Patagonia says goodbye to Neoprene
Patagonia has always tried to offer ethically sourced and manufactured apparel and gear. Their latest endeavour is "green neoprene." The Yulex suits are made from the guayule plant which requires little water and no pesticides to grow. This program has been in the works for a few years, but it's only now that they're introducing suits made entirely of the bio-rubber material.
And I quote "(it's a) natural rubber developed in partnership with Yulex and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified by the Rainforest Alliance. The certification assures customers that the source plantation isn’t contributing to deforestation, and that it’s managed in a way that maintains the ecological functions and integrity of the forest. The Rainforest Alliance—an international nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods, with a focus on tropical landscapes—performs audits to confirm that the plantation adheres to the FSC’s standards on the ground."
The regular rubber in neoprene is nasty because it's non renewable, it's petroleum based and it takes a lot of energy to make. Patagonia, whose profits have tripled since 2008, is going after mass appeal while trying to maintain socially and environmentally responsible practices. I say, if they can pull it off (and it looks like they can), more power to them.