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Yvon Chouinard on values and simple living: interview summary

Yvon Chouinard: Founding Patagonia & Living Simply

Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California · Nov 17, 2016 · about 78 min

Uploaded Nov 17, 2016 · 200K views (as of Oct 30, 2026)

Good value given

Chouinard taught himself blacksmithing to make better climbing gear.
He never set out to build a business.
Seeing pesticide-heavy cotton farming pushed Patagonia to organic cotton.
Patagonia taxes itself through 1% for the Planet and picks where the money goes.
His advice to parents is to get kids out in nature.

How did Yvon Chouinard get into business?

He wanted better climbing gear, which back then was crude and made in Europe. He got a forge, an anvil and a book on blacksmithing, taught himself, and started making pitons, then ice axes and crampons. He never did it thinking it was a business at first.

Worth watching?Good value given. A relaxed talk on how a climber who taught himself blacksmithing ended up building Patagonia. Strong on values, organic cotton and taxing yourself for the planet.

ActionableLessons

Actionable

Make one tool you wish existed for your own hobby.
Visit where your product's materials come from.
Set a fixed share of revenue to give to a cause you choose.
Plan one outdoor trip with your kids or friends this month.

Lessons

Products can start as hobbies.
Seeing the source changes choices.
Self-imposed giving builds trust.
Nature shapes character.

Quick answer

Yvon Chouinard sat down with Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California for this interview, published Nov 17, 2016. Here's our summary in our own words: a verdict, the answer to the big question, 5 takeaways, Actionable and Lessons tabs, then the stories, frameworks and how to use them.

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Watch the interview

Watch on YouTube: Yvon Chouinard: Founding Patagonia & Living Simply

Channel: Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. Published Nov 17, 2016. About 78 minutes.

Who is Yvon Chouinard?

Yvon Chouinard is a climber and the founder of Patagonia.

This is a Commonwealth Club Climate One conversation with Greg Dalton.

Key stories from the interview

He describes surviving an avalanche.
He tells how he started blacksmithing.
He explains the cotton field visit that changed Patagonia.
He talks about teaching kids fly fishing.

Frameworks and ideas

Accidental business: start with a need.
Organic shift: see the source.
1% for the Planet: tax yourself.
Get kids outside.

In their words (paraphrased)

I taught myself how to blacksmith.
The best part is we decide where it goes.
Stick your kids' necks out, get them in nature.

How to apply this

List one material in your product and research how it's made.
Pick a cause and pledge a small share of revenue.
Spend a weekend outdoors without your phone.

Read the biography

Want the longer story? Read our Let My People Go Surfing summary.

A note on this summary

This page reports what was said in the interview, in our own words. Lines under 'In their words' are paraphrased from the transcript, so check the video for exact wording.

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FAQ: questions people ask

How did Patagonia start?

Chouinard taught himself blacksmithing to make better climbing gear, starting with pitons.

What is 1% for the Planet?

A self-imposed tax Patagonia pays, where it decides where the money goes.

Is the Yvon Chouinard Commonwealth Club interview worth watching?

Good value given. Relaxed and values driven.