Stories We Wear: Promoting Sustainability Practices with the Case of Patagonia Gwendolyn M. Michel 1 , Meegan Feori 2 , Mary Lynn Damhorst 3 , Young-A Lee 4 and Linda S. Niehm 3 1 Iowa State University, 2 San Diego Mesa College, 3 Iowa State University, 4 Auburn University The purpose of this study was to explore why consumers wear and repair Patagonia brand apparel, thus extending the lifespan of the apparel beyond a typical period of consumption. Using a qualitative case study, we examined Patagonia’s “Stories We Wear” blog posts from 2015 to 2017. Six emergent themes were identified as consumers’ motivation to engage in sustainability practices of repairing and extending the use of Patagonia brand apparel. The findings indicate that the blog posts (a) supported brand attachment and (b) enhanced our understanding of consumer–object relations with apparel items. Recommendations for future research and businesses seeking to expand sustainability practices are provided. Keywords: brand love; consumer–object relations; extended use; sustainability practices The brand image of Patagonia, Inc., a California-based outdoor apparel and equipment company, is synonymous with concern for the environment and sustainability through responsible manufacturing and consumption (Chouinard & Stanley, 2012; Hwang, Lee, Diddi, & Karpova, 2016). Patagonia emphasizes design of apparel with a high level of quality to, in part, encourage extended use of its apparel and reduce postconsumer apparel waste (Hepburn, 2013). The brand’s experiential marketing initiative, the Worn Wear program, practices and promotes sustainability by offering free repair services, online repair tutorials, discounts for trading in used Patagonia brand apparel, and opportunities to share stories of one’s adventures in repaired or long-lived garments through its Stories We Wear (SWW) blog (https://wornwear.patagonia.com). In 2011, Patagonia, Inc. pursued the “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign as part of its Common Threads Initiative (CTI), emphasizing sustainability via extended use of garments to achieve reduced apparel consumption (Gunther, 2011; Kuehlwein & Schaefer, 2017), which was not received without criticism. Authors Note: Gwendolyn M. Michel, PhD, is a graduate in the Department of Apparel, Events and Hospitality Management at Iowa State University. Meegan Feori, PhD Student, is an Associate Professor in the department of Business at San Diego Mesa College. Mary Lynn Damhorst, PhD, is a Professor Emeritus in the department of Apparel, Events, & Hospitality Management at Iowa State University. Young-A. Lee, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences at Auburn University. Linda S. Niehm, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Apparel, Events, & Hospitality Management at Iowa State University. Please address correspondence to Meegan Feori, Department of Business, San Diego Mesa College, 7250 Mesa College Dr., BT-117, San Diego, CA 92111; e-mail: mfeori@sdccd.edu. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal DOI: 10.1111/fcsr.12340 © 2019 American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences 1