Patagonia Rebels Against Black Friday Mania By Urging Repairs Of Old Clothing

In a year when more and more retailers are starting Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day, Patagonia is taking a different tack.

The performance outdoor apparel brand is introducing a repair program for old Patagonia items with iFixit, a startup dedicated to creating free repair manuals online for everything from iPhones to cameras. Repair guides for Patagonia apparel will be made available on the iFixit website, and customers who live near 15 select Patagonia stores can get in-person help this Friday.

Patagonia will also premiere a short film called Worn Wear in those stores, produced by surf ambassadors for the company, to "share the stories of Patagonia customers and their beloved Patagonia gear that has stood the test of time."

"This Black Friday, when deals and discounts entice people to buy more than they need, Patagonia would like to send an alternative message to its friends, family and customers, one that explores the quality of the things we own and the lives we live," the brand said in an emailed statement. It's promoting the initiative with hashtags including "BetterThanNew" and "AntiBlackFriday."

Patagonia and its founder Yvon Chouinard have long promoted environmental and social business practices. In 2005, the brand started the Common Threads Initiative, which asks customers "to agree to buy only what I need (and will last), repair what breaks, reuse (share) what I no longer need and recycle everything else." It also encourages customers to repair and recycle Patagonia items by mailing them in.

Of the roughly 140 million people who plan to shop on Thanksgiving weekend, about 24%, or 33 million people, intend to go on Turkey Day, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation.