Allllllriiiiight...

I have two Patagonia brand Synchilla Snap-T's that DW gave me many years ago. (They're both over 11 years old, to tell the truth!) One was a lightly used fleece Snap-T left behind by a student at a school where DW taught. Another was a brand new Snap-T right in the bag. According to DW, the student's mother owned the factory in which these fleece pull-overs were made.

These two fleeces have worn very well, really. I have worn them a lot. I don't baby them in any way shape or form - abused them, really. They get used for yard work, camping, hiking, in the shop - pretty much wherever, whenever. They wash well and are very warm and comfortable and still manage to be presentable. I love them when I'm outdoors as they keep you warm even if they get wet. They're particularly wonderful when paddling.

After all this time, the first Snap-T is starting to show its age. I decided that I'd see if they were still made and if so, I'd buy a new one.

Yup. They still make 'em.

I hope they keep making them for a long, long time.

Let me say a few words about Patagonia as a company. (I should note that I don't work for them, nor do I get anything from them as a "kickback". I'm simply a happy customer.) First, they are very environmentally conscious as a company. They're concerned about the footprint of their product, including all of the aspects of manufacturing, packaging and shipping. The Snap-T is made from 85% recycled materials. Once you're done with it, they have a recycling program called "Common Threads" where they re-use the materials from fleece and cotton products. While their products are not inexpensive (The list price for the Snap-T is $95.), their products are highly functional and durable.

Outstanding.

I went directly to the Patagonia website and tried to order a fleece. I had a window pop up on my computer that told me that they were out of stock at Patagonia, but that I could find what I was looking for from 4 of their distributors.

One distributor was Moosejaw - an outdoor products outfitter from Michigan that I'd never done business with before. I looked over their website and decided to give them a try. I did the usual on-line order entry and got a confirmation email which started as follows:

Your Order Has Been Placed

Way to go. You've won the best email receipt we've sent out all day. We recommend either printing this receipt and framing it in your foyer or using it as a screensaver. It would probably also be nice for you to forward it around to a couple friends and maybe even an enemy or two.

If you're bored, check us out on Facebook and on Twitter. Our CFO said he doesn't understand why anyone would use Twitter. He also thinks that a narwhal is a made-up animal. Please don't tell anyone about it.

Ok. This is entertaining.

The package arrived several days later. Check out the labels on the outside of the box. (Double click for a larger image)


And then here's what was inside the box with the fleece was a sticker (note the center activity in the lower line):


Also inside, was a slip of paper with the following on it:

Moosejaw Love the Madness

If you are actually reading this note you should be super happy. First, you have received your order, reading is fun and getting something in the mail (even if you bought it yourself) has got to make the day better.

Second, I put your order together all by myself. Sometimes people note that my packing job is so lovely that customers actually never remove their order from the bag or box, preferring to be awed by my personal work. I appreciate the thought but I don't recommend it.

I must say, the marketing was excellent and entertaining. I'll definitely consider dealing with them in the future!