Buy what you need and not more: New Patagonia documentary takes satirical look at the age of cheap crap

American outdoor apparel retailer Patagonia has released The Shitthropocene, a new film that aims to give a humorous, thought provoking anthropological exploration of humanity’s consumption habits, turning a satirical yet brutally honest eye on how everything is turning to shit and why the impulse toward buying more crap might destroy us all.

Running for 45 minutes, you should, according to a press release, be prepared for some lively moments, including dancing cave people.

This adds: “While it might seem unnatural, unusual or inauthentic for a brand to tell their community only to buy what they need and not more, that's been a core message at Patagonia since the start.”

“Over 50 years ago, the company’s founders knew that the gear they made had to be of the highest quality or someone might get hurt. And then, another evolution: If what they sold wasn’t of the highest quality, it was just more crap that no one needed.”                     

“Soon, this turned into a commitment to using business as a tool for good and showing how a company can make a profit while operating responsibly. In practice, this meant making items that are functional, repairable and timeless with the lowest environmental impact and done by people being treated and paid fairly.”

“But it’s also making films like The Shitthropocene and asking the Patagonia community to demand quality products and keep gear in play for longer through resale and repair.” 

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard wrote last year in a New York Times essay: “People ask me how [Patagonia] has managed to stick around so long... I tell them it’s been our unrelenting focus on quality, which includes making things that last and that cause the least amount of harm to our planet.”

A love letter to Amsterdam

Patagonia recently opened its first store in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam, designed to serve as both a retail store and a space for local activist and sports communities.

This will offer technical products for outdoor sports, including climbing, snow sports, and trail running.

It will host regular community events such as repair workshops, film screenings and public talks.

Founded in Ventura, California, by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, with a commitment to environmental activism, the outdoor apparel retailer has 12 stores and is stocked in specialty outdoor dealers across Europe.

The Amsterdam location stands on the former site of the RoXY Club, which played a pivotal role in the city’s house and techno culture of the 1990s and was known for extravagant, multidisciplinary performances.

Nina Hajikhanian, General Manager, EMEA, Patagonia, says: “All of our stores around the world are designed as gifts to the communities in which they operate, and this will be a love letter to Amsterdam and the thriving outdoor sports and environmental culture of the city.”

“As a business operating across EMEA, Amsterdam has been home to our regional headquarters for the past ten years.”

“During that time, we have immersed ourselves in the activism, innovation and creativity that the city is famous for, through initiatives such as our partnerships with United Repair Centre and Fashion for Good, and our close connections to environmental NGOs and outdoor communities.”

“Our new store is a continuation of that work and an opportunity to become a more active force for positive change here.”