After achieving a "record-breaking" Black Friday in sales, outdoor apparel maker Patagonia is giving the environment an early Christmas present in the form of $10 million.
Prior to Black Friday, Patagonia announced that it would donate 100 percent of its global retail and online sales from the shopping event straight to grassroots organizations that work in local communities to "protect our air, water and soil for future generations".
On Monday, the California-based retailer revealed that it had reached a "record-breaking" $10 million in sales during its Black Friday event, a figure five times greater than what it had initially expected ($2 million).
Following the news, Patagonia stuck to its promise, saying on Twitter that it would give "every penny to hundreds of local environmental organizations working around the world," while thanking its customers for showing up to "#LoveOurPlanet".
According to an interview with The Huffington Post, Corley Kenna, a company spokesperson said inspiration for the Black Friday idea emerged during an internal brainstorming meeting, shortly after the U.S. presidential election. Patagonia wasn't immediately available for comment, when contacted by CNBC International.
The U.S.' relationship with the environment has been of key importance in recent weeks, as organizations worldwide wait with bated breath over whether President-Elect Donald Trump will stick to his claims made earlier this year, that he would reverse the actions activated by current U.S. incumbent, Barack Obama designed to combat climate change.
However, in a recent interview with the New York Times, Trump said he was keeping an "open mind" on the topic of confronting climate change. While the world has yet to learn what policies Trump will actually implement when in office, Patagonia said it was key to make sure the U.S. remains "fully committed to the vital goals set forth in the Paris Agreement".
"The science is telling us loud and clear: We have a problem," the company said in a statement on Monday.
"By getting active in communities, we can raise our voices to defend policies and regulations that will protect wild places and wildlife, reduce carbon emissions, build a modern energy economy based on investment in renewables, and, most crucially, ensure the United States remains fully committed to the vital goals set forth in the Paris Agreement on climate change."
As part of its overall mission, Patagonia donates 1 percent of its total annual sales to grassroots environmental groups — as part of its membership of the "1% for the Planet" initiative.
In a tweet published by the retailer, Patagonia revealed that on Black Friday alone, it beat the amount it gives in an entire year through its everyday "1% for the Planet" scheme. To date, Patagonia has donated around $74 million to thousands of community-based environmental groups.
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