The Public Lands Council launched a new campaign to support rural communities and raise awareness of critical facts in the national monuments debate.

The move responds to the profit-driven marketing efforts of multinational retail corporation Patagonia, which promoted false claims about national monuments in the wake of the recent decision to appropriately scale Bears Ears and Grand-Staircase Escalante. The PLC campaign features the distribution of iron-on clothing patches designed to cover the logo on Patagonia merchandise and cure “Patagonia Shame,” retail for $3.00 and can be purchased through the PLC website.

“Patagonia’s actions are a pure marketing play disguised as concern for western landscapes,” said Ethan Lane, Executive Director of the Public Lands Council. “Many Patagonia customers would be ashamed to learn the corporation prioritized its own profits over the wishes of local communities who were harmed by national monument designations.”

Patagonia’s public opposition to the national monument modifications – which included a pop-up banner on the corporate website titled “The President Stole Your Land” – led to an invitation for the founder to testify in front of the House Natural Resources Committee. Patagonia refused.

“Patagonia should do us all a favor and keep selling coats, not a political agenda,” added Lane. “Where were they for the last 150 years when ranchers were protecting these resources?”