‘Vote the a--holes out.’ Strong, hidden message on Patagonia clothing tags is real

Last week, a photo of what appeared to be a Patagonia clothing tag with a hidden message circulated widely on social media.

One Twitter post from Sept. 11 is captioned “Pure (fire) by @patagonia” and includes an image of the underneath side of the tag which reads in all-caps: “VOTE THE A--HOLES OUT”

It has been liked more than 33,000 times as of Wednesday.

Some social media users questioned if the tag was legitimate.

“If that’s true, it’s on my buying list,” one Twitter user wrote.

“If this is real my new winter jacket will (be) from Patagonia,” wrote another.

“It doesn’t appear to be real, but Patagonia is still a great company to support. Real deal activism,” wrote a third.

But as it turns out, the tags are real.

Patagonia confirmed the tags’ legitimacy to several media outlets — but they’re only used on one item.

“The tags are real,” a spokesperson for Patagonia told outdoor magazine Backpacker. “They were added to our 2020 Men’s and Women’s Regenerative Organic Stand-Up Shorts because we have been standing up to climate deniers for almost as long as we’ve been making those shorts.”

The outdoor outfitter told Adventure Journal that the phrase isn’t partisan, but rather a reference to “politicians from any party who deny climate change is real, or don’t believe we should do anything about climate change, not because they aren’t aware of it, but because their pockets are lined with money from oil and gas interests.”

Patagonia explained to Mashable that the phrase, quoting founder Yvon Chouinard, has been a mainstay in the company for several years. The slogan previously appeared on a Patagonia T-shirt and its message is underscored throughout the company’s website, the outlet reported.

Twitter users seemed pretty excited about the tags. Here’s how some reacted:

This isn’t the first time Patagonia has waded into political waters.

The company donated every penny made during its 2016 Black Friday sales to environmental nonprofit organizations, Mashable reported.

In 2017, Patagonia condemned the Trump administration for its efforts to shrink Bears Ears National Monument, writing on the brand homepage that “The President Stole Your Land,” Backpacker reported. The House Committee on Natural Resources responded in a tweet that said “Patagonia is lying to you,” and blasted the company, saying it hijacked the debate to make sales, according to the magazine.

This story was originally published September 16, 2020 at 9:30 AM with the headline "‘Vote the a--holes out.’ Strong, hidden message on Patagonia clothing tags is real."