Outdoor clothing retailer Chlorophylle, with its roots in Chicoutimi, Quebec since 1980, continues to expand its footprint in the province, recently adding two more stores in Montreal and growing its brand through other retailers.
Claudie Laroche, Marketing Director for Chlorophylle, said the brand was created by outdoor adventure enthusiasts who would explore activities throughout the winter.
“They wanted to create clothing that would also match the conditions they needed to be in. They thought that there wasn’t enough offers on the market about technical clothing, outdoor clothing, and stuff like that. They would need more from companies when they would go into Antartica and they wanted to create clothing that would match the conditions they needed to be in but then also to respect the environment they were in because they were lovers of nature,” said Laroche.
At first it was winter clothing, but the retailer eventually transitioned into offering consumers other clothing.
Today, it has 16 locations in Quebec.
“Now we are working at expanding the company. So now we are in Sports Experts in Chambly close to Montreal,” said Laroche. “At the moment, we’re planning on expanding in Canada – not really by opening stores but mostly working with the retailers.”
Recently, the company opened two stores in Montreal – the first one was in Galeries d’Anjou in Montreal followed by a store on the iconic Sainte-Catherine Street.
Chlorophylle is now sold across Canada, Japan, France, Belgium and Switzerland.
“We continue to create our own clothes that have no complexes, inspired by nature,” said the company on its website. “Chlorophylle continues to be a strong environmental advocate. We have always been aware that we are part of an industry that has its share of responsibility for the problem. This is why we try as much as possible to find new ways of doing things: working with recycled fibres, banning toxic processes, all this while raising awareness among our customers by giving them educational content in our communications and by partnering with scientists in the field. To love nature is above all to protect it.
“The origins of Chlorophylle are intimately linked to beauty and climatic requirements of the unique geography of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, located in Quebec, Canada. These origins have inspired and challenged a large number of adventurers from this region. Among these great outdoor enthusiasts, three friends notably founded Chlorophylle in 1980 after a three-year journey across the Americas and Baffin Island.
“They were often challenged to find the right versatile garment that would be perfectly balanced for their technical needs to accompany them during their multiple journeys through different climatic zones. From the beginning of the company, motivated to meet the varied challenges encountered during this journey, the founders led the design and development of the clothing collection based on two corporate values: innovation and respect.”
The retailer currently has its “Give Happiness and Warmth” campaign in place where it is inviting people, until December 18, to exchange a second-hand coat for a $75 discount applicable on a new winter coat for adults. Each boutique is paired with a community organization in its sector to then distribute the winter items collected.
Donations are then given to community organizations across Quebec. In the past three years 1434 coats were redistributed. This year there are 14 participating organizations..
Last year, it added the ability to donate cash at the checkout alongside the coat donation. A total of $850 was raised for the various organizations.
