What is Patagonia?
Patagonia is an outdoor apparel company founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973 and based in Ventura, California. The company started with creating outfits specifically for climbers and surfers, but today you’ll find that its apparel items (from fleece vests to jackets) are worn as often in offices as they are outdoors.
Every item in Patagonia’s company program uses recycled fabrics and comes with the brand’s Ironclad Guarantee. Additionally, Patagonia gives 1% of sales to environmental work. For a lot of companies, that combination of quality, name recognition, and environmental values is exactly why Patagonia became such a popular swag choice.
Can you order custom Patagonia with your company logo?
The shortest answer to the question of “Can I order custom Patagonia with my company logo?” is yes, you can, but Patagonia has to approve the order first. And the thing is, not every company gets the go-ahead. That can be a problem if you’ve already told your team they’re getting Patagonia vests. If you’ve been looking for custom Patagonia jackets or a Patagonia with a company logo, here’s how the process works today.
If you’re looking for custom Patagonia or a Patagonia with your company logo, you’ll need to go through the brand’s Group Sales program. Patagonia describes this program as an option for “like-minded companies.” What you do here is to apply first, and the application asks questions such as whether your company is a Certified B Corporation or a 1% for the Planet member. The program also currently handles orders within the US only.
The bigger issue when you want to use Patagonia for your swag campaign is the logo. Patagonia has been moving away from adding extra logos to its products, so you won’t automatically get approval to add your company branding. Patagonia’s reasoning? Permanent corporate branding can shorten how long someone uses a garment. Employees change jobs, for example, and they may be less likely to pass along a jacket with an old employer’s logo on it. Patagonia says keeping a garment in use for a little over two additional years can reduce its overall footprint by 82%.
That said, you can still consider Patagonia. However, if you need your logo on every jacket or you’re sending apparel to employees outside the US, you might want to consider a brand alternative to Patagonia.
Why choose a Patagonia alternative?
Some reasons to choose a Patagonia alternative include: you need your company logo on the swag, your employees are global, you’re ordering for a large group, and you need the swag urgently. Let’s discuss each one in more detail below:
You need your company logo on it: As mentioned above, Patagonia doesn’t easily or automatically allow companies to add their logo to Patagonia products. On the other hand, with brands such as The North Face and Port Authority, you can order corporate apparel styles that don’t require permission for decoration.
Your employees are in multiple countries: Patagonia’s current company program is US-only. If you also have employees in Toronto, Bangalore, or London, you’ll need another way to give apparel swag items to the rest of your team.
You’re ordering for a larger group: Patagonia items can be quite expensive. While you can still choose it for executive gifting, it might not be the most suitable for when you’re sending apparel swag to 50 or more people.
You’re working against a deadline: Patagonia adds an application and logo approval before you can move into production. If you have an event or start date coming up, you may need apparel that you can order more quickly.
What are the top 5 Patagonia alternatives?
The five brand alternatives to Patagonia are The North Face, Arc'teryx, Eddie Bauer, Peter Millar, and Port Authority. You can find all five in PerkUp’s catalog, but they make sense for different teams and budgets. Some give you a similar outdoor feel to Patagonia, while others are better when price or a more polished look matters more. So, let’s delve deeper into which Patagonia alternative is best for which occasion.
The North Face
The closest overall alternative to Patagonia
If you specifically want Patagonia for your swag campaign but don’t want the hassle and back and forth of asking for permission to put your company logo on a Patagonia item, The North Face is probably the easiest alternative. The brand started in 1966 as a small shop in San Francisco and has similar recognition in outdoor apparel. The main difference for company swag is that you can find corporate styles designed to take an additional logo.
Why choose this alternative
People already know the brand: If your employees want a recognizable outdoor label, The North Face delivers exactly that without straying too far from the original request.
You can choose recycled fabrics: Several of The North Face's corporate styles use recycled polyester, so you don't lose the sustainability angle when you switch from Patagonia.
You get a warranty: The North Face covers manufacturing defects through a limited lifetime warranty.
Some The North Face apparel you need to consider
The North Face Unisex Sweater Fleece Jacket ($79.79) - If your team originally wanted a Patagonia Better Sweater, start here. Your employees get the same sweater-knit look, plus a soft brushed interior and zippered chest pocket.
The North Face Unisex Ridgewall Soft Shell Vest ($72.19) - For your employees who commute or travel often, the Ridgewall gives them a lighter layer they can wear over a shirt without the bulk of a full jacket. It has a wind-resistant exterior and gridded fleece inside, too!
The North Face Unisex Everyday Insulated Jacket ($132.19) - If you want something closer to a premium anniversary or leadership gift, this one gives your recipient a lightweight puffer with a recycled polyester shell and 150 grams of Heatseeker insulation.
If you’d rather see brands cheaper than The North Face, then be sure to check out our The North Face alternatives blog.
Arc'teryx
Good for executives and VIP client campaigns
If Patagonia was already within budget and you’re willing to go higher, Arc'teryx is another option to look at. A group of Vancouver climbers started the brand in 1989, and it has since become one of the better-known names in premium technical outerwear.
Arc'teryx also has a similar interest in keeping products in use longer. Through ReBird, the company repairs and resells its own products.
Why choose this alternative
It feels premium: If you’re thanking an executive, top performer, or important client, most recipients will recognize Arc'teryx as a higher-priced brand.
Your team can repair and reuse it: ReBird gives your recipients another way to keep their apparel in use longer thanks to Arc’teryx’s service.
You can get technical fleece: Arc'teryx fleece is stretchy and light, so your recipient can wear it by itself or under another layer.
Some Arc’teryx apparel you need to consider
Arc'teryx Women's Atom LT Corporate Vest ($155.79) - If you were looking at a Patagonia Nano Puff Vest, this is one of the closest options on the list. Your recipient gets lightweight Coreloft synthetic insulation with stretch fleece side panels.
Arc'teryx Men's Kyanite Jacket ($120.99) - The Kyanite uses Polartec Power Stretch Pro with a smooth nylon face and brushed interior. Your recipient can wear it alone or layer it under a shell.
Arc'teryx Women's Kyanite Jacket ($120.99) - This gives you the same Polartec Power Stretch Pro fabric in a women’s cut, which makes it easier to offer matching apparel across a mixed team.
For more gifts around this price point, see our premium swag picks for VIPs.
Cotopaxi
Suitable for sustainability-focused swag programs
If the reason you wanted Patagonia had as much to do with the company as the fleece, Cotopaxi is probably the most interesting alternative on this list.
The brand is named after a volcano in Ecuador that its founder grew up around, and it gives 1% of annual revenue to the Cotopaxi Foundation, which supports nonprofits working to reduce poverty. There’s also a lot of overlap with what Patagonia looks for in its own Group Sales applicants. Cotopaxi is a Certified B Corporation and a 1% for the Planet member, and the company says more than 96% of its products use recycled, deadstock, or other lower-impact materials.
The look is where Patagonia and Cotopaxi differ. Cotopaxi uses much brighter colors and more color-blocking, so your company apparel won’t look like the usual black or navy corporate fleece. That can be a good thing if you want the sustainability story but don’t necessarily want to recreate the traditional Patagonia vest.
Why choose this alternative
You get a brand with a cause: Part of every sale of Cotopaxi goes toward programs focused on reducing poverty.
You can choose recycled materials: Cotopaxi says more than 96% of its products use recycled, deadstock, or other lower-impact materials. That lets you keep sustainability as part of your swag program even if Patagonia itself isn’t practical for your order.
Your employees get something visually different: Cotopaxi’s brighter colors and color-blocked styles stand out from the black, gray, and navy fleece that’s common in corporate apparel. That can make the swag feel more intentional, especially if you want something employees don’t already have several versions of.
You can use it for larger sends: Some Cotopaxi fleece costs less than comparable Patagonia products; this, then, gives you more room if you’re buying for a new hire wave or team offsite or you’re buying apparel for more people.
Some Cotopaxi apparel you need to consider
Cotopaxi Amado Fleece Vest ($75.60) - If you want your employees to have the classic fleece vest, this gives them a similar layer in Cotopaxi’s color-blocked style. It uses lightweight recycled polyester fleece and has a zip-through collar and drop-in hand pockets, so it works over a shirt at the office or as an extra layer outside.
Cotopaxi Amado 1/2-Zip Fleece ($82.95) - For new hire kits or fall swag, this gives your employees the same recycled fleece in a pullover. They can wear it over a tee on cooler days or layer it under a heavier jacket when it gets colder.
Cotopaxi Fuego Down Vest ($197.40) - If you want something for milestone gifts or a smaller leadership group, the Fuego gives your recipient 800-fill down inside a recycled ripstop shell with a water-repellent finish. It also packs into its own interior pocket, which makes it easy to bring along when traveling.
Peter Millar
Good for client-facing finance and professional services teams
Peter Millar is the only brand here that’s not really an outdoor label. That said, it still belongs on this list because a lot of employees don’t really wear a Patagonia vest on a trail; rather, they wear it over a dress shirt to a client meeting. As such, if that’s how your team will actually use the apparel, Peter Millar may fit better than another outdoor brand.
Peter Millar started in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 2001 with a single cashmere sweater. Later, the brand expanded into performance golf apparel and tailored clothing. Today, you’ll see its quarter-zips at client meetings, golf outings, and leadership events.
So if you were planning Patagonia corporate gifts for a finance team, clients, or senior leaders, Peter Millar gives you the same idea of a premium branded layer but with a more polished look. The prices are also toward the higher end of this list, so you may want to use Peter Millar for smaller groups rather than trying to give it out to your whole company.
Why choose this alternative
It fits client-facing wardrobes: Peter Millar’s quarter-zips work naturally with collared shirts and more formal work clothes. If your employees spend most of their time in meetings, they’re more likely to keep wearing something that already fits what they wear to work.
You still get performance features: The brand uses stretch fabrics designed for comfortable all-day wear. That means that your recipients can wear their Peter Millar apparel anywhere, whether that’s in a client meeting, a dinner, or even a golf event.
It works well for higher-value gifts: Peter Millar makes more sense when your recipient is a client, executive, or senior leader and you want the brand itself to add perceived value. It feels closer to a premium personal gift than a standard company swag.
It may fit the actual use case better than Patagonia: If your employees rarely need technical outdoor gear, choosing another outdoor brand just because it resembles Patagonia may not really make sense. Choosing Peter Millar, on the other hand, gives you the polished layer people often use Patagonia for in the office anyway.
Some Peter Millar apparel you need to consider
Peter Millar Men's Perth Performance Quarter-Zip ($145.00) - This is one of Peter Millar’s best-known layers. Your recipient gets a four-way stretch in a quarter-zip they can wear to a client meeting, dinner, or golf outing.
Peter Millar Men's Merge Hybrid Jacket ($150.00) - The Merge combines an insulated front with stretch-knit sleeves. If your recipient spends a lot of the day moving between meetings, the two-way zipper also makes it easier to wear while sitting.
Peter Millar Men's Stealth Performance Quarter-Zip ($88.80) - If you want Peter Millar without spending $145 per person, the Stealth gives you a lower-priced option with the same four-way stretch.
Marmot
Suitable for swag campaigns for teams that work or spend a lot of time outdoors
If you want something close to Patagonia in actual outdoor use, Marmot is the better choice for you. The company started in 1971 after two college students met on a glacier in Alaska, and according to Marmot’s Our Story page, the brand became the first outdoor apparel company to use GORE-TEX in 1976.
Marmot is especially known for rain jackets and insulation. Its PreCip rain jacket has been around since 1999, and the company worked with 3M to develop Featherless, a synthetic alternative to down. That makes Marmot useful when your employees actually need the technical side of Patagonia without the stress of requesting approval for adding your logo.
Its prices are also closer to Patagonia than some of the other options here, so this isn’t really the budget alternative. Most likely, you should choose this if you still want a premium outdoor brand but need something you can order with your company logo.
Why choose this alternative
You get an established outdoor brand: Marmot has been making mountain apparel for more than 50 years! If your employees already care about outdoor brands and technical gear, that history gives the product more credibility than an unknown corporate apparel label.
You can choose based on the weather your employees actually deal with: Marmot offers rain jackets, insulated vests, and technical fleece, which then gives you more flexibility if your employees live in different climates or spend a lot of time outside.
You can choose recycled materials: Several Marmot styles use recycled fabrics. So if sustainability was one of the reasons your company originally wanted Patagonia, you can still make it part of the product criteria when you choose a Patagonia alternative.
It makes sense for real outdoor use: Marmot is especially useful when you need the apparel swag to do more than look good with a logo. If your employees need rain protection or warmth, you can choose a Marmot product around that actual use case.
Some Marmot apparel to consider
Marmot Men’s Echo Featherless Vest ($200.83) - If you were looking at a Patagonia Nano Puff Vest, this is the closest option on the list in terms of price. Your recipient gets a recycled nylon shell with synthetic Featherless insulation, which keeps them warm even when it gets wet.
Marmot Men’s PreCip Eco Packable Rain Jacket ($169.00) - This is Marmot’s best-known rain jacket, and it’s a good choice for employees who travel or work outside. It’s waterproof with sealed seams, and it stuffs into its own pocket so it doesn’t take up much room in a bag.
Marmot Men’s Air Fleece Hooded Jacket ($186.00) - For teams that spend a lot of time outdoors, this gives your employees a recycled polyester fleece with a grid texture, plus zippered \pockets and thumbholes. They can wear it as a top layer on cool days or under a rain shell when the weather turns.
Now, if your team needs something more workwear-focused, we also have some Carhartt alternatives where we go deeper on those apparel options.
What are the best alternatives to popular Patagonia styles?
Sometimes you’re not really looking for a Patagonia alternative as a brand. Instead, what you’re really trying to do is to replace one specific apparel item you want your team to have. So, in that case, we also compiled a few close options for three of Patagonia’s most popular corporate styles.
Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece Vest
The Better Sweater vest uses 10-ounce, 100% recycled polyester fleece with a sweater-knit face and zippered pockets. If you want a Patagonia Better Sweater alternative, look for the same clean vest shape and textured fleece.
The North Face Men’s Sweater Fleece Vest - The closest overall option, since it gives you The North Face’s sweater fleece in a vest.
Cotopaxi Amado Fleece Vest - A good choice if you want recycled polyester fleece in brighter colors and at a lower price.
Patagonia Nano Puff Vest
The Nano Puff is Patagonia’s lightweight, packable puffer. It uses 60 grams of PrimaLoft Gold insulation made from post-consumer recycled polyester with a recycled ripstop shell. If you’re looking for a Patagonia Nano Puff alternative, focus on lightweight synthetic insulation that your employees can easily layer.
The North Face Unisex Everyday Insulated Jacket - Uses a recycled polyester shell with Heatseeker insulation if you don’t mind moving from a vest to a jacket.
Marmot Men’s Echo Featherless Vest - Gives you a recycled nylon shell and synthetic insulation that stays warm when wet, at close to the same price as the Nano Puff.
Patagonia Better Sweater 1/4-Zip
The Better Sweater 1/4-Zip uses the same 10-ounce recycled fleece as the vest, with a stand-up collar and zippered chest pocket. If this is the style you want your employees to have, choose the alternative based on whether you care most about the fleece, the polished look, or the outdoor performance.
Cotopaxi Amado 1/2-Zip Fleece - The closest match on materials, since it also uses recycled polyester fleece in a pullover style.
Peter Millar Men’s Perth Performance Quarter-Zip - A better fit if you want something more polished for leadership or clients.
Marmot Women’s Air Fleece Quarter-Zip Pullover - A quarter-zip option from Marmot’s Air Fleece line if you need a women’s cut.
How to pick the right Patagonia alternative for your team?
With five alternatives to Patagonia, it can be hard to pick which one suits your swag campaign best. That said, you can narrow down your choices by answering the following questions.
Are you…
… looking for the closest alternative to Patagonia?
If yes, then go with The North Face. With this brand, your employees still get a recognizable outdoor brand, and you can choose between a fleece jacket or soft shell vest, depending on the Patagonia style they originally wanted.
… thanking executives or top clients?
Go with Arc'teryx if this is the case. You’re spending more per person, yes, but for a small VIP group, the Atom LT vest or Kyanite jacket gives the gift a more premium feel.
… ordering for a finance or fintech team?
Peter Millar makes more sense if your employees will wear the apparel to client meetings. The Perth quarter-zip, for instance, works over a collared shirt without feeling like outdoor gear. If you’re building a full kit for the team, we also have more swag ideas for fintech companies.
… welcoming new hires through fall or winter?
Cotopaxi gives you fleece vests and pullovers from a recognizable outdoor brand without spending at the highest end of the list. It also gives your new hire kit a different look from the black and navy fleece that a lot of companies use. You can pair the apparel with a mug or beanie from our fall swag ideas.
… sending apparel to a team that works outdoors?
Marmot makes more sense when your apparel swag will be used rain or shine. To give you an example, the PreCip Eco rain jacket is waterproof and packs into its own pocket, so your employees can keep it in a work bag or carry-on and pull it out when they need it.
That said, you also don’t have to choose the same brand for every program! You could give new hires Cotopaxi, use The North Face for a company offsite, and save Arc’teryx for a five-year anniversary. Keep the logo placement and company colors consistent, and the different company logo jackets can still feel like part of the same program.
Order Patagonia and Its Alternatives from PerkUp
Once you’ve picked the brand (or have decided to still go for Patagonia), you will still need to figure out how many jackets to order, which sizes you need, where you’ll store them, and how you’ll get them to your employees in different countries. You can do all of these (and more!) through PerkUp.
Let’s say you already know your headcount and size breakdown, then, what you can do is to place a bulk swag order and have PerkUp hold the apparel in its warehousing network until you’re ready to send it. If you want sizing to be accurate or you need lower MOQ, you can use On Demand swag instead. You can order as few as one unit, and the listed price already covers the item, decoration, shipping, taxes, and duties! Every available size also costs the same. Essentially, what this means is you could order your main batch of vests in bulk, then use On Demand when one new manager needs a jacket three months later or when you don’t want to guess sizes upfront.
From there, decide how you want your employees to receive the apparel. You can add the jacket to a swag kit and send it to a new hire, ship it to a conference as event swag, or give your employees access to a swag store so they choose their own size and color. You can also offer gift cards alongside the apparel when you want to give people another option.
If your team is global, you can fulfill closer to where your employees live instead of sending every jacket from one country. And that’s easy with PerkUp because the platform has warehouses and suppliers in the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, India, China, Hong Kong, Australia, and Dubai and can deliver to more than 65 countries. For international shipments, PerkUp also prepays duties wherever possible and reimburses eligible unexpected customs charges.
You’ll also want to think about how the logo looks on the apparel before you place the order. If you’d rather not guess, then you don’t have to because PerkUp’s in-house designers can prepare the artwork and mockups for you for no additional cost. If you have a specific Patagonia alternative in mind that’s not already in the catalog or you want something fully customized (like your company mascot), you can also ask PerkUp’s custom sourcing team to assist you.
And once you’ve decided which apparel belongs in which program, you can automate some of your recurring swag campaigns, too! PerkUp connects with your HRIS through more than 200 integrations, so you can set up automated milestone gifting for birthdays, work anniversaries, and even onboarding.
If sustainability is one of the reasons you originally chose Patagonia, you can also look at recycled-fabric options and reduce excess inventory by using On Demand when sizes are hard to predict. PerkUp is a member of Pledge 1% and partners with Stripe Climate, and you can read more about reducing dead stock or our broader eco-friendly swag approach to see how the platform can further strengthen your sustainability causes.
A few teams have already used PerkUp for apparel programs like these.
Impiricus
For its Atlanta offsite, Impiricus wanted premium swag waiting at the venue before its team arrived. PerkUp helped put together the apparel order using recognizable brands, including Eddie Bauer fleece vests.
Wise
Wise has employees across several countries and uses PerkUp for custom apparel tied to milestones, team gatherings, and its early-career marketing teams. For a global company, that means the apparel program doesn’t have to be limited to employees in one country.
Microsoft
Microsoft ordered more than 1,000 custom letterman jackets through PerkUp. The team needed more than 1,000 jackets produced to brand guidelines and delivered on time, and PerkUp managed the production and fulfillment through the same program.
Key Takeaways
Patagonia is still a great brand, but its company program won’t work for every swag order. So, if you want the closest overall alternative, start with The North Face. For executives and VIP clients, look at Arc’teryx. If Patagonia’s sustainability positioning was the main reason you chose it, Cotopaxi is a strong fit. Peter Millar works better for client-facing teams, while Marmot makes sense when your employees actually need technical outdoor apparel.
Once you have decided which alternative to Patagonia you’ll be ordering, book a demo with PerkUp and we can show you what your logo would look like on the options you’re considering.
Frequently Asked Questions About Patagonia Alternatives and Apparel Swag
Can PerkUp source a specific jacket or brand that’s not in the catalog?
Yes! If you have a specific specialty or premium brand in mind, PerkUp can source products outside the standard catalog through custom sourcing. This comes up often for executive and client gifts where the brand itself is part of the request. Your dedicated Customer Success Manager can coordinate the sourcing and design work, so you don’t have to bring in another vendor for one item.
Can you ship branded jackets and vests to employees outside the US?
Absolutely! PerkUp ships to more than 65 countries through warehouses in the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, India, China, Hong Kong, Australia, and Dubai. PerkUp prepays duties wherever possible, and if an eligible unexpected customs charge comes up, PerkUp reimburses it.
What decoration methods work best on fleece and soft shell?
Embroidery is usually a good option for fleece and soft shell because it gives your logo a clean, textured finish. Depending on the product, PerkUp can also use DTG, DTF, screen printing, or laser engraving. You can add another logo location, such as a side or nape label, and PerkUp’s in-house designers are included with every account.
What’s the minimum order and turnaround for custom jackets?
It depends on whether you order bulk or On Demand. On Demand has a one-unit minimum and takes about three weeks. Bulk orders typically start at 25 to 50 units per style at each warehouse location and take about five weeks before shipping: around three weeks for production, one for kitting, and one for approval. A lot of teams use both. You can order the sizes you know you’ll need in bulk, then use On Demand for apparel when sizing is harder to predict. However, do note that not all apparel brands are available On Demand.
Is PerkUp a fit for finance and fintech companies looking for apparel swag and with strict vendor requirements?
Yes. PerkUp is SOC 2 Type 2 certified, and SSO is available as an optional add-on. Fintech companies such as Wise already use PerkUp for apparel swag. If sustainability is also part of your vendor review, you can build collections around recycled fabrics and eco-friendly packaging.
