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The Logo Is Key to Spotting Patagonia’s Most Luxurious Fleece

This particular Patagonia fleece costs at least $100 more than the brand’s other fleece jackets. Here’s what makes it unique (and expensive.)

Four versions of Patagonia's Natural Blend Retro Cardigan shown in a row partially covering each other on a light green background.Patagonia

By Ben Bowers

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Patagonia’s outerwear lineup has always included various fleece jacket options, many of which can look similar to normal humans who have better things to do than analyze their nuances.

Patagonia’s Retro Pile Fleece is a personal favorite of mine. I’ve owned several for years and have worn them so much that they’re now beaten to hell. It doesn’t help that my daughter put a sticker on one that I’m convinced not even a Jack Nicholson acid bath could fully wash off at this point.

So, while shopping for the replacement, I was confused to see a version called the Natural Blend Retro Cardigan that looked nearly identical to my Retro Pile Fleece in Pitch Blue but cost more than twice as much at $349, making it easily the most expensive fleece jacket Patagonia sells. And me being me, I had to investigate.

A Special Fleece Celebrating 50 Years of Business

The Patagonia Natural Blend Retro Cardigan being worn by a male model looking to the left with his hands in the hand warmer pocket.
The Natural Blend Retro Cardigan comes in a wide range of color options including bold prints and solid neutrals.
Patagonia

Patagonia’s legendary founder Yvon Chouinard, and his wife Malinda are both famously credited with inventing the fleece jacket out of material made initially for toilet seat covers. So it’s befitting that Patagonia chose to celebrate its 50th anniversary in part by launching a special fleece with some unique quirks, dubbed the Natural Blend Retro Cardigan.

Given the company’s well-publicized emphasis on environmental activism and sustainability, it’s also no surprise that the jacket would be eco-conscious. Polyester – the core material in most fleece jackets- is a well-documented contributor to microplastic pollution, so any improvement is welcomed.

A side by side of two photos showing wear and tear to two different Patagonia Fleeces. The left one shows a tear in the sleeve. The right one shows the residue of a sticker.
I’ve worn the hell out of Patagonia’s Retro Pile Fleece for years to the point where they’ve started looking ragged. I stumbled upon Patagonia’s $349 Natural Blend Retro Cardigan while shopping for a replacement.
Ben Bowers

The Natural Blend Retro Cardigan is made, as the name implies, from a blend of recycled wool natural fibers and recycle polyester or plastic bottles, depending on the model. It’s also made in a Fair Trade Certified Factory.

The combination of materials and deviations from the typical mass production processes are likely why the Natural Blend Retro Cardigan costs at least $100 more than Patagonia’s other fleece options.

A Small Design Quirk Highlights Patagonia’s 50 Year Journey

A grid of four close up images of Patagonia logos sewed into the front breast pocket of four different colored Patagonia Natural Blend Retro Cardigans.
Each version of the Patagonia Natural Blend Retro Cardigan features a different chest logo.
Patagonia

I look at online product listings constantly, and the product page for the Natural Blend Retro Cardigan is one of the most confusing listings I’ve seen in a while.

That’s mainly because the four color options look so different that they all feel like unique fleece jackets.

Two options feature bold print patterns. Two other options are mainly monotone with color-contrasting zipper details. A final option is color-blocked with burnished red and grey. Adding to the confusion is the fact that the Patagonia chest logo is different across every version, too.

We’ve contacted a Patagonia rep for any specific background info on this design decision. Still, given that it was made to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, I suspect it’s a fun way to showcase the evolution of Patagonia’s branding over the years.

The combination of materials and deviations from the typical mass production processes are likely why the Natural Blend Retro Cardigan costs at least $100 more than Patagonia’s other fleece options.

At least one of the logos used—featuring text with a white outline around it—matches Patagonia tags from the early 1970s, when the brand was just getting started. The others are harder to tie down to a specific era.

The fleece that looks eerily similar to the Retro Pile Fleece in Pitch Blue I own features only the Patagonia word mark, written in purple, a color that is also closely associated with premium clothing sub-labels from brands like The North Face and Ralph Lauren.

None of this, of course, matters in the slightest when it comes to performance. Most people shouldn’t consider paying twice the price for a fleece simply because it sports a unique logo. But like the secret feature of Patagonia fleece pockets, it’s at least a fun easter egg that outerwear nerds like me can appreciate and, sadly, still lust after.

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