention or wicking ability. The Capilene line of fabrics that Patagonia has created is constantly reinvented and improved upon. The many weights of the Capilene line gives the wearer exactly what he or she needs in terms of heat retention without weighing them down in the slightest. It's made for durability and efficiency and it just keeps getting better.

Patagonia may have been the first apparel manufacturer to promote layering for active sports clothing. The insulation this provides without having to wear one large, bulky piece of clothing is great for many functional reasons. Your mobility isn't compromised by clothing that's hard to move in, and if you're too warm you can just take a layer off. The layered underwear also features sophisticated fabrications that wick moisture and regulate your body temperature by providing cooling comfort through evaporation. Their line includes several styles of pants and crew shirts meant to be worn as an underlayer. The brand has also expanded into warmer weather gear like boardshorts. Designed in great colorful patterns and with useful features like rigid waistbands and built-in cargo pockets, Patagonia boardshorts looks and performance will meet the most exacting demands.

Patagonia also stands out for their commitment to the environment.  They demonstrate this commitment by the construction and design of their facilities and by being a major contributor to environmental causes. Patagonia founded 1% for the Planet,  an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their sales to environmental causes.