Fashioning The Future Of The Textile Industry: Exploring Degrowth Through Patagonia

Resumo

The Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development signified a crucial shift towards sustainable and green growth. In this context, the degrowth movement opposes the current growth paradigm, being critical of the existence of unrelenting growth on a finite planet. Contrary to the profit-centric norm in business, the degrowth approach presents an alternative emphasizing environmental and social purposes.

The objective of this case study is to explore the links between business activities according to Porter’s value chain model and degrowth related principles. To that end, the example of Patagonia is analyzed, a Californian outdoor apparel retailer that has been doing business differently for 50 years (recognized by its status as a B Corp). In this case study, degrowth is operationalized in order to assess its potential contribution in the transition towards more sustainable business models, with a special focus on marketing, corporate culture and values, and stakeholder engagement.