Jill Dumain

Patagonia clothing company has been working on environmental raw material developments, processes, and designs for 20 years and has great success in working within different industries in collaborative groups to work smarter instead of harder. Jill Dumain has been with Patagonia for 23 years and has led many of these initiatives during her tenure. Learn how one company has succeeded (mostly!) in furthering an environmental agenda through this collaborative work, and learn how your industry can become involved.

Biography: Jill Dumain

Jill Dumain attended the University of California at Davis and majored in Textiles and Clothing. Her studies included textile science, marketing, and production courses. Upon graduation, she began working in the Fabric Laboratory at Patagonia, testing and analyzing the technical fabrics in the line. Two years later, she moved into Fabric Development to work on the development of Patagonia's natural fiber fabrics. This position led to an environmental emphasis for her job, especially the organic cotton project, which she has continued to lead since 1994.

From 1997-2003, she held the position Director of Fabric Development, overseeing all material development for the company. She was promoted to Director of Environmental Analysis in 2003 and helped lead the development of the Common Threads Garment Recycling Program and The Footprint Chronicles website.

Jill was elected as Chair of the Board of the Organic Exchange in September 2006 and served through 2009, and the Chair position for the Sustainability Working Group in the Outdoor Industry Association from 2009-2011. Her position has evolved into Director of Environmental Strategy with her current collaborative projects. Throughout her tenure at Patagonia, she has traveled extensively through Asia, Europe, and the United States, visiting fabric manufacturers and interfacing with other companies committed to environmental responsibility.

About Patagonia Patagonia, Inc., based in Ventura, California, is a leading designer of core outdoor, surf and sport-related apparel, equipment, footwear and accessories. With sales last year of $414M, the company is noted internationally for its commitment to authentic product quality and environmental activism, contributing over $43M in cash and in-kind donations to date. Incorporating environmental responsibility into product development, the company has used only organically-grown cotton since 1996 in its clothing line.

Committed to making its products landfill-free, the company’s entire product line is recyclable thorough its Common Threads Initiative. The company also advocates corporate transparency through its interactive website, The Footprint Chronicles, which outlines the environmental and social footprint of individual products. Patagonia was featured as “The Coolest Company on the Planet” on Fortune Magazine’s April 2007 cover.