Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, the reluctant businessman rfi.fr - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rfi.fr Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
April 22, 2021
Q: Patagonia has a history of values-driven innovation. Where did that start?
Yvon Chouinard started making climbing equipment in his parents’ backyard when he was still a teenager. When he and his friends began pioneering big wall climbs in Yosemite in the ’60s, almost all climbing equipment was imported from Europe. Pitons, metal spikes that climbers used to establish protection, were made out of soft iron that could only be used once or twice. That was fine on shorter routes, but for long climbs like the ones at Yosemite, you would need to carry a huge supply. Yvon’s innovation was the hard steel piton that could be hammered in, then tapped out and reused time and time again.
11 Dead Outdoor Gear Brands That You Should Know gearpatrol.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gearpatrol.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.