It is the tradition of many American families to conclude their Thanksgiving feasts with a pumpkin pie, a relaxing night on the couch, and the blaring sound of Thursday night football. For many, however, the end of Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the biggest spending marathon of the year. Shoppers grab their hats and coats and brace the cold, anticipating hours of standing in line for ‘50% off’ sales and ‘buy one get one free’ deals. Local malls are flooded with eager customers and lines wrap around street corners. The clock strikes 12 a.m. and it’s Black Friday.

Black Friday has become a hallmark of American consumer culture. Patagonia, however, has used that consumer culture to give back in an environmentally conscious way. Rather than promote large sales, Patagonia has redirected its focus to donations. The company is working with non-profit organizations to encourage environmental awareness.

“The environment is the number one pressing issue for every single person on the globe...Black Friday encourages overconsumption which is something that we are really against….[We encourage donations] instead of doing a Black Friday sale which encourages general spending,” Patagonia employee Maya Case said.

Through Patagonia Action Works (patagonia.com), Patagonia is taking all customer donations to global environmental organizations and matching them until they raise $10,000,000.

“We match donations to the non-profits that we work with currently, which is 100s of environmental non-profits across the country, which is kind of awesome. It is not just Boston based,” Harvard Square Patagonia Manager Jay Kleman said.

Patagonia is matching all donations from Nov. 29-Dec. 31 and according to Kleman, no purchase is required to donate. Patagonia is also a co-founding member of 1% for the Planet, a global movement dedicated to sustainability and environmentalism.

“We donate 1% of our sales every year to local and global non-profits...we can help facilitate [donations] at the registers, or you [can donate] right through our site,” Kleman said.

Along with their work collecting donations, during Black Friday, Patagonia sells overproduced items at a discounted price in order to limit waste.

“We are a company that does not throw away items if we overproduce. Unlike other retailers, everything gets used in some fashion,” Case said. 

Case also mentioned that Patagonia encourages its customers to avoid buying new products by bringing in items for a free repair.

“Because of the carbon emissions [used to produce jackets]...We would rather take the hit for those repairs than have someone go out and buy a whole new [one]. We are not here to increase overall sales every year like other companies. It is about being a presence in the outdoor industry as a sustainable option,” Case said. 

Patagonia will repair all products damaged through regular wear and tear.

“I think what Patagonia is doing shows that they are a very positive role model for other large-scale businesses. Environmental awareness is important because obviously, we are affecting the environment negatively and for a clothing company like Patagonia to want to make a difference is very important,” Patagonia customer Noah Evans said.

Other companies have also focused their Black Fridays on sustainability. REI closed its doors entirely and encouraged customers and employees to donate their time to clean-ups around the country. Through their #OptOutside campaign, REI has challenged customers to take on 52 weeks of simple challenges to reduce their environmental impact.

“Fast fashion is such a harmful environmental practice that I feel is just coming to light, thanks in large part to companies protesting Black Friday. So many people shop without realizing how resource-intensive making clothes is and how much pollution the clothing manufacturing industry emits. People simply aren’t educated on things like how various fabrics impact the environment. Bringing these issues to the forefront of attention for shoppers is hugely important,” REI customer Maxine Gill said.

The Swedish outdoor company Haglöfs doubled their prices for Black Friday and donated all income to the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.

“[For customers who choose to shop on Black Friday], definitely do the best you can to look into how your product was made, where it was made, who made it, and why you’re buying it. It’s like grocery shopping: it’s best to go in with a list that way you are only getting things you really need, not just because there is a deal. It is better for your pocket and for the environment,” Case said.