Undies be free! Patagonia lets it all hang out

We keep hearing more about packaging reduction, and for good reason – less packaging generally means less cost, less impact on the environment, and less hassle for consumers. 

So what about taking that as far as it can go – NO packaging? For better or worse, it’s an idea that’s gaining currency among retailers and consumer-products marketers.

Yes, there are hurdles. The existing paradigm – particularly in the U.S. – is to ensconce most products in copious amounts of packaging. And to some degree that’s been good for the packaging business overall.

But will it continue to be that way? Good question. It’s what Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard pondered when he told his team at Patagonia to eliminate packaging for the company’s line of underwear. His colleagues responded with warnings and worries – it was assumed that sales would plummet.

Instead, just the opposite occurred. But I’ll let Mr. Chouinard tell the story. 

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