Patagonia promises "weed"?

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Everyone who is familiar with the company Patagonia, will know that the business is at the top of all socially responsible companies. Patagonia was founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973. The company manufactures high-end outdoor clothing and is strongly involved in many environmental movements. In the end of 2014 Patagonia released their new and in some minds, questionable marketing campaign for their new wetsuits. The campaign was based to get surfers’ attention through the promise of weed.

In a new print ad Patagonia declares, “We have the best weed in town (and we’re giving it away)”:

It's not the weed that is currently being legalized in many states in the U.S. that is being made with Patagonia's new wetsuits, but rather a desert shrub, native to the Southwestern U.S. Luxuriously priced between $529 and $549, the company’s hardly giving these wetsuits away. The company is introducing a new way to make a wetsuit using renewable materials that are safer to the earths oceans. Patagonia based their brand around the idea of openly sourcing a rubber made from greener alternatives that will give the surf industry a break from the non-biodegradable, resource-intensive neoprene that wetsuits are currently made of.

Patagonia tells The New York Times, “It is one way Patagonia is trying to nudge along a sport that has not always been environmentally conscious despite its roots in the natural world. Patagonia executives are also convinced that the many years of development and testing they have supported have resulted in a revolutionary material that will wind up not only in wet suits but also in everyday items like sneakers and yoga mats.”

While Patagonia shows no indication that this "weed" has any mind-altering properties, the allusion is placed in the consumers head and is certainly an attention grabber. Currently, Patagonia makes their wetsuits from 60 percent “weed” or guayule and 40 percent neoprene. The company hopes that if their new biorubber catches on it will drive the costs down as they work towards cutting the neoprene out of their wetsuit entirely.

Patagonia tells The New York Times that, "When volume goes up, price goes down, and more surfers can choose to purchase less harmful suits. It’s good, smart business."

Patagonia has realized that surfers wetsuits are actually harmful to the environment. Surfing is a sport whose followers are extremely in touch and aware of their affect on the environment. Patagonia has discovered a niche in a market and intends to change the way that wetsuits are made entirely.